Thank you.

I mean it. If you’re a KPA customer, thank you for trusting in us and working with us. You’re not only keeping your employees safe but investing in the future of your industry by helping us develop even better software, consulting, and training solutions. If you’re not a customer, thank you for reading this blog and for caring about workforce health and safety. Whoever you are, thank you.

Thank you. To be honest, most business leaders and workforce safety and compliance professionals don’t hear those two words often enough. And after everything 2020 has wrought—after months of hard work, difficult decisions, isolation, and sacrifice dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic—we each deserve some extra recognition and appreciation.

But we could all stand to say “thank you” more often, too. As tough as this year has been, it would have been exponentially more challenging without the help of others.

Take a moment to think about the people you, your company, and your community depended on in 2020. We should all give thanks to the healthcare workers on the frontlines of the pandemic, the drivers and delivery people who transported vital supplies, the teachers tirelessly educating our children, the employees who kept our organizations running, and everyone else who showed up (in person or remotely) to do the work despite monumental risk and adversity.

Of course, we can’t forget the spouses, relatives, and friends who stuck by us, whether they sustained us emotionally, offered financial support, or simply lightened the mood with their humanity and humor.

It’s also worth expressing gratitude for the things we’re fortunate to have. I’m talking about the technology and tools that allowed us to stay safe, connected, and productive over these last few months, as well as for our general mental and physical health.

What are you thankful for?

We posed the question to our team members here at KPA. Here’s what they had to say:

“I’m thankful for my family, my friends, our frontline responders in the medical and military fields, our continued health, and my amazing KPA family. It’s been a rough year and we’ve continued to adapt and overcome all obstacles. I’m a believer that overcoming obstacles and challenges is what makes us stronger and better. 2020 will be a year we’ll all remember for the rest of our lives. It’s important that through sickness, deaths, and global business closures, we remember some of the positives that still took place throughout the year. The pandemic threw the world into remote learning and working, proving that people can be effective—and in some cases, more effective—in remote spaces. We witnessed the good in humanity—people coming together to help one another where we could. And the pandemic helped us put things in perspective, allowing us to slow down a bit more in the evenings to be with family, or giving parents a little more patience with remote learning.”

–Kelly Pinkerton, Sales

“I’m thankful for being able to contribute meaningful consultation to my clients through this pandemic. I am thankful for employment and the health of my family. I am fortunate and so many are not in this country right now.”

–Colin White, Consulting

“I am truly thankful for my team, my co-workers, and my fellow leaders in client success. Without us all working in tandem to do our best for our clients, KPA’s Vera Suite launch and the curveball of COVID-19 could have been an absolutely horrendous experience. Instead, while we had our struggles, people have managed to keep their smiles, their senses of humor, and their willingness to work together and drive success for our clients and their employees. Despite all the challenges, we wouldn’t be where we are now on the road if not for that collective team effort.”

–Brandon Eversoll, Software Support

“I am so grateful for my teammates and their sense of humor throughout this year! It has been tough and being able to laugh through it all with them has brought me huge relief. It is what I most look forward to each day.”

–Deidra Mogan, HR

“I am thankful for my team. We chat daily on Slack. Everyone is always there to help out with an issue or offer an ear or even a shoulder when needed. As someone who lives alone, this has been a big deal.”

–Deb Gettinger, Implementation

“First and foremost, I am grateful for a healthy family who have generally stayed safe during the pandemic. I’m also very grateful to have a great job at a company that is making a difference for organizations as they manage through COVID-19 in their organizations and put programs in place to stay both safe and compliant.”

–Abe Cohen, Marketing

“I am thankful that I have a great job with a great company. My coworkers are awesome and my DM seems to appreciate my work and has my back, which is amazing. I am thankful for my wonderful husband (we got married this year) and my family. I feel blessed even with everything crazy going on around me.”

–Nancy Parker, Automotive Sales & Finance Compliance Consulting

“I am thankful for every single day I wake up because it is one more day to spend with my family, including my grandchildren, and with friends—one more day I get to work and laugh and love. We are not guaranteed anything, so for each day we should be grateful.”

–Lori A. Matthews, Consulting

“First, I’m thankful to contribute in at least some small way to combating the pandemic through the training and materials we produced as part of KPA’s COVID-19 Safety Program. Second, I’m thankful to have an impressive bond with my immediate and extended family. My 9-year-old niece, Kaitlyn, and I have a book club video call 2–3 times a week. We’re currently reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. She brightens my day considerably, learns news words, and reinvigorates my love of reading.”

–Jill Schaefer, Product

“What am I thankful for? That my cat decided it’s okay for me to be home all the time.”

–Nicholas Hunter-Lawley, IT

Thank You and Happy Thanksgiving from KPA

Once again, thank you for all you do and for sticking with us during these—what’s the word? oh yeah—unprecedented times. We sincerely value your business and readership.

From our family to yours: have a happy, safe, and wonderful Thanksgiving! Whether you’re spending the holiday at home or, well, at home, we hope you enjoy some rest, good food and drink, and (COVID-responsible) time with loved ones.