One year ago, the corona virus rocked the country. On Friday 13 March 2020, the Belgian government brutally pulled the handbrake. Public life came to an abrupt halt. Everyone was forced to retreat into their bubble. In the twelve months that followed, one thing struck us: the resilience of our people.
Corona: 15 months ago, we had never heard of it. 14 months ago, it was a far cry from our minds, something about bats in China. 13 months ago, we received ominous reports from the European winter sports regions. 12 months ago, our country came to a complete standstill. Now, one year later, Covid-19 still dominates our daily lives.
Corona has aroused various emotions in those 12 months. Fear and sadness for people who saw a family member or friend end up in hospital, or worse. Hope and relief for those who saw their loved ones return after weeks of hospitalisation without the opportunity to visit them. However, Covid-19 did not just influenced family life.
The corona virus paralyses business
The business community was hit hard. Entrepreneurs who have not yet grown grey hairs may never get them. Many companies temporarily closed their doors, directly or indirectly as a result of corona. Some companies were able to start up again before the summer. Others are now eagerly looking forward to a second restart date. Others will remain closed for good.
It made many people’s spirits slip. However, there are also entrepreneurs who have overlooked the situation and, amidst the many drawbacks, have looked for opportunities. For opportunities to guide their employees, partners and customers through this unprecedented crisis. At Multi Masters Group, we are proud to belong to the latter category. Despite the difficult and often changing circumstances, we kept going. Often, we even went the extra mile. That the corona year 2020 did not turn out to be a disaster year for us, we owe mainly to the resilience of all our employees, our ‘masters’.
Corona will not get us down
Yes, we too have been affected by corona. We too have had our doubts at times. Believe us, if things had been different, some of our staff would not have been temporarily unemployed. We would not have forced our people to work from home. We would not have made our people on the working floor take countless extra precautions. But they all went along with our story, without grumbling. Corona has challenged our people, but not made them feel small. Perhaps we should consider adding ‘resilience’ to our corporate values?
This resilience, meanwhile, makes us look forward with hope. Vaccinations are on their way, we can dream of a normal life again. Although the question is whether we will ever return to our life as we lived it before 13 March 2020. Perhaps not. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. Let us learn from the many disadvantages that Corona has brought us. At the same time, let us enjoy the opportunities it has given us. Let us continue to look for opportunities that will bring a bright future to all members of the Multi Masters Group family.
Thanks to everyone who has shown themselves to be a true ‘master’ in the past year!
