Opinion
Kerrie Kemp
Operation lockdown
EN editor Saul Leese caught up with Kerrie Kemp, regional operations
director, Informa, to share ideas on how to deliver operations remotely
Y
our events have been postponed,
and you’re facing an unknown
amount of time in lockdown, working
from home whilst simultaneously
trying to juggle all your other personal
commitments. Today it’s the Covid-19
pandemic, tomorrow it could be
something completely different.
Disruptive scenarios aren’t new for
those of us in the events and exhibitions
industry. Whether it’s extreme weather
conditions, disrupted transport or a
public health crisis, it’s the unexpected
that pushes us operationally towards
innovation.
There is nothing like a crisis to test
our professional and personal limits
and bring out our sense of community
spirit. More often than not, we come
out of the other side with fresh resolve,
a replenished bank of knowledge and
50 — May
expertise, and a renewed vigour for
doing things more efficiently than we
have before.
It’s important that we focus our
energy on positive, productive tasks
that we can control and influence rather
than on those we cannot, so that when
the time comes to resume, we are as
prepared as we can be to pick up where
we left off.
Below, I share four key areas which my
operations team and I are focusing on
right now in order to make sure we’re
post-pandemic ready.
Routine
In this current environment,
recognising that things are different
at present, and creating a new routine
and structure, has proven invaluable.
Everything from your commute,
exercise regime, children’s schooling
and how you buy groceries has changed,
and planning your working day with
all of these considerations is vital,
otherwise you’re setting yourself up for
disappointment each time you don’t
achieve what you needed to.
I have found that scheduling 30
minutes focus time at the start of each
day (thank you Microsoft Insights!) to
plan my top three priorities for the day
/ week / project has helped me to cut
out the white noise that often comes
from my inbox, WhatsApp, Microsoft
Teams etc., and ensures I achieve what
I need to. I also put the item I want to
do the least first, a great mind trick I
have found effective to ensure that I
don’t keep putting that H&S regulatory
review to the bottom of the pile.