1. When did PrimeIT first realise what was happening in relation to the pandemic and that it had to make a decision regarding teleworking?

The first big wake-up call was when we found that several countries immediately began to close their borders with China and, from the news, you could tell that the situation was extremely serious, complex and that there was very little knowledge about how to control this virus. From the monitoring of other offices we have in Europe it also quickly became clear that each country and company was taking its own measures in the face of a lack of general guidelines. In this context, we remember that we took the decision to telework before the state of emergency, and that on 13 March we were practically all teleworking, with all the actions and measures taken and implemented in the company.

2. At the business level, what measures were taken from the start?

We took several. At the business level, our main concern was the health of our team of Consultants and the impact their work could have on our customers’ projects. We tried to create the best conditions that would ensure that the work could take place in the same way at home, increasing in a few days our computer park with more than 150 equipment, providing internet access, with the necessary quality for the consultants who could not guarantee it in their homes, and we started to make daily meetings, through Teams, Zoom and/or Skype, either with the Backoffice team or with our Consultants and Customers team. We also wrote and implemented a Teleworking best practice manual, always with our team and of course, we created all the conditions in the office to work, from buying thousands of masks, alcohol gel and carpets to disinfecting shoes. We have also limited access to areas of the office, distributed the physical space to ensure safe distances between employees, etc.

3. How has this quick adaptation been beneficial for the teams to keep their work?

It was very advantageous because we avoided breaks in our teams’ work. One day they were in the office and the next day they were at home working in the same way, with all the necessary tools. It was really a challenge to get everything ready for hundreds of people in good time.

4. At PrimeIT we work daily to maintain a very close relationship with all Primers and our organisational culture reflects that. How do you get the motivation in these circumstances?

Because of our sector, this is, and always will be, a continuous work, creating a culture of proximity but at a distance. In teleworking everything becomes more difficult, but we end up creating different and fun dynamics also as an alternative. We got to know the homes and families of many colleagues, through the platforms we used to work, we did fitness classes, things that in pre-covid times, did not happen… Regarding the face-to-face events, which distinguish us so much, is that there is no alternative but it is up to the marketing to be creative and find ways to unite our Primers in it, which is one of the great objectives of all our actions.

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5. What was it like to reconcile the life as parents with the management of several companies, in such a different context?

(laughs) It was certainly the greatest challenge for all parents, especially for all those with small children. Between online classes, cooking meals, supporting their study, managing tantrums and keeping meetings with the teams, it was almost a survival test. But it had to come naturally and from time to time there was a “hello” from my children to my teams when meetings were going on. I think we all became more tolerant and closer to those who love us.

6. And today, what are the strategic concerns, in the short and long term, at both a relational and business level?

We believe that this will not last forever, it can and will take a few more months and, for much of the year 2021, yes. However, our greatest concern remains: to continue our activity at a distance with the same objective as working to create one of the best consultancies in Portugal and Europe.  The road is long, but it is the small steps that put us in the right direction. We can point out that already in 2021 we will open at least 2 new international offices, which demonstrates our boldness and confidence in what the future holds.

7. What is the great lesson to be learned from this crisis?

We have learned several! The first is that we have learned to value our freedom and the direct and personal contact we had with each other. Then, we realized that working at home can be useful but only once in a while, not daily, because we need to go to the office and be face to face with our colleagues and our customers. Finally, even with all the limitations and being something so new for everyone, we proved that we could adapt to different contexts and that in situation of crisis “together we are stronger”.