Rosalyn Asilo loves working hybrid, the biggest change for her to come out of the pandemic. As a senior financial analyst at Magellan Aerospace in Winnipeg, she feels more productive with the 50/50 split between home and office, and as a busy mom, she likes the extra flexibility. Most days she can take her two active children to hockey practice, seldom missing a game.

“The biggest difference it’s made is how employees can be more committed in a personal way for their families,” says Asilo. “The kids love it because they want us there to cheer them on. Even though I’m in finance, which is very deadline-driven, I can have a proper work-life balance. I don’t have to compromise my career to be there for my kids.”

Employees at Magellan Aerospace, a manufacturer of world-class aerospace systems and components, also enjoy flex-time, a benefit introduced before the pandemic to help families balance their personal lives. But working from home was rare. When COVID-19 struck, Asilo says, the company invested a lot in its technology, so employees who were able to work from home could do so efficiently and effectively.

“Scheduling depends on your agreement with your manager, so it’s whatever works best for the team,” says Asilo. “I definitely want hybrid to continue. Less commuting also means less stress because winter driving is stressful and takes longer due to weather – it’s Winnipeg.”

However, the impact on the work environment at Magellan Aerospace back in March 2020 wasn’t as simple as moving everyone to working from home. Those like Asilo did, but the majority of the company’s 600-plus employees are in operations, so they needed a way to continue working safely on site.

“At a time when many manufacturing companies were letting people go, we didn’t release anybody because of the pandemic – which is absolutely phenomenal,” Ron Drepaul, division general manager. “Right off, our IT folks got anyone who could work outside the building up and running, but because we’re manufacturing, people have to come in and do the labour. You can’t build a rocket in your kitchen.”

Health and safety protocols were immediately and effectively implemented both in the offices and on the shop floor, from distancing and providing masks to increased cleaning, says Drepaul, while maintaining security requirements. Priorities included keeping the on-site gym open, in accordance with provincial guidelines, to help relieve stress, and scheduling meal times in the cafeteria so people could eat in a safe environment.

“The most important part of managing through the pandemic was communication,” says Drepaul. “We provided regular updates and ensured everyone had links to the government sites for the latest information. We also initiated weekly meetings with senior people from our union to talk about any concerns they had, and now those sessions are a regular thing.”

Zoom became the new norm for meetings, another adaptation that will continue, particularly with global aerospace and military customers and suppliers, although Drepaul says employees are slowly getting back to in-person meetings and conference rooms. Another change is a kinder attitude towards everyone’s well-being, including staying home if you’re sick so you don’t put others at risk.

“Teamwork made us stronger because of what we went through,” says Drepaul. “The pandemic demonstrated to us that we can work together through difficult times while always being respectful of each other’s position. We were able to adhere to all the requirements for public health and safety while running a pretty significant operation. That was the best part.”