How to Stay Steady in a New Job — and an Uncertain World — Part 1
(Welcome to Procore! And say hello to the Pandemic)
By Malachy Walsh
The notes started in mid-December on LinkedIn. Messages from former colleagues, mentors, bosses, and teammates. Many were autogenerated. A few asked questions. But most were simple.
“Congratulations on your work anniversary!”
Indeed, it had been a full year since I’d joined Procore, a groundbreaking company committed to improving the lives of everyone in construction. A leader and innovator in the construction software space for nearly two decades, the company was growing fast and was l.
It was — and is — hard to believe: A year ago, I started this new job with a new team in an industry that was new to me. AND my wife and I moved our two kids and life to a new town to do that job.
In any year, that kind of change is big. But in a world-wide meltdown so deep it changes the personal dynamics of every social exchange you have, well, that is something else.
Of course, in a year marked by loss of the most profound sort, I’m more than fortunate because my family is healthy. We’re working. We’re growing. We’re together.
But as the notes piled into my inbox, I thought it would be a good time to gather up my notes about finding my footing in a time when everyone was off balance. In the process, I’ve found there are 6 principles that helped me and that I can use on any day to help guide me on my journey. I’ve put the first 3 in this blog to be followed with the rest, later. I hope they help you as much as they helped me in times of change — whatever happens in the year.
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WORKING FOR A COMPANY THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
Taking the job at Procore was no accident. It took careful consideration and a real look at what the company was about. So when I started working at Procore in December 2019, it was a fully aware move to join an industry I wanted to be part of. That industry — construction — has real social and economic purpose. Our customers (we call them Groundbreakers) create the spaces that we play, heal, learn, and work in — the spaces that physically embody and shape the quality of our lives.
There could be no better time to remind people that that is an important part of what the world needs, now. Builders through-out the world showed why over and over again. Some, like XL Construction, found ways to keep workers afloat even as work stopped. Others donated PPE gear to first responders. And more than a few transformed stadiums, conference halls, and parking lots into makeshift COVID triage centers. And as a whole, owners, general contractors and specialty contractors found practical ways to keep building — and move us all forward.
Exploring ways to celebrate and bring those stories to light became an even more urgent mission. It’s honestly a privilege to work in an industry built on the kind of optimism that helps the world see what is possible — even in the darkest times.
And it provided an anchor that kept me engaged in what was happening no matter what was happening elsewhere.
MINDFULNESS IS GREAT. A MINDFUL COMPANY IS GREATER.
Corporate life has been on a long-time mindfulness kick. Ray Dalio gives it a lot of play in his book, Principles. Part (and I do mean part) of the idea is that by giving your brain something to focus on besides its usual stream of consciousness future-tripping fear-based blah-blah-blah, you can be more aware of yourself in the moment you are living, and hopefully stop yourself from acting out of fear.
Two months before the pandemic, during my orientation, I could see that Procore’s commitment to self-care and self-awareness — as a key for stronger relationships — was no passing trend. When I started in 2019, the company offered everyone access to apps like Joyable for online counseling, and, later, Modern Health. And more importantly, had been recognized for its phenomenal coaching program over several consecutive years.
In the early days of the pandemic, the company doubled down on its investment in employees. A mindfulness slack channel was started in early March, followed by a Mindfulness Program that brought the optional practice of mindfulness to everyone, every day. Additionally, the company had several all-employee mindfulness days (time off) over the late summer and then again at the end of the year.
In a year when the future became less certain than ever, being part of a company with a focus on helping employees find their way through these times helped me see events as waves to ride rather than moments to get stuck on.
I DISCOVERED A NEW WAY TO WORK AND THE DEEP VALUE OF THE OLD WAY TO WORK.
Enough has been said about work from home in the last eight months to fill a library or two. Most of it has been about how great it is and what the benefits are around it. And at Procore, we were one of the first to offer an integration with Zoom to help customers keep building even as the world locked down.
The benefits beyond just keeping things going are definitely clear. Cutting two hours of commute out of a day is fantastic. Being around for the kids at lunch is cool. Working in your pajama bottoms is comfy. And there is definitely a real benefit to not being bound by geography — especially in a world where diversity of experience is more important than ever. Certainly, with productivity rising in this remote working world, the 5-days-in-the-office thing is likely over.
But when we can go back to the office, I don’t think it’ll be working-from-home-all-the-time either. Having to schedule interactions on zoom calls makes the value of hallway conversations and casual talk at the coffee-maker clearer than ever. The Hollywood squares of meetings on a laptop with its awkward silences, all business agendas, and multi-tasking moments show just how important it is to be present with each other physically — a presence that brings you into greater focus on what really drives business: personal relationships.
My answer to this was having an open mic hour 3 days a week when anyone could come talk to me about anything. No appointment necessary. Additionally, I had office hours with my amazing creative director partner, Karen Owens two days a week. I also began to look for other ways to connect. Following seeing “The Present” at the Geffen Playhouse via zoom, I invited a magician to show us how minds could be melded even in a gallery view of faces. Lately, I’ve been doing social distance coffees. The only rule is “NO WORK TALK.”
When this is all over, I’ll hold on to some of these new routines. But I’ll never underestimate the power of personal presence again either. Yep, Being able to work with people from anywhere is a great thing, but I’ll also make sure that sometimes they can fly in from wherever they live to create the glue that really keeps us together. Magicians, too.
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So, that’s the first half of my observations. I’ll publish the next 3 shortly. But whether not you get a chance to read the next installment, I hope these help you now and help you with what the world brings us next.
P.S. Interested in making a difference? At Procore my team is growing. So if you’re an Art Director looking for your next challenge, check out our job posting.
