With a passion for mentoring and motivating his team, Decode’s Construction Manager Anthony Ciappara is already thinking about how he’ll work differently on the other side of COVID-19.
Anthony Ciappara, Construction Manager, Decode
What I love most about my job… Interacting with staff and seeing the progression of individual careers within the construction industry.
How my work has changed since Covid-19… It has been a somewhat surreal experience as I have personally had to isolate due to contact with known cases three times. Adapting to working from home wasn’t that hard for me as my fiancé works in construction, therefore I was the only one home. Internet meetings and dealing remotely with consultants, some of which were interstate and had their borders closed, added extra pressure to day-to-day tasks. But with a great effort from Sam Reid, our Head of WHSE, Decode had a plan in place and work life continued in a safe manner for all.
How I’m adapting to the “new normal”… I feel I am adapting quite well, given I am usually a quite social person and interacting face-to-face with people is something I most enjoyed about my role. Through necessity the era of internet meetings and catch ups has become the norm.
My new workday essentials are… For me this has not changed too much as I was always on the laptop, however I use the camera on it much more now for meetings.
The innovative technology or idea I’ve embraced is… Zoom meetings must be the biggest thing that has been embraced by all parties. The first few meetings it took some getting used to and we all figured out that our microphones needed to be turned off unless talking to stop the background noise but after that things were smooth sailing.
My advice to others looking to implement this… Try it – you may be surprised.
My most valuable skill in challenging times… Keeping teams and individuals motivated and working together.
My biggest inspiration… My biggest inspiration is the end product. In construction we leave legacies for generations to see and I take pride in every project I have ever had the pleasure to work on.
One way I’ll work differently on the other side of this crisis… Work life balance is a big factor for me especially with a wedding coming in 2021 which we are hoping will still be able to go ahead as planned.
What I’ve learned so far from 2020… Nothing is set in stone and you must be able to adapt while mentoring and helping others do the same.
How are your people stepping up to meet the challenges of the Covid-19 crisis and finding a “new normal”? To share your stories or be featured in our #iworkinproperty series, contact [email protected]