Working through the coronavirus pandemic
by Shannon Tangonan | March 20, 2020
I’m sitting at my dining room table in a T-shirt and workout pants, typing away on my laptop shortly after 6 a.m.
Hunter, our dog, lay close to the storm door after his morning walk hoping I’ll let him out so that he can yelp and run free in the yard — and drive the neighbors crazy. Not yet, bubba. (He’s deaf …so he doesn’t know how loud he is. Seriously. Sorry, neighbors.)
This is the typical start to my telecommuting workday as we trudge through the coronavirus pandemic. My new normal. I’m one of hundreds of Hawaiian Electric employees whose jobs don’t require them to be on-site and who were asked this week to work from home to thin out our office spaces and reduce the chance of contracting or spreading the coronavirus.
I love telecommuting. Ask my boss. Before we even knew of COVID-19, I enjoyed working from home to focus on certain assignments and avoid rush-hour traffic into town from Ewa Beach.
But there are drawbacks that come with working from home long-term. And it’s only been a week! I miss the interaction with my coworkers — the jokes, snide remarks, camaraderie, laughter and wise counsel. And having so many employees working remotely has its own technical challenges. Luckily, we have awesome IT employees who swoop in and save the day.
I’ve been writing media releases and communications letting customers know that we’re still on the job. We want customers to know that through all this uncertainty they’ll still have the vital service our company provides — the electricity that powers our computers, cell phones, appliances and more.
And for those in our community who have been hit hard by the economic impacts of this global pandemic, we want them to know that service disconnections have been suspended through at least April 17. If you’re not able to pay your electricity bill because of the coronavirus emergency, just call our customer service representatives who can help put together a payment plan. The last thing we want is for you to worry about your electricity being shut off.
Let’s face it. This is scary stuff we’re dealing with. But Hawaiian Electric is here to help you get through this.
As I write this, there are 16 people across the state who have tested positive for the coronavirus (now 37), and I pray for their recovery. As a state, I think we’re doing a commendable job “flattening the curve.” Washington State has seen many more deaths than identified cases in Hawaii.
But it saddens me to see all the negative comments on news sites and social media. Now is not the time to be critical of the decisions our government leaders are making. These decisions are not made lightly. It’s time to show support and aloha — in everything we do.
For example, we need to make sure we’re taking care of our kupuna. The other day, I went to a neighborhood grocery store to buy some items for my parents, who’ll turn 80 later this year. I’ve forbidden them from leaving the house. My dad said he could use a few more cans of Spam, pork & beans and corn.
As I entered the canned goods aisle, all I could do was stare at the empty shelves. There were a few cans of Spam Lite, which I reluctantly purchased. But my parents are hard core — they want 100-proof Spam, Spam Ultra, for Pete’s sake.
I guess my point is let’s all make sure we’re showing aloha, whether it’s driving on the roadways or making purchases at the store. If there had been Spam on the shelf, I would have grabbed three or four, which is enough for mom and dad.
Everyone is on edge and nervous. Spring break has been extended for who knows how long. Restaurants are reduced to takeout service. Parks are closing.
Our sense of normalcy is shattered.
If we can get through these next few weeks and months complying with these new rules and living aloha, I know we’ll be stronger for it.
In the meantime, I’ll sit at home in my sweats, sans makeup, and keep working on my laptop to support our company and community. And Hunter the dog will yelp his little heart out a few minutes at a time each day. Apologies to my neighbors.
Shannon Tangonan is a manager of external corporate communications at Hawaiian Electric Company.
