One of the many benefits of working at Oxford is our strong workplace culture. The relationships forged among team members supports collaboration and business continuity—traits that became particularly relevant during 2020. Fortunately, we had an array of tools in place to allow us to stay connected with colleagues and clients. During the shutdown, platforms like Webex and Zoom helped virtual teams share ideas and support one another. This technology played an integral role in supporting client outreach over the past year, allowing us to triple the number of client calls made in March and April 2020 alone.

When we transitioned to remote work, our collective focus on maintaining communication grew stronger. We found that not only does technology provide an effective way to support productivity during social distancing, it also offers creative ways for teams to interact virtually. Using the Webex Teams application, we posted messages of encouragement, shared articles about COVID-19 and discussed the market. These connections kept people engaged and helped to maintain some level of normalcy during an unsettling time.

At Oxford, we believe our clients are our eyes and ears on the frontlines. Maintaining regular contact gives us insight into their concerns and helps identify better ways to support them.

• Our continued contact during COVID-19 via phone calls and video conferences when in-person meetings were not possible provided our clients peace of mind that Oxford was still there for them and fully operational
• Our outstanding Client Service Teams immediately pivoted when we were required to work from home, and worked diligently to ensure a seamless transition with no change in service or availability to our clients
• The Oxford Eye Portal provided an effective way to deliver real-time information to clients, CPAs and advisors
• Oxford’s Managing Director and CEO, Jeff Thomasson, created regular email communications to clients to share our views on the evolving situation

Throughout the time period when almost our entire staff was working from home, each and every associate remained focused and found new ways to communicate. We saw firsthand proof of the value of staying connected, even in the absence of face-to-face contact.

The past year has redefined how we communicate in times of crisis and beyond. Our ability to remain agile has become a best practice at Oxford in our daily interactions with clients. This is unchartered territory for each of us. Be it by email, video conferencing or in-person, we have been and remain laser-focused on helping you stay the course in all circumstances.