Crisis Management #45: CoverMyMeds' Veronica Knuth on translating in-office perks to a remote-work world - Women Of Influence

What's a company known for providing free daily staff lunches do when everyone has been sent to work from home?

At CoverMyMeds, the culinary staff wrote a cookbook, which was mailed to employees and business contacts over the holidays. But mostly they're busy planning how to move into a new Franklinton headquarters and at least at first shift to contactless grab and go meals instead of cafeteria style.

"They have done some some amazing things for us around virtual cooking classes, and sharing weekly menus that the staff can make themselves, recipes," said Veronica Knuth, vice president of talent. "We're excited to see our culinary team again."

Knuth, who joined the Columbus health IT company shortly after McKesson Corp. acquired it three years ago, is the latest guest on Columbus Business First's Crisis Management podcast on navigating the coronavirus pandemic.

The first of two buildings in the new Franklinton headquarters will be ready on time in April – but it's far from clear when the Central Ohio staff can move in to a space designed for communing and collaborating. A lot will depend on vaccine supply.

CoverMyMeds made more than 300 hires and 350 promotions throughout the year, all while on teleconference. It now has more than 1,500 employees between Columbus, Cleveland and remote workforce.

While anticipation is running high for the new building, software maker has worked to maintain its award-winning culture in the virtual world, Knuth said.

"Our employees in the business as a whole adapted with the same agility that they did every day, and they haven't missed a beat," she said. "We are continually checking in to see how they're doing, how can we best support them and whatever they might need, either personally or professionally."

In the interview, Knuth mentions that CoverMyMeds uses the teleconference platform Bluejeans – so she's not referring to denim.

"It has been so fun to have kids and spouses; to be able to be part of people's lives in a different way has been so incredible," she said. "I look for bright spots in this in this terrible pandemic."

By the same token, when work is always in the home, she makes sure to counsel people on work-life balance – like making sure they take available paid time off.

"It's easy just to say, 'OK, I've got my laptop here, I'm in my living room, I can watch TV and I can work,'" she said. "But you need that down time."