The Tech Sector Resource/Expertise Sharing is a NATI initiative that originated from initial discussions with our Tech CEO Pandemic Task Force. NATI is offering to liaise and establish contact between NATI member companies interested in participating.
Initiative 1: Temporary Staff Reallocation
The first component is a staff reallocation initiative. This is designed to allow short-term payroll relief for companies who may be experiencing unexpected revenue declines during this period. Companies who choose to participate can effectively “loan out” staff to another local tech company until a later date. This is designed to prevent companies having to lay off employees during the COVID-19 disruption, thereby ensuring that these companies retain expertise in the long run without incurring the training and onboarding expenses of a new hire when operations resume to normal. In the interim, the company that takes on the employees would pay the salary of the employees. The agreements would be undertaken in good faith between participating companies, with the understanding that at the end of the agreed-upon period, staff would return to their original employer.
Action items: If you have either a requirement for short-term staff or if you have staff that you would like to temporarily place with another local tech company, please connect with michael@nati.net.
2) Tech Sector Expertise Sharing
The steering committee of our Tech CEO Pandemic Task Force has identified firms both within and outside the immediate tech sector who are experiencing difficulties in transitioning to a work-at-home environment. For this initiative, NATI is seeking volunteers from its membership who have expertise in technical support and can donate a small amount of time as a goodwill gesture to the broader entrepreneurial community.
Action items: We are in discussions with member companies and other provincial associations to gather information on companies in need and their technical requirements. If you can assist, please outline the types of support you would be able to contribute. As a starting point, we have identified the following areas, however, any support you are able to offer would be much appreciated:
– VPN Setup
– Videoconference Platforms
– Instant Messaging Platforms
– Home office setup and ergonomics
We will inform companies who wish to receive support that this is to be offered on a pro bono basis for a limited block of time (approximately an hour or less per company). However, if you can offer a more substantial donation of services, we will be happy to make note. We are also happy to discuss this with your technical leads. Please email michael@nati.net to begin this discussion.