The majority of us have been working remotely for a while now so it’s no surprise that the thought of working from Carnival House fills us with mixed emotions; excitement to be back with our colleagues and escape our own four walls, but also for some, nervousness to step out of our routines, and into a ‘new’ hybrid working experience.
As we prepare to re-open Carnival House for more general use from July 2021, we want to set clear expectations. So, we’ll be sharing stories from our colleagues who’ve experienced working from Carnival House already. This week we caught up with Jagjit Potiwal, Personal Cruise Advisor.
The first day back in the office was bitter sweet – excited to be back but apprehensive after being away for so long. In the first lockdown last year I was off the phones for months with no Guests to talk to as I usually would. So, ultimately, when I returned I hadn’t been doing my day-to-day role for what felt like a really long time.
During my first few days I worked closely with my Manager who put me at ease and got me back into the swing of things by setting me up to take calls from Travel Agents whose requests and queries are generally simpler to manage.
Role aside, the office itself looks a little different but I quickly realised I can still do everything I need to (just in a slightly different way).
Everyone is following the guidance in place, which makes me feel completely at ease and while it can feel a little long winded at times with all the one way arrows and new instructions around the building it’s important we all remember they’re in place to keep us all safe – it’s just part of our day to day now and the clear signage makes it really easy to follow.
Another thing that stood out to me is the increased amount of space in the office, no sitting next to others – there are now one desk gaps between available desks to support social distancing – which although a little odd at first is actually pretty handy for concentration and getting work done.
Working from the office again certainly takes some getting used to but it really has been made easy by everyone supporting me. Whether you’re apprehensive about returning to a role, meeting people again, general safety or even working from the office for the first time as a new starter there is so much support and so many people willing to listen. I feel so lucky to work for a company who recognises the importance of putting its people first.
Find out more about working from the office.