How Can I Possibly Plan for the Future When I Don’t Know What is Happening Next Week?

Therein lies the question of the day. In our lifetimes, nothing like this has occurred in society. The closest event would be the times of the Great Depression along with World War II. Turn on the TV or your browser and there are 20 opinions, none of which fit your individual case. So what can you do now? Even knowing that the facts will change and then change again and again, you need to take some action.

With the government stepping up to help folks on unemployment, your glass team will continue to get most of their paychecks. What about benefits? If you can, I strongly urge you to continue medical plans for your team. Maybe some of your other perks will disappear, but keeping people healthy will keep them remembering that you have taken care of them. This can be a month-to-month decision. Stay in contact with your folks and keep them in this information loop.

There is no hope for the people who are paid off-the-books to get federal assistance. So these folks are still working to put food on their table. Reconsider your thoughts on paying people on-the-books so they may qualify for benefits in the future.

Keep those still working safe. This is rule one. Supply the masks and positively insist they be worn. No exceptions. Reduce person-to-person contact. Give your team the absolute authority to leave a jobsite, either commercial or residential, if everyone there does not wear masks or practices the 6-foot rule.

And this goes for you too.

Now for the future. I don’t know. No one does for sure. Keep personal interactions to a minimum. Our newest granddaughter is 4 weeks old and, other than an hour a day on the phone, we have not yet kissed or hugged her. We are not alone in this. There must be hundreds of millions of people on our small planet in the same situation … not seeing parents or loved ones.

Elaine and I wish you, your families, friends, co-workers and everyone else, good health.