“I know it’s really important to connect with other people when I’m having a hard time.
Just be yourself, and open up and talk to people. We are not alone. We’re all connected.
Someone out there is always willing to listen. I experienced a lot of change during the pandemic, and talking to people helped.
When the pandemic started, I was working in a parking administration role. I do staff parking and payroll deduction. But I ended up seeing a lot of changes in my work over the pandemic.
When the government announced that paid parking was suspended for visitors and staff, there was no longer work for me there.
So, all of the parking staff went to assemble face shields. This work was different and intricate.
We would get all of the materials, like elastics and the plastic parts, and assemble the shields. The elastics have to go into two very small holes, and they were challenging to assemble.
In one week, our team assembled over 5,000 of these face shields.
I was also sent to a few abandoned health care buildings to monitor them. I was like a security guard there.
Until the parking office re-opened, I also filled hand sanitizer bottles, helped as a patient ambassador at different sites and worked in a mass communication call center. Now, I’m happy to be back at my parking job at the hospital.”
- Manoj, clerk, part of the health care team