presentation%2Brooms_4.jpg — UK HEAT training

As we start to see fledgling signs of global travel again it might be worth taking a moment to consider the impact that lockdowns, working from home and not travelling has had on our teams.

Here in the UK, we are seeing a slow return to normality, but we effectively “lost” 2020 and half of 2021. The places we intend to travel may be continuing to be directly and indirectly impacted by the pandemic; some may still not have seen the worst of it.

What impact has not travelling had on people’s confidence, mental health and wellbeing, and of course, skillsets (threat assessment, incident response, first aid)? Even the best can suffer skill fade and for deployments to fragile and weakened states would always recommend our clients undergo HEAT training. The training forms part of an employer’s legal (and moral) obligation to fulfil Duty of Care for their staff and consultants.

Before we see a significant increase in travel tempo, we would advise taking the opportunity to rebuild travel confidence and reaffirm those critical skills.

The countries that we travel in are still there, but the backdrops will need reassessing if we’re to resume operations as safely as possible.