A moment in time
There are many key moments in a business’s history and this week has seen another of these moments for our Group marked out. We signed the Declaration of Amsterdam and, in so doing, publicly reconfirmed our commitment to our colleagues now, and in the future, that we are dedicated to living the truth of inclusivity. So many colleagues have brought us to this moment, thank you! Of course, the journey is long and we still have a way to go to live the life of being an inclusive group of businesses. Yet we should always take a pause on the road to mark our progress. Being able to live your best life in all of its domains and feel the fear of hiding in the shadows is a key goal for us all.
We also made another moment in our significant history by going on air for a day with our very own radio station broadcast live from our Antwerp office. Who would have guessed that we have so many talented DJs and presenters around the world of the Harvey Nash Group? Also that our tastes in music are so varied. What an amazing day we all had. In our London office, where I was that day, the music was blasting out and enjoyed by all, but as the day progressed so many colleagues around the world reached out to say how much they enjoyed it all. A massive thanks to Jeroen, Nancy and Leila in our Antwerp business getting everything set up and ensuring the day went so well, and to Dave Savage who jumped in and DJ’d like a pro. As the baton for guest presenter got passed around the world, we learnt so much about our colleagues and had a lot of fun along the way. Rob Grimsey, thanks for making sure we did this. I suspect this won’t be the last of our radio days…
Whilst all these landmark events took place this week, we have also been continuing to have our kick-offs and taking time to celebrate all the key achievements of the last year. This week was the turn of Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle. Rhona Carmichael came down from Scotland to help her teams really mark the occasions. Listening to just how much collaboration is happening between these three cities was heart-warming; I can’t wait to see how much you achieve this year.
The London office has seen so many more colleagues come in more frequently. The place has been buzzing with the enjoyment of being back in each other’s company again as well as the sheer volume of calls to clients.
I am personally looking forward to travelling more to meet with colleagues and clients. In a few short weeks, I am off to Nashville and, regulations permitting, will be travelling to Vietnam soon after that.
I think after living with the pandemic we will always be more cautious and careful as humans but it really does feel good to be with each other again. Reaching out, our Group theme this year, has never been more relevant.
As we head towards another weekend, take time to rest and reflect on all you have achieved.
Keep safe and well.