As you read this blog, many of us will be coming down from the high of getting together as an industry for the first time in a long while at the World Pork Expo. It was so wonderful to see people we hadn’t seen (other than on camera) in well over a year, and in many cases much longer. The buzz and energy of personal interaction, spirited conversations and being able to “read the room” is something I missed more than I even realized. And hugs — I love hugs, as anyone who knows me can attest.

For many of us, this is the first work travel in well over a year. While I now live in the Des Moines area and didn’t have to travel to the event, it certainly brings back memories of prior work travel, including early morning breakfast meetings and drinks with colleagues and friends that go later into the night than I am now accustomed.

After more than a year of being grounded due to the COVID-19 global pandemic and its resulting quarantines, life is starting to feel a little more “normal.” And while I don’t hate the thought of getting on a plane again for work travel, I have also been reflecting on the things I don’t miss: Making hard decisions about whether to miss kids’ events to travel for an hour-long meeting that required two days of airplanes and Ubers; or, never fully unpacking my suitcase because the next trip was just around the corner.

We’ve made huge strides in our ability to work and meet remotely this year. Technology has advanced, we have learned the etiquette of virtual meetings, and we have accomplished really great things in a completely virtual environment.

Still, we’ve become “Zoom” weary and the world is opening. We are getting back to life. Can we please resist the urge to go completely backwards and throw out what we have gained?

We have gained the ability to hold meetings effectively and efficiently with people across the country without spending valuable resources (including our time) to travel. We have improved the working conditions for employees who work remotely by upgrading equipment and software and setting etiquette on video calls that helps them to feel more a part of the team. I would also like to think that we have re-discovered our appreciation for what really is important in life.

Don’t get me wrong — I am not suggesting we stay hunkered down. What I am suggesting is that now is the time to decide what reality looks like as we move forward. Ask yourself and challenge your colleagues and staff to ask themselves:

Is this a meeting that can be held virtually and still be effective?
How much is my time worth, and am I considering that as one of the costs of travel?
What boundaries do I want to set to protect milestones with my family and how can I use technology to help?
Just because we can travel, should we?

As you consider these questions, you might want to ensure your TSA PreCheck is current and plan for ground transport in advance because, while we may be ready to travel, the infrastructure we are used to may not be quite ready for us. I took a quick trip to Las Vegas a few weeks ago and security lines were long and taxis and rideshares required long waits.

What have your travel experiences been of late and how are you thinking about managing travel differently in the future? I’d love to hear tips, tricks and feedback.

Back to life. Back to reality.

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