August 2020 Editorial – EPN Consulting Newsletter

We are approaching the 1st September that for many of us represents the real beginning of the year (instead of the 1st January) when all activities resume, New Year’s resolution is written on a to-do list such as subscribing to a foreign language course, paying for a gym pass, designing strategic careers decisions, etc.. Personally, I find it the most exciting period of the year.

However, this year will be different. Some employees will return to work places after many months of remote working  whereas some others will continue working from home; students will (should?) return to their classrooms and adopt protection measures that are all but clear at present; public transport will (should?) resume full service but it is not sure which vehicles load factor will be in place (50%, 75%, 100%?), and the list could continue.

This September should mark the official beginning of the new normality despite the confusion of numbers provided regarding the Covid-19 infection among the segments of population of a country or a region versus the number of PCR tests performed, the fear about potential new waves of lockdown, the different and confusing measures that restaurants/bars/cafes/dance clubs/gyms should adopt, the worrying situation of the economic trends as well as unemployment rates.

All this without mentioning travelling by plane that requires certifications (national ones often conflict with the regional ones)/QR codes/ stating that we haven’t been in touch with infected people (what if these individuals don’t know their status as they feel well?). Tracing apps that are not often downloaded or downloaded but not active (many of them need Bluetooth on all the time, draining rapidly our smartphone battery), etc.. The general confusion is big and what we read/listen to on media is not helping clarify the situation.

Well, we are attempting to resume a sort of normality, but the path seems long and complicated before reaching the status of freedom we used to enjoy until last year.

Anyway, Happy New (productive) Year!

Stefano Mainero
EPN Consulting Founder & CEO