Business View Caribbean | April 2021

63 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN APRIL 2021 make certain changes to their operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking all precautionary measures mean increased sanitation, health screening, and masks. With only 10 employees working at each station, appropriate physical distancing is also enforced. When the pandemic started, the company outsourced many of their production workers, leaving only 55 direct employees. “Even though we outsource them, the fact of the matter is that these individuals are still employed, and they still come to work here every day,” says Scott. “We like to pride ourselves in being the employer of choice. We are a growing company and we still try to find the very best. We have young persons here pursuing degrees, a lot of young, energetic persons. And I can tell you, having spent most of my working life in Kingston, it’s a refreshing change. What I like about the culture here is that the employees are quite focused. They are fast learners and a lot of the negative cultural issues that you may have in other areas, you don’t see here. It’s really a pleasure to be amongst the team that we have L I FESPAN COMPANY L IMI TED assembled. We try to get the very best and we’re happy with who we have.” Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has offered support to the community. “Lifespan have been involved in a number of initiatives including donating bottled water to the frontline workers through the Ministry of Health Foundation,” Williams recounts. “Lifespan has also donated masks and bottled water to the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force – the official police force of Jamaica). With a shortage of tablets to support access to virtual education, Lifespan donated several tablets to students in the community. In August of 2020, the company also launched its “Dash and Win” Competition, in recognition of our corporate social responsibility and to continue to drive sales for the remainder of the second half of our fiscal year.” The contest was extended into February of 2021, with the grand prize of one million dollars being awarded to a single mother in the neighboring parish of St. Thomas.