A Reimagined Work Place
By: Vicki Bohlsen, Founder and CEO
I started Bohlsen Group during a recession, and we’re celebrating ten years during a pandemic.
And in those ten years, of course we have experienced ups and downs. Like all professional service companies and, particularly those in the marketing industry, this is not unusual.
What might be more unusual is that I don’t have a business degree; heck, I didn’t even take one business class in college! The last I can remember is “personal finance” in high school. (I learned to balance a checking account and that has definitely proven helpful.)
What I think has been the most useful in running Bohlsen Group, however, is my beloved Liberal Arts education. My four years at DePauw not only exposed me to an entrepreneurial spirit but taught me to think broadly and holistically.
In this time of unknowns, I believe we should all think critically, adaptively and empathetically about this one-eighty that we are all facing.
How can a business be reimagined?
The first thing is to look at all of the facts. From scientists, world leaders, academics, historians and experts in technology, health and education, we can gather information to evaluate and make informed projections that are best for our business.
Secondly, we should ask ourselves what impact does and will coronavirus have on our industry in the short and long term.
Third, take that a step farther. How does your organization’s mission and positioning align with the pandemic and the challenges it creates? If you are not an essential business, what is your contribution and purpose?
Fourth, evaluate how things have gone the last couple of months with people working from home. Determine what is going well and what isn’t. What does re-entry look like?
Last, review what changes can your company make that will take all of the above into account and ensure that your business will not only survive, but prosper.
I have spent the last couple of months trying to think purposefully rather than fearfully. I have accepted that Bohlsen Group will never be exactly the same.
We will continue to perform unified marketing for our partners. That won’t change; in fact, our unified approach couldn’t be more timely as our clients will need and deserve a plan that is targeted, impactful and budget-friendly and an approach that is socially conscious and yields results.
Our biggest change is that we will be moving out of our downtown office. I have found that we simply don’t need it to perform the work that we do. I believe that this paradigm shift is one of the biggest contributions that Bohlsen Group can make to our community at large.
• My team won’t have to wonder when and how we’ll return to the office. For now, we’ll shelter and work from home like we’ve been doing successfully for two months.
• We’ll be saving money on overhead that I’ve determined, frankly, is just not necessary.
• In this time of uncertainty about the safety of even going to the grocery store, we’ll be a few less people that are taxing on the health and well-being of the general public.
In the meantime, I’ll continue to work closely with all our stakeholders to determine what else Bohlsen Group can do to use our business as a force for good.
How can you re-imagine a new normal?