THE head of a county communications company has spoken about how his company is coping with the coronavirus outbreak.

Staff from DRPG, which has an office in Hartlebury, have been mostly working from home.

Dale Parmenter, CEO of DRPG, said: “It is a mix right now, with the London and Windsor offices closed, but we are trying to keep the Hartlebury site open.

“We have gone from nearly 250 people here to around 70 or 80, so it is a completely different way of working.”

Staff are working remotely for the most part, and Mr Parmenter said leaders should be open and honest with their staff in these difficult times.

He said: “Managing a team and leadership is so important, it is all about honesty and transparency.

“As a leader, one of the most important aspects is communication. If you cannot communicate with your teams, you don’t deserve to be a leader.

“There’s a lot of scared people so you have to give reassurance and build trust. If you have got negatives, you have got to share them - don’t try to cover anything up.”

DRPG staff are using regular video conferences and virtual coffee breaks to stay connected, helping build a more positive atmosphere and outlook while working remotely.

Plans are in place for group yoga via video and a number of other things to help employees feel more connected and not isolated.

Mr Parmenter shared tips on how to make the most of working remotely and managing a team.

He said: “We are trying to make sure we give regular updates between the different teams as well as finding new ways of engaging with them.

“What has been amazing in this crisis is how it has brought out the creativity in everyone.

“Normal has gone, so whoever says we’ve got to keep on going as usual will struggle.

“We have got to embrace it, we are one week into a potential 12 weeks, so when sometimes we are set in our ways, the businesses which embrace this are really going to thrive.

“For leaders, it can be incredibly lonely, and you will make mistakes, but don’t try to cover them up, be honest if you have messed up, people will respect you for it.”