A chair recently told me of an unexpected outcome from the pandemic. Not only was he now achieving an exceptional 100% attendance at trustee meetings, he was also able to hold more frequent meetings – all thanks to video conferencing. It was likely that the majority of meetings would continue to be held in that way, particularly as the chair learned how to manage them and ensure everyone had an opportunity to speak. The main drawback, though, was the inability to form bonds and build trust, often achieved in the margins of a face-to-face meeting.

That was the only positive in a list of problems that the charity was facing, most caused either directly or indirectly by the pandemic. The pressures included the need to consider restructuring and redundancies, but also the hidden problem of mental health, whether it be in workers on furlough, in the social isolation of employees working from home or in the pressures of juggling parental responsibilities. For the chair, it’s been necessary to consider the chief executive’s health and mental wellbeing in appraisals and one-to-ones as well as ensure that other members of the board are coping.