Three years ago, 27 million Britons watched the erstwhile Prime Minister Boris Johnson on television as he said, “Stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives.” That was the year when the world was shut. Schools, colleges, offices, restaurants, and shops, except the hospitals and emergency services. Countless people could not pay their last respects to their loved ones. Millions remained in trauma and terror of losing their friends and family. Every single individual came out selflessly to support and save lives irrespective of faith and beliefs. The world is still trying to come to terms with and is processing the consequences of the year 2020, as 11th March marked 3 years since World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Covid-19 to be a pandemic. While the world is determined to move on from the acute phase, it will forever be a life lesson for humankind to tell future generations, what happened in a year that changed the world. It is of course unforgettable and unfortunate that each and everyone lost some near or dear one during the pandemic. Many lost jobs, and livelihoods, and over 65mn people are reportedly suffering from Long Covid worldwide. The new normal may have disrupted our lives forever, but there is still some silver lining at the end of the tunnel. As a community, whether it was the efforts of our local businesses, pharmacies, community centres, temples, mosques, gurudwaras, community leaders, volunteers and healthcare workers, the world remained united and emerged resilient in the last three years. Food, clothing, medicines, and emergency services were provided around the clock with the tireless efforts of South Asians in the UK. Rishi Sunak, the then Chancellor and now Prime Minister gave a new lifeline to people with his furlough scheme during the pandemic to keep kitchens running despite layoffs and job losses for many homes. The furlough scheme was the centrepiece of Chancellor Rishi Sunak's "unprecedented" intervention in the economy, designed to stave off a wave of job losses as the country closed down in the face of the virus. It protected the incomes of millions of people across the UK working in sectors that could no longer operate, such as live music, nightclubs, the travel industry, business events, hospitality and retail businesses. Now that scheme is ending, requiring firms to shoulder full responsibility for those employees again or let them go. During the lifetime of the scheme, about 11.6 million jobs were supported, with a steep take-up in the first few months especially.
Asian Voice reached out to members of the community to understand their take away and learnings from the pandemic as we complete three years of living with the virus.
‘Tune in’ to the joy
Sanjiv Patel, motivational speaker and Long Covid survivor who lost his father in the lockdown to Covid told us, “Lockdown gave us all a chance to stand back and reflect on our lives, being forced to stop and slow down, was a gift if we chose to embrace it. For years I had been ‘running on life’s treadmill’, but slowing down allowed me to see more clearly. I looked at every aspect of my life through a ‘child’s eyes’, asking if this was my last day, and what would I do differently. For me, this journey of growth, and understanding myself and the world around me have allowed me to ‘tune in’ to the joy. That clarity to live with the purpose, of making a difference for at least one person each day, led to Sanjiv Speaks; a platform to engage with people in an authentic way. Sanjvspeaks is about sharing and discussing ideas on Holistic Wellness. Whether that’s at home or work, emotional and physical wellness; they’re all important and I help individuals and groups find their balance. I’ve been humbled by the response as people put their faith in me. I’ve been doing talks and workshops around the world through Sanjiv Speaks and working with some wonderful people and amazing forward-thinking businesses like Max Ventures, Microsoft and Criteo. I am thrilled and excited about the journey that continues to unfold with my venture.”
Pandemic uprooted a few positive experiences
Sonya Barlow - Founder, Author & Influencer told the newsweekly, “The pandemic was out of a movie, a phase we could have never planned and yet, as a society, built a fort around quickly. The pandemic uprooted a few positive experiences that maybe without we wouldn't have given ourselves a chance to experience. It made us spend time with our loved ones, whether in person or via facetime; it reminded us that health is necessary for a wealthy life, encouraging many people to focus on small significant lifestyle changes, including walks, at-home exercises and meditation, and we enjoyed the moments of quality rather than quantity.
“I know it gave me a last chance to stay under the roof with my parents and siblings, experience the birth of my niece, and learn some recipes from my elders before we all grew to leave the nest, as they say. At the same time, our values were challenged within and around the workplace, enabling a handful of us to take risks and start businesses, myself included. During this time, I went on a journey to explore my mind and soul, learning about my neurodiversity, unlearning some ideas and actions and relearning progressive behaviour. I started a business, wrote a book and even took a leap of faith to share online content, which prior to the pandemic, I did not access or entertain. I saw workplace cultures become more inclusive and sustainable, I saw people take a stand for what they believed in, and most importantly, I saw individuals realign their days to suit their version of success, not others.”
Three years down the road: reflections from the field
Speaking to Asian Voice, Pushpanath Krishnamurthy, Global consultant. Campaigner, Trainer, Mentor, and speaker said, “The most stunning revelation is that the way we have to be ready for an eventuality of viral mutations that can be instant killers- especially the most vulnerable ones in any society. It is a consequence of the way we have messed up our natural world -at times beyond the limits. The second and most important lesson is that Covid is still here and it is hurting many poor households. The disease and infection clearly demonstrated how it can be a killer of poor people suffering from historical and systemic poverty. And therefore, the inequity of its impact.
“The vaccination was produced in record times in the history of scientific research. Where there is a will..but climate justice is crying for similar action. The poorest paid price and the richest accrued much profit. The poorest who rely on manual labour are suffering a double whammy if not more- They cannot recover from the impact of covid- some even show adult malnutrition in Asia and Africa- as I observed in travel to India and in Africa.
“Organisations like Covenant Centre for development in Madurai-India providing 8 weeks special and holistic care for recovering wage workers. Covid also demonstrated that we are not alone- we can come together for the greater good-if we willed so and therefore produce new force for good. Many communities and families have demonstrated a new and refreshing approach to care, bonding and togetherness that was unthinkable. Science, discovery technology and breakthrough is not neutral at all.
“As a development worker and Humanitarian activist-I know that great disasters can bring amazing new opportunities for fair change-we are yet to encash on it.”
How the pandemic changed work life
There has been a marked shift in working practices since the pandemic with many employers and employees adopting a flexible working approach. New research by the Equal Parenting Project (the Study) found that 59.5% of managers believe working from home improves the productivity of employees. Other types of flexible working are also associated with an increase in productivity. 44.1% of managers felt part-time work increased productivity and 43.7% felt that compressed hours had the same effect. Despite this, 41.9% of managers still regard long hours as being crucial for career progression.
The change in attitudes towards working from home has altered how organisations view their office space. A study found that 33.7% of managers reported that their organisation had reduced or was planning to reduce the amount of office space available. These organisations will likely be hoping to reap the financial benefits of downsizing. In addition, the remaining office space is often being repurposed. 9.7% of managers said there were fewer shared offices, 21.8% said there was more space for events and/or workshops and 12.4% said there was more space to encourage well-being.
The study recommends that organisations should assume that all jobs will be available for some form of flexible working. This includes adding relevant information to job advertisements and introducing mechanisms to ensure that the commitments of the organisation are met. In addition, it recommends that policymakers should encourage larger companies (with over 250 employees) to report on the use of flexible working as part of gender pay gap reporting and make this information widely available to the public.
The impact of workplace policies on parenting choices
Flexible working policies impact the parenting choices of employees. A study found that 78% of managers believe caring responsibilities should be shared between both parents; however, only 40% said that their organisation supports parents to do this. This may partly be due to only 43% of managers receiving advice or training to help the organisation support employees who are balancing work and their childcare responsibilities.
In addition, it is particularly important to support fathers with caring responsibilities to ensure gender equality in the workplace. Following Covid-19, fathers may be more likely to request flexible working in the future. This could be due to the rise in working from home which allowed them to be more involved in the daily life of their children whilst still being able to work their required hours and/or meet potential targets.
Overall, it seems as though there is a clear disconnect between managers' views on shared parental responsibility and the steps taken by organisations to support parents, and in particular fathers, who are navigating parenthood. The Study recommends that organisations should actively encourage men of all ages to work flexibly and be vocal about it so that this working practice can be integrated into the working culture.
Ailing NHS
Three years later, the world is readily vaccinating everyone with first, second and booster doses to prevent the fatal consequences of the Coronavirus. The India-UK partnership played a historic role in vaccinating the world in association with the Serum Institute of India. However, according to The Times, three years later, the two-month maximum wait from an urgent GP referral to first treatment for cancer is still dropping, with only 54 per cent of cases seen in under two months, 31 per cent lower than the operational standard. The two-week maximum for a consultant appointment is 13 per cent lower than the NHS’s operational standard, a slight improvement on the ten-year low of September last year. Over a quarter of patients in emergency departments are waiting over four hours, and 8 per cent wait over 12 hours. Last week’s strikes by junior doctors delayed 175,000 appointments. Nurses walked out in December and February, followed by ambulance workers in March. Young adults (aged 16 to 19) and middle-aged (aged 40 to 55) report the highest anxiety levels and lowest happiness levels since the pandemic. Women also fare worse in these Office for National Statistics ratings.
Grades are dropping
A UCL study states that 38 per cent of students and pupils felt their career prospects had been worsened by the pandemic. According to a report in The Times, Professor Iyiola Solanke, chairwoman of EU law at Oxford University who studied the effect of the pandemic on black and Asian minorities, said: “There are groups in our society who don’t have adequate access to digital technologies, as is necessary now that we’re so reliant on technology. We’ve heard stories of children having to use their father’s smartphone to do their schoolwork and when their father, who was a keyworker, went out to work, they were no longer able to do their schoolwork.”
Three years later, Britain has lost its beloved Queen, the royal family is combatting its own internal disputes, Britain is in the able hands of its first Asian origin and Hindu Prime Minister in Rishi Sunak, Scotland will now be under the governance of Humza Yousaf, the first minority ethnic leader of the Scottish National party. Weddings and parties have become more intimate. From a toddler to an old aged person, everyone understands the importance of social distancing. Families are becoming more and more united and closer after losing their members. Children are closer to their grandparents after being apart for months. The value of knowing and nurturing our culture is at an all-time high. The pandemic may have taken a lot from us, but it gave us back what was always paramount to survive in this world - love. Love can only come from your immediate friends and family.
Professor Sidharth Bandyopadhyay said, “Covid has led to a lot of social and economic damage but by making us more aware of our mortality it has reminded us of the value that friends and loved ones play in our life.”
