#20from2020: reflecting on the highlights of the year

By Lera Kolomietc, Junior Account Executive

In the first company update of the year, our CEO Alastair Turner discussed the benefits of reflection and its importance to strategically growing our business. The idea? When the going gets tough, reflecting on the accomplishments of the past can help the tough get going.

Inspired by this, the Aspectus Energy team looked back on a challenging year and realised that we didn’t just survive the turbulence of 2020 – we thrived.

There were lots of strands to this achievement. So, from strong pieces of coverage to remote new joiners – what does success look like for Aspectus Energy?

Coverage stars

First and foremost, by taking us out of the office and away from the pleasure of our colleagues’ company, COVID-19 left us in solitude with our craft. We took joy from every piece of coverage we could get our hands on. And of course, we had our favourites!

For instance, Tamsin landed an article in the Guardian supporting clients’ endeavours to champion women in STEM. Workplace diversity is crucial to the energy sector and it’s really rewarding to facilitate much-needed dialogue on the subject.

Is there anything we couldn’t do?

But, while securing coverage is at the heart of PR, there is so much more we offer as a business to our clients. From refreshing clients’ brand strategy, creating the world’s biggest and best annual energy industry workforce trends report, the Global Energy Talent Index (GETI), to launching Acoustic Data’s remote operating model for downhole monitoring – the team proved that working from home is no barrier to achieving great results.

Home sweet home

Perhaps most exciting, we grew as a business introducing four new team members. As fresh-out-of-university account executives, three of us (Olivia, Shannon and myself), started our careers from our own homes.

Overwhelming? Yes, but easier than anticipated, we feel lucky to have been so well supported by the team in making that transition. Our new account director and industrials lead, Astrid, talked on how ‘to be made to feel at home’ is often harder than working from one.

Last but not least, let us introduce you to Astrid, our latest addition to the team and new Account Director and #industrials lead!

Astrid shares her experience of joining Aspectus and meeting her colleagues for the first time over Teams. #20from2020 pic.twitter.com/qdqhjavBnZ

— Energy Communications (@Energy_Aspectus) January 22, 2021

Getting to know you

But that feeling of support didn’t stop once we’d bedded in. With our intimate home lives invading work video calls, we built an even deeper sense of camaraderie. As our head of Energy, Laura says, “We learned more about each other than ever before!”.

The process of reflecting proved extremely rewarding, bringing the team closer in celebrating each other’s highlights of the year. One might say actions speak louder than words – well then 2020 was one of the loudest years in the Aspectus Energy team’s history.

Check out some more of our reflections on Twitter, using the #20from2020 hashtag.