Tippy-Toeing Into the Sunlight
We’re watching CUs and CU organizations begin to step back into society and the world, little by little.
There are so many different kinds of phobias, both rational and irrational.
For instance, heliophobia is a fear of the sun. The reasons for that fear can be getting sunburned or skin cancer. Other reasons are more on the anxiety levels of an intense fear that the sun is trying to hurt you.
Rational or irrational, many of us have had pandemic-related worries or fears on many different levels for the past year. Worries about your families. Worries about your employees and members. For some, it has even turned into a phobia of being in public or being around people in general.
When I do go out to the grocery store, I wear a mask that says “Don’t Touch Me!” It’s expressing my love for a certain podcast while also letting people know to keep their distance, please. I’ve come this far into the pandemic and I don’t want to get sick now.
Credit union leaders have done a tremendous job of keeping their teams and employees safe during this nutso time. And over the past few weeks there’s been a strong “I’m over it” vibe swirling around the industry. It’s completely understandable and, in some cases, it’s probably the right way to think about it.
We’re watching credit unions and credit union organizations begin to tiptoe back into the sunlight – back into society and the world, little by little.
Of course these steps, mostly gradual, are a sign that we all want to get back to a no- or less-fear life.
Depending on your state, county or even your city/town’s political leaders, credit unions are sponsoring social and public events. They are taking the lead on the mindset that it’s OK to come out and be in the sun. But, credit union leaders need to ask themselves, “Are our members and employees ready to take that step with us?”
For the record, I’ll be the last one on the CU Times team to be fully vaccinated. I’ve had my first dose and by the time this print issue comes out, I’ll be done. After months and months of locking myself down at home, as a test for myself and of that credit union vibe I mentioned, I decided to go out and visit 4th Tap Brewing Cooperative in Austin, Texas and have a drink. Even though I sat alone at a table outside, I realized that I’m OK with attending some credit union events – as long as it’s outside and there’s beer and dogs sitting under tables. It was a healthy dose of seeing the parameters that the world is willing to accept from gatherings as we collectively take small steps out into a post-quarantine land.
Credit union branches inside high schools and universities are making plans to reopen this summer and fall as schools and school districts announce the return of in-person classes.
Some credit union industry events have been recently announced. One is taking place in Las Vegas in early June and organizers are trying to entice people to attend with marketing language like, “Sick of having to remember your Zoom password to attend a virtual conference?” and, “Wanting to move beyond a virtual happy hour and create meaningful relationships with like-minded credit union executives?”
While I understand their point and even the politics behind the messaging, I don’t believe you can bully away a pandemic or people into attending an in-person event until they’re ready. But sure, they’re appealing to an audience that’s ready to move on.
Which leads me to internal credit union employee policies, and how they are evolving and probably will need to evolve in the near future.
I recently had a great “COVID check-in” conversation with the president/CEO of Canvas Credit Union, Todd Marksberry, and EVP – chief lending officer of Royal Credit Union, Michael Dill. I asked both credit union leaders about their credit union’s vaccination policy and where they are headed in those discussions. Both said their credit union’s executive teams have met and discussed what they should do. It is a bizarre issue that mixes business, moral and ethical problems. Both also said they aren’t going to require employees to be vaccinated in order to return to the offices, but instead will “strongly encourage” employees to get the shot or shots. It’ll be up to the employee and their personal preferences and beliefs. Currently, Canvas and Royal have between 50% and 60% of employees still working remote.
Giant organizations like Amazon are also encouraging employees to get vaccinated, but not requiring it. According to a recent article in The Seattle Times, Amazon is expecting to have its 60,000 employees return to the office by the fall. Many employees have been expressing their safety concerns and some local Seattle officials are now predicting “a mass exodus of employees” because of this decision.
According to reports, Ford Motor Company has a similar vaccination policy, but executives there are giving more than 30,000 employees the option to work from home forever.
New York City employees are being compelled to return to the office on May 3 as 80,000 employees will be encouraged to wear masks and keep their distance from one another. Vaccinations will not be mandatory, nor will masks.
See? This policy is a dicey one.
How do you make sure that employees are comfortable coming back to work, while making sure the business keeps running well?
Those same discussions and questions will guide the decisions of if, when and why credit union industry and social events will be held this year.
The COVID clouds are lifting and the sun is beginning to peak through into the world again. Your fears and concerns or even lack of fear or concern are all valid points. Bold decisions are going to be made this year and, I believe, there are no right answers just yet. Those answers will reveal themselves if we are careful and thoughtful with the steps we all take in the months ahead. I wish the best to all of our credit union executive teams out there who are trying to balance health, safety and business.
If you need a place to see and possibly validate your work and event polices and guidelines, may I suggest a sunny beer garden with some dogs sleeping under the tables.
Full disclosure: I have ophidiophobia – an absolutely irrational fear of snakes. They are gross. They move too fast. I don’t like them. Where are their legs? They can stay away from me forever.
Michael Ogden Editor-in-Chief mogden@cutimes.com