It is fair to say that 2020 did not go according to any of our plans. Alongside every other business across the globe, we have been tested in ways we could never have imagined and faced the highest highs amongst some of the lowest lows.

But we don’t think it is right to dwell on the bad; instead, let’s reflect on the year, talk about our journey, and look ahead to what next year might bring. With this in mind, let’s take you back to the start of this rollercoaster of a year.

A strong start

For GLD, the year started well. We had a steady, promising workload and strong finances up until the end of the financial year in March. The team had worked hard to build up momentum, and we were firing on all cylinders.

We also started off with a great ‘team effectiveness day’. Working with Julia Wolfendale from On The Up. We grew a lot closer and strengthened the dynamic across our whole team. In hindsight, this was a really beneficial way to begin a year that would see our in-person interaction limited and really test our cohesiveness as a unit.

Some speed bumps along the way

February saw the team struck one by one by an odd virus. Looking back now, we think it was the first wave of COVID-19. And following that, we were tossed into the throes of a global pandemic alongside everyone else.

This saw us quickly transition from office to home working. Fortunately, home working has been part of the company’s foundations from the start, so the transition was as smooth as we could have hoped. Some staff were furloughed to help with family commitments, whilst the rest of us knuckled down to the “new normal” of juggling work with homeschooling, family, and the absence of any social lives. 

Thankfully, we could continue working with some great design teams and clients throughout. To name a few, there was McGinnis, who made every effort to keep construction moving at Cornwall Road and, to their credit, kept the project on track despite many challenges. And although lockdown threw a spanner in the works and the main contractor entered administration, Grays Architecture and Mangrove Estates also kept their projects moving along nicely. Our projects have been varied this year from student accommodation, social housing, assisted living and private housing to food retail and truck and van maintenance and retail. With a bit of heathcare and education refurbishment thrown in as well. The team love the variety and it keeps us on our toes.

We are so pleased and count ourselves lucky that our workload – for the most part – remained stable and that we have been able to keep all of our staff onboard. We have actually grown the team slightly, with the addition of an electrical engineer and a placement student who is helping with our marketing.

The end of lockdown saw our team return to the office in our socially distanced spaces, but with everyone pleased to be back working together again. A thank you to IKEA for their usual well thought out desk screens that were simple to install and don’t seem to look out of place in our office…

Looking forward

Next year, we hope to do more of the same, continuing to move forward in the right direction – although perhaps with less uncertainty and disruption! 

We have enjoyed implementing our “Chats that Matter” approach to staff appraisals so are looking forward to maintaining our effectiveness using Julia’s approach and also to being able to implement our staff away day.

We would love to expand the team further to include another mechanical engineer. And, given the far-reaching effect 2020 has had on so many, we are actively looking for ways to do more for local businesses and charities. 

We are always keen to review our sustainable and renewable options for projects so are looking to move forward in helping clients assess their net zero carbon strategies…the need for net zero seems a long way off but for the built environment it is just around the corner.

And there you have it. Our journey this year and what we hope to see when 2021 rolls around. We could not have achieved all we have this year without our amazing, dedicated team and a whole host of wonderful clients who help to make GLD all that it is. 

So, to everyone reading, enjoy your holidays and we will see you next year!