The Journey Back

RELX is a resilient business. And our people have found new ways to innovate, serve our customers, support one another, help communities and get work done during the pandemic.

As we start the journey to reopen offices around the world our people share some personal stories, what they have learnt and their hopes for the future.

"I’m very lucky to work somewhere like RELX where it is actually quite easy to work from home. We have always been set up to allow for flexibility, so although I never expected to be working from home full-time, I have been able to continue to do my work relatively uninterrupted in this new world."

"Being at home all the time definitely has some challenges, particularly as I live in a flat with no separate garden. Two humans and two dogs in the same four walls all day can feel a little chaotic, especially as the four legged family members do not always understand the concept of personal space. There have been some quite amusing moments when I try to do things like an online fitness class only to find they have other ideas."

"For the first time in more than a decade, I have taken to cycling as a form of entertainment. The empty roads in central London were too tempting and riding around them, as we currently can with very few cars and buses, feels like it might be a once in a lifetime experience."

"When the offices reopen, I am really looking forward to the day-to-day unplanned interactions with colleagues as well as the simple fact of a change of scene each day. Even so, I think this period has shown everyone that it is perfectly possible to be productive and engaged while working away from the office and that our colleagues at RELX are very adaptable. This can only be a positive for our business and for the future."

"Adversity brings out the best in people. I have learnt to be more agile and resilient through this pandemic. I have learnt to value time, myself and my family more. It has reminded us about the essential things in life. I have seen the best of humanity at work where we care for each other, go out of our way to donate relief goods, make personal protective coverings for our front-line workers and organise fundraising to help communities heavily affected."

"Our team in the Philippines has always been an office-based organisation and in such a short time, we were able to transform it to a work-from-home environment because everyone stepped in to make it happen. We helped each other to ensure we looked after the business and we have continued to support all our customers virtually. Productivity has been maintained."

"For the future, I want people to have a deepening love and appreciation for nature, valuing a breath of fresh air outside of their homes, being grateful to have an opportunity to walk outside without fear of becoming ill and acknowledging the importance of being connected as human beings."

"When our offices in the Philippines finally reopen, I am looking forward to having coffee and conversation with my friends at work. The human touch can never be replaced."

"Through all of this I have learnt that I can be just as effective, or even more so, in shorts and a t-shirt as I can in a suit and tie. I believe the pandemic has firmly established that working remotely does not necessitate sacrificing productivity. Companies such as RELX that have made the requisite investments in people and technology can weather the proverbial storm and even thrive in a remote working environment by remaining agile, communicating priorities clearly and decisively, and placing an emphasis on supporting the mental, physical and emotional well-being of our people."

"One of the positives from the COVID-19 pandemic is a renewed sense of humanity and empathy that have blossomed in the face of this global tragedy. Whether through assisting our children with distance learning, worrying about the health and safety of our ageing parents and grandparents, or simply struggling to find toilet paper at the local supermarket, we have an ever-increasing commonality of experiences that transcend cultures and geography. The end result is that we have a more profound sense of community based on the notion that there is much more that unites us than divides us. I hope these sentiments will persist long after the worst of the pandemic has passed."

"When our offices eventually reopen, I’ll be looking forward to reconnecting with my colleagues and generally enjoying the liveliness of the office environment. I feel very fortunate to work alongside so many talented and energetic professionals and the loss of that interaction has been more difficult than I would have imagined. Thankfully, we have collaboration tools which make it very easy to engage from a distance."

"I am hoping we can each continue with the one or two things that helped us through this period. Whether it’s eating better, getting closer to the recommended eight hours of sleep, slowing down, picking up old hobbies, learning new ones or connecting with friends and family more."

"The wider thing that I hope sticks is the relevance and importance of general wellness, including mental health. I know this has been an area of focus for us at RELX but this crisis has made it somehow feel all the more real and all the more important. It’s really okay to check that someone is managing, to share what’s working and what’s not. An eventual return to the office shouldn’t make those conversations go away and I hope that continues as we adjust to the next phase as things slowly get back to some kind of normality. "

"As things start to improve, I look forward to the end of no longer having to be an amateur hairdresser, an unmotivated cook and a sorry excuse of a primary school teacher for my daughter. There have been too many ‘bowl’ haircuts, plates of amorphous beige food and maths lessons where I couldn’t get the sound to work and had my daughter play video games instead. Some things are best left to the pros. I’ll stick to tax transfer pricing."

"What has struck me most during this crisis has been the ability of our people to rise to the challenge and deliver despite the restrictions. It seems to me that our people are very resilient and have a great desire to contribute and be productive, no matter what. We have been able to maintain our services in this period and, without commutes, people are less stressed and have more time for things that matter - both in and out of work."

"If I think about what I hope will have changed for the better as a result of this pandemic, it’s a realisation that we could all travel less. Technology has simply made it unnecessary to travel for many customer meetings and presentations in the kind of work I do."

"While working from home has been effective, the thing I miss most is meeting people. That’s what I look forward to when offices reopen - a safe environment where I get to meet with colleagues again."

"I think one of the consequences of COVID-19 is that it will help us to drive towards a greener environment and economy. We have seen emissions reduce during the lockdowns and I would like to see that continue. We can all think about reducing business travel, where we can use technology instead. It’s a collective responsibility."

"I also think we will see lots of businesses reinvent themselves, the building of fairer societies and a world where front-line workers become better recognised."

"During the lockdown I started to appreciate the more simple things. I have been growing vegetables in my garden, taking care of my home and enjoying the wildlife seemingly thrive in my local parks as it claims back the habitat. I have also been able to read a lot more crime and thriller novels."

"In my area of work in Exhibitions, where lockdowns have affected shows, we have been using our innovative matchmaking skills and technology to connect buyers and sellers through virtual meetings and webinars. We have a designated response team to help us continue to connect and engage with visitors and exhibitors. This has been part of our own reinvention."

"Connecting regularly with customers has been a highlight of an otherwise challenging period. From 1-1 meetings and group conferences to first-time introductions and re-establishing old bonds - I have continued to meet with customers all around the world via Zoom."

"Through this period I have come to appreciate just how resilient we are as individuals, and how caring and considerate we are collectively. We all have home lives and are all human. In the future, I hope we don’t lose the humility, humour and tolerance that has shone through in recent weeks."

"As a result of COVID-19 I hope to see an even greater appreciation of the value of science and health to society, and of the role that companies like RELX play."

"As things start to return to normal and we reopen offices I am looking forward to seeing colleagues in person that I haven’t seen for months - but from the required 1.5 metres away we have here in the Netherlands."

"A friend shared a quote from Martin Luther King Jr with me recently: ‘We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.’ I think this will stay with me for quite some time. It sums up where we are now and also where we will all be as we enter our new normal."

"The disorder of life at present has us reordering our lives. People are resetting and rethinking. Increased focus on family, friends, neighbours and community. Being present and creatively connecting are things I hope will continue."

"I believe we have started to shift our focus, perspective and priorities on daily things that matter, versus seemingly urgent tasks that just keep us busy. This re-prioritisation will help us address what is truly important and look at the world with a broader view and appreciation of the human spirit."

"Translating this into our work engagements with colleagues and customers will be important. Checking in on people’s wellbeing before we dive into business will be a good thing to hold onto."

"When our offices are in a position to reopen, that means COVID-19 is winding down in that location. Because of the horrible impact this disease has had on society, I’m most looking forward to a time when it is dramatically reduced."

"I have been incredibly impressed by the dedication and adaptability of our people during this difficult time. We started opening offices in China and more locations will follow soon - all with appropriate social distancing measures. Many things will change, but the dedication and adaptability of our people will persevere and will continue to be important as we progress."

"During the pandemic we have continued to help our customers in a number of ways. As an example, we made many COVID-19 Legal related materials free in many countries around the world. We have also given extended access to products that may be especially helpful during this time. As we build new software innovations, regular customer feedback is critical. We have refined our remote customer interaction techniques and have actually had more customer discovery sessions this year than the same period last year."

"My day is full of Microsoft Teams video calls and we are sometimes accidentally joined by family members or pets. It’s always great when that happens and is a window into the lives of our people that we usually don’t see. It is often a highlight of the meeting…"

"I’m itching to get back into the office. A proper desk from which to work and not my kitchen counter top. And to see my colleagues again. I miss their faces."

"As a result of all this though, I do hope to see better thought from people before coming into work when feeling unwell. We’ve all done it at some point and we shouldn’t. And improved awareness of hygiene can only be a good thing."

"If I’ve learned one thing through the pandemic it has been that we can work anywhere. In my area I think our flexibility helped us thrive during this difficult time. In fact, many of our customers reach out to us even more now than in the past. They rely on our guidance, knowledge and services in these challenging times."

"My quarantine has actually been very difficult as my father passed away during the lockdown. It was a struggle not to be able to visit him in the hospital as we would have liked. Arranging a service was not possible due to the stay at home order. So my greatest wish for the future is that none of us take human contact for granted anymore."