At the core of facing a crisis

Along with the rest of the world, as a business we are currently facing an unprecedented change to life as we know it. Every day we are working ever more closely within our company, industry, broader communities and beyond, to find new ways to help each other navigate these unchartered waters.

Earlier this week, we used our SmartStage technology to deliver a virtual staff briefing about our strategic plans over the coming weeks. Transparency and safety at all levels have never been more important and through this technology, we were able to communicate with most of our workforce participating remotely from their homes.

The lifeblood running through WL has always been our core values and the ways in which our people adopt these. Times like this test whether these really are inherent to the ways we react and it has been comforting to identify how our behaviours have truly reflected our core values. Here are some recent examples of how these values have manifested in new ways:

• Dependable – wherever we can, we are utilising our inventory of assets to provide valuable support where needed. Our Systems processing tech is currently contributing to the Folding at Home project, carrying out essential research into Covid-19. We have also put our transport fleet to good use, collecting and delivering urgently needed materials for the public services that are struggling to meet demand in the current climate.
• Friendly – we have always prided ourselves on being approachable at all times and willing to engage with and support a range of communication channels to benefit the creative industry and beyond. Our Managing Director is sharing everything we learn about this crisis with various networks, including associations, suppliers and competitors as well as friends, as it is vitally important that we all survive this. Many of our staff, including those on furlough leave, are escaping the sense of isolation by joining forces remotely to maintain relationships with each other and industry peers. Through activities such as virtual quizzes and competitions, film viewings and book clubs, we are all discovering new ways to manage important relationships and promote positive mental health and wellbeing.
• Knowledgeable – we are building a second SmartStage at our HQ, offering sectors including healthcare, education, broadcast, and the arts, huge potential for safe remote communication, at a time when it is most needed. We are also developing ways to mobilise the technology to reach a wider number of users, who will be reliant on remote access to reach their audience.
• Adaptable – next year WL will be 50 years old, so we have certainly faced a number of challenges during that time and come back fighting. Not just as a company, but also as a wider industry. Our peers in the creative sector are equally resilient and we will all continue adapting to support each other’s survival. At this time, people should not be defined by a job role, or department, but by how their knowledge and skills can help contribute to the greater good.
• Customer focused – we have been engaging with all of our customers to understand how their business is currently being impacted and how we can provide the most beneficial level of service and support. This has varied from collecting equipment for servicing and maintenance while venues and theatres remain closed, to enabling Methodist Central Hall Westminster to live stream their Sunday Morning service, direct from SmartStage.
• Honourable – CSR has always been hugely important to us and recently we have seen some amazing initiatives spring to life, which we are actively helping to promote through our channels. One of these is People Powered – #HeretoHelp, which is calling on freelancers and other events industry professionals to offer their skills and equipment to the NHS. Another comes from SOLT (Society of London Theatre) and UK Theatre, who have launched Theatresupport which features key information on welfare support for all those working in the theatre industry, including various 24 hour helplines. Finally, a number of our staff have registered as NHS Volunteer Responders to make valuable use of their furlough leave.

Watch this space as we continue to monitor and react to the changing Covid-19 (Coronavirus) crisis developments. During this time, we want to hear from anyone who has ideas and suggestions for potential collaboration.  

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