This article is written by Lucy Ellis, a****cting head of speechwriting at Canada’s Department of National Defence

Covid-19 vaccination campaigns are under way, and there is tentative hope that life will once again be as it was before the coronavirus spread worldwide.

As we daydream about those first hugs with family, or those first social nights out without masks, we also have an opportunity to think about what kind of world we want to return to. Or rather, what kind of world we want to build.

To be sure, this pandemic has caused tremendous loss, stress, and suffering. Public servants had to adapt so that we could continue to deliver. It was neither smooth nor easy, but I think there are positive lessons that we can learn from the last 12 months. The word ‘unprecedented’ can stay where it belongs — in 2020 — but these are a few things that I think we as public servants should bring with us into the future.

Empathy

The pandemic forced us to truly listen to and empathise with others. Whether you were a single person isolated in a cramped one-bedroom apartment, slowly peeling the paint off the walls, or a parent with young children hiding in the bathroom for a moment’s peace, we all experienced forms of hardship. The grass, it turned out, was not actually greener on the other side.

We came to recognise, understand and support one another in ways we simply didn’t before. I was heartened by leaders in my profession who made regular check-ins with employees, as well as teammates who reached out to offer help to fellow members. Before Covid-19, we largely practiced sympathy. That is, we simply felt sad for what someone else was going through. Once the scale and severity of the pandemic became clear however, we actually put ourselves in other people’s shoes, knowing that were it not for blind luck, we might just as well have stood where they did. With this, we sought practical solutions to make their lives easier.

We need to bring this trust with us after the pandemic, and let people work in a way that works best for them

In May, I hit my personal breaking point of isolation and was so grateful when my leadership approved my leaving town and working remotely from my parents’ house.

Equity

Empathy went hand-in-hand with a growing sense that the inequalities and injustices happening around us every day could no longer be ignored. The pandemic coincided with stark moments, such as the killing of George Floyd, that showed just how deeply injustice ran across many Western societies. The pandemic itself meanwhile exposed the disproportionate suffering of vulnerable groups of people — physically, financially, and mentally.

As public servants, we have an obligation to ensure that our policies, programmes, services, and communications take into account the diverse identities of the people we serve. This means ensuring that those decisions do not cause avoidable adverse effects, or leave anyone behind. When we eventually experience the relief of a Covid-free life, we mustn’t forget what we feel now. We must maintain pressure on ourselves to fight for a more just and equitable world.

Flexibility

Flexible working hours and remote work were once a rare gift bestowed on lucky employees, or plucky entrepreneurs. The conditions had to be specific and set in stone. The viability of working from home was generally treated with scepticism.

Public servants have managed to deliver incredible things as part of a majority-distributed workforce. Programmes have been fully developed and rolled out, as have services and new policies. We Zoom-ed, emailed, rang, and chatted round the clock, all without being in the same location. And all the while, the world kept spinning.

We need to bring this trust with us after the pandemic, and let people work in a way that works best for them. Our performance measurement should be based on outcomes, not on how many hours a person sits in a particular chair in a particular office space.

Priorities

We also had cause to re-evaluate our priorities. Who became essential to society’s functioning when global infections began to soar? It quickly became clear these people were healthcare workers, teachers, grocery store clerks, kitchen staff, and delivery drivers. As we move forward, let’s not lose sight of who kept society going right throughout this dark time.

On that note, I also think it’s also time we broke down another hierarchy: that of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), versus the humanities. For many decades, we have lived in a binary world in which STEM fields and the arts are viewed in opposition, or as having competing value to society. STEM fields receive more funding and resources for post-secondary education. We encourage kids to pursue them above all else.

As public servants, let’s not pass up this opportunity to be the ones who tell the story of how we changed the public service for the better

This past year, we faced a physical pandemic as well as a cognitive one. Misinformation campaigns downplayed the severity of Covid-19, and led to the virus spreading rampantly in some parts of the world. Trust in science and authority was undermined.

We still need the brilliant scientists who develop vaccines and model the genome patterns of fatal diseases. But we also need the communicators of ideas and values who bring truth to the public, as well as educators who teach media literacy and critical thinking to the next generation. Coming out of this pandemic, I truly hope that we find greater balance.

Boundaries

Finally, I hope that Covid-19 has rid us of the close-talkers and everyday intruders of personal space. This is 60% a joke, 40% the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Good riddance to inappropriate touching in public that can be passed off as “friendly”. Goodbye to having someone stand so close to you that you get sprayed with their spittle and can feel the heat of their breath. Long live respect for personal bubbles and rigorous hygiene routines.

Covid-19 will be the defining moment for a generation. In 20 years, we will still be talking about where we were when we first heard the news that our country or city was going into lockdown. We will tell and retell our stories about the first time we were swabbed or vaccinated.

As public servants, let’s not pass up this opportunity to be the ones who tell the story of how we changed the public service for the better. – Lucy Ellis

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