As clients you may be interested in knowing how we are handling the ongoing pandemic, especially as it relates to travel and to client meetings. The surge of the Delta variant and the persistence of case levels has forced us to acknowledge that we will likely be coping with the virus for years to come. While the overall risks to our vaccinated staff are much lower than at the outset of this health emergency, the pace of transmission, coupled with the incomplete vaccination of the country, means that the virus is likely to mutate further and remain a serious problem. We likely have several years and more waves ahead of us to plan for.
We remain steadfast in our belief that our business cannot thrive indefinitely as a virtual enterprise. We are committed to maintaining a hybrid experience, because we believe this creates the greatest overall level of client experience, job satisfaction, and organizational effectiveness. Given that we will be out and about, COVID-19 now represents an Occupational Hazard for us, meaning it is a risk we accept at some level in order to do our jobs well.
Accepting some risk, and acknowledging that we have an occupational hazard, is not the same as damning the torpedoes and ignoring that risk entirely. With good planning we can reduce and manage this risk. Some principles we have applied in achieving this are:
- Our offices are open only to our vaccinated employees
- Employees with even mild symptoms are kept home, and all employees undergo screening in order to use our offices
Beyond this, we use a framework similar to those we have seen used at universities and other institutions to describe protocols that will change with the local risk level at each of our offices. The risk level – ranging from green to red – will be based on a combination of the spread level in that region along with the severity of the strain that is circulating (against a vaccinated population). The following graphic describes this framework:
The determination of where we stand in a particular region is data driven. While there is plenty of information available in each region, the type and quality of this data sources varies, so our assessment is not simply formulaic. At the time of this writing, our NH and FL offices are in “Yellow” status, while our Waltham location has recently upgraded to “Light Green”.
If you have any questions or concerns about these safety protocols, do not hesitate to ask.
Learn more about Drew McMorrow here.
This report is the confidential work product of Ballentine Partners. Unauthorized distribution of this material is strictly prohibited. The information in this report is deemed to be reliable. Some of the conclusions in this report are intended to be generalizations. The specific circumstances of an individual’s situation may require advice that is different from that reflected in this report. Furthermore, the advice reflected in this report is based on our opinion, and our opinion may change as new information becomes available. Nothing in this presentation should be construed as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. You should read the prospectus or offering memo before making any investment. You are solely responsible for any decision to invest in a private offering. The investment recommendations contained in this document may not prove to be profitable, and the actual performance of any investment may not be as favorable as the expectations that are expressed in this document. There is no guarantee that the past performance of any investment will continue in the future.