Adapting operations in the pandemic
Covid-19 transformed the ESM’s internal and external operations. Early on in the pandemic crisis, dedicated teams assessed risks and advised the Managing Director on appropriate actions to protect staff’s physical and emotional health, and quickly deployed a variety of digital channels to foster connectivity and reinforce collaboration among staff and our external stakeholders.
To minimise contagion, and actively support staff’s emotional and physical well-being, the ESM asked most staff to work from home. ESM’s reliable information technology infrastructure and systems allowed for a seamless transition.
The ESM adjusted the financial operations related to its mandate to ensure they could be handled without additional risks, giving extra consideration to emerging threats such as information security and cyber risks.
In light of this experience, the institution has begun to assess potential future ways of working, building upon the principles of agility, resilience, collaboration, and inclusion to enhance future capabilities even under extraordinary circumstances.