Below is an interview of Dharmesh Chheda, Head of Training and Client Services, documenting how Satarla have successfully been able to migrate training services online, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change crises. The interview was conducted by Ollie de Boer, Software Lead.
Satarla team (some of) during Dharmesh's welcome and Linda's leaving lunch (pre-isolation obviously!)
Ollie: Hi Dharmesh, you’re the newest addition to the Satarla network; could you tell us a bit about yourself and your role? Dharmesh: Delighted to have joined Satarla. I could not have scripted this - within a week of joining the world went into lockdown! My background is in professional development and training - and my role here at Satarla is to drive the strategy for the risk management training - both in terms of our offering and growing our client base. This would be to build on the excellent work we have already been doing.
Ollie: Glad you’ve joined and looking forward to seeing the training business develop, could you explain what demand you are seeing, especially considering the rapidly changing external context regarding COVID-19, and demand to provide our services remotely in response to the climate crises? Dharmesh: Nothing beats face to face training - capturing the ethos of interaction, energy and applied learning. Demands have shifted on many fronts - businesses now have employees working from home, leaders need to ensure business continuity and resilience, along with managing risk and crises in the wake of COVID-19, some of which will be here to stay, once the pandemic is over, and the focus moves back towards mitigating climate change. This places a huge strain on operations in some sectors more than others. As a business, we also need to respond to these changing needs by adapting and swiftly moving our consultancy, training and coaching online.
Ollie: So as an organisation, Satarla are shifting their business model, moving their training (and other) services online. Could you outline how this works with support from Satarla’s Associate network?
Dharmesh: First and foremost, Sarah (CEO), has been very clear, to provide support for our 75 global associates, ensuring their wellbeing and connecting regularly to consider options. Secondly, we have to be on the front foot in delivering online services, something we are experts at so this has been a comfortable transition. Providing training to the associate network, for online delivery, where needed, is underway. We are feeling enthused and positive, embracing this new way of working as a permanent shift, responding to COVID-19 and the climate crises.
Ollie: Great to know we are well placed to continuing providing expertise to organisations, responding to these crises. Is this supported by any strategic partnerships? Dharmesh: All our partnerships are strategic, helping individuals and organisations make risk based and informed decisions. We partner with the likes of the IRM in the UK and IRMSA in South Africa. With the former have agreed to deliver their fundamentals of risk management course online which we established quickly and collaboratively.
Ollie: What would you say to organisations out there that, like us, have quickly shifted their business models to provide their products and services remotely?
Dharmesh: Change is inevitable in a normal world - more so in the current environment. Adaptability is key and ensuring we support our networks including clients and associates is fundamental for the short term. Well being and resilience is important for individuals and businesses alike, so in addition to a new way of working, take the time to map out what is important for organisations and their employees. For Satarla specifically, we started by assessing and putting in place actions to manage these new risks, such as speeding up the transition to our virtual service offerings so we can continue supporting and helping organisations in these times of rapid change.
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