The whole world is experiencing a situation of a severity rarely seen, which is generating a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty. As in any time of crisis, initiatives to support others and promote solidarity are springing up everywhere, both in the professional world and in society in general.

I’ve been in touch by phone with several teams at CERN and have noticed that a great deal of effort is going into showing understanding and kindness towards others to combat the effects of isolation and confinement. I thought that you would be interested and inspired to hear about what some of your colleagues at CERN are doing.

Firstly, most teams have continued with their regular meetings, except that now they are held remotely, and some teams have even increased their frequency. Those who are particularly susceptible to the effects of physical distancing and isolation are regularly receiving calls from their supervisors or colleagues. Some supervisors are making it a point of honour to call every member of their team at least once a day. Others who are in charge of larger teams regularly send a personal message to each team member via e-mail. All of this takes time and energy, but it shows the importance that is being attached to solidarity in these particularly trying times.

We are also seeing that people are more reactive than usual: colleagues seem to be keen to respond quickly to requests so as not to drag things out unnecessarily.

Phone calls and videoconferencing are more popular than ever: what could be nicer than being able to have a conversation with your colleague rather than exchanging dozens of e-mails! These contacts are primarily professional, but they have also become more personal: we want to know how everyone is coping with the situation, and sometimes we even get to meet the children of our colleagues, or their spouse, their cat, their dog...

And then there are the less formal initiatives, like the organisation of regular “video coffee breaks” to fill the gap left by the absence of the informal encounters that are so vital to office life. Many colleagues now sign off their messages with a little touch of humour, a funny picture or a video, to keep people’s spirits up. Some clubs are even continuing their activities or classes via videoconference.

We are living through a difficult time, but as a result many people are taking steps to help one another, to be creative and to show solidarity. No-one really knows how long the lockdown will last, so we must be mentally prepared to continue these efforts.

Don’t forget that all the usual support services remain at your disposal, albeit remotely. Don’t hesitate to use them! Now, more than ever, we are all available to help and advise you.

Pierre Gildemyn

If you’d like to comment on any of my articles or suggest a topic that I could write about, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at Ombuds@cern.ch.