Work From Home reflections from a banking professional

The following is the first in a series of Village Vignettes by Paul Monaco.

I started Work From Home (WFH) on March 16, 2020, having been ordered to do so until May 3, 2020 (subject to change) by my employer. With banking considered an “Essential Industry”, I’m happy to still have a job, as many other “Non-Essential” businesses have been ordered to close their on-site operations by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s mandate in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, many people have joined the unemployment ranks.

As I sit here writing this piece on April 23, 2020, I find myself reflecting on how I would much rather be working at the office. Office life is so ingrained, having been in the workforce since graduating college in 1985. There is comfort in our routines. You wake up to the alarm clock, take a shower, grab a little breakfast, get dressed, and drive to work. Four-plus weeks in and I’m still unsettled, though. Can’t quite get in a groove. Working in athleisure wear, I feel like I’m cheating, or something, yet I’m working more hours than ever! My makeshift work station is always staring at me, even when I’m not working — no separation.

My portfolio of commercial banking client companies is in varying levels of distress from the shutdowns; the economy is at a near standstill like we have never seen. September 11, 2001 and the recessionary downturn in 2008 – 2010 do not even come close to comparing to this situation. Approximately 26.5 million people are unemployed to date and growing.

The phone calls and emails are non-stop from my customer base, many of whom have been in business for four or five generations. How can I fix it for them? Constant communication with them for status updates: (a) Are you closed?; (b) Are your employees sick?; (c) What are you doing to keep your people safe?; (d) How’s your “cash burn”?; (e) Are you making payroll?; (f) Do you need a deferral of principal and interest? Some are still operating, also considered “essential”; some are only selling their products on-line while their brick and mortar doors are closed; some have idled their factories; and only one has a positive story as it is manufacturing component parts for the COVID-19 testing kits and running at “full throttle.” Unfortunately, we won’t be able to help every customer — some will survive, while others will not.

My morale is up and down on a daily basis. In the proverbial trenches with my bayonet and sidearm. There is blood of a different sort being shed in this social and economic war versus the coronavirus.

I’m a list-maker. Reflecting on WFH, it has its good, and not so good, points:

POSITIVES

• No commute up/down the Northway, saving on gas and wear and tear on my nerves
• Enjoying alone time
• Bonding with my dog — she is a fantastic listener
• Alexa, “Play Miles Davis songs”
• My company really does care about keeping us all safe
• No need to take my shirts and suits to the dry cleaner
• More time to cook during the week
• Pep talks with co-workers scattered around the footprint who are also WFH

NEGATIVES

• Too much alone time. Where is everybody?
• No “solving the world’s problems” around the lunchroom table with co-workers
• Dog always has the urge to bark while I’m on a conference call and it is my turn to talk
• Dry cleaner is missing my business from my weekly visits
• The near magnetic attraction of the pantry and refrigerator

Lack of visibility into what is coming ahead, we are all wondering when will “normality” return, and what will an inevitable “new normality” look like? I need to find a better mask.