Shaping the Future

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As we prepare to return to the workplace, there are new considerations about how we want it all to look.

How might we shift our focus? What has become most important? What do our teams need?

Perhaps most importantly, how can we reimagine our priorities as they pertain to our individual and collective progress. This act (and conversation) of “returning to the workplace” is becoming a conceptual hallmark of how the world has shifted and is continuing to shift.

The pandemic has shown us many things on a global level — the gaps in our systems, the highs and lows of societal need, the value of community and how we can come together in times of crisis. In short, connection is key.  

Not only have we all begun to re-evaluate our own small pieces of the puzzle, but we can see evermore clearly that our entire global economy is inextricably reliant on the human element. When humans break down, so do our systems. The one saving grace is how we are able to come together to regroup and succeed.

As humans of the 21st century we have experienced four major industrial revolutions in comparatively quick succession. It is said that we are in the fourth — a.k.a. Industry 4.0 — exemplified by the widespread implementation of artificial intelligence, global platform management and analytic-based progress and expansion. Technology has truly changed the fabric of our world and has added an element of undeniable connectivity. These phases of industrial and technological advancement have shaped us in irreversible ways.

However, throughout this pandemic experience a new layer of progress has emerged — a more profound adoption of these technologies being not only used for economical and commercial benefit but also intricately woven into our basic need for connection.

“Today, technology is changing everything — how we relate to one another, the way we work, how our economies and governments function, and even what it means to be human.”

 — Klaus Schwab

A hot topic in our industry, technology that has been in the nascent stages for decades has now finally fully entered our proceedings and our courtrooms. Our ability to properly access the justice system in this type of recent circumstance has been absolutely critical. For us it’s the exciting new territory we have already been working towards, and we are focused on remaining on the leading edge of these developments.

Our team is well positioned to continue to lead the charge through this next iteration of industry progress as we dive headlong into the future. It’s as if we are finally cresting the rollercoaster, having slowly but surely climbed each bar along the track, and are preparing for the transfer of potential energy to kinetic energy by gravitational force.

The momentum will take us, but first, there is almost a pause … a breath. We are in that moment of suspension, just before heading down to what is next.

As a company we are committed to shaping the future of our industry, fostering our community and supporting our team. Continuing to develop solutions for our clients as we move into this next phase is paramount. In essence we have entered what our team at Reportex is affectionately calling the fifth revolution — a.k.a. the Reportex (R)evolution.

Our notion of “tech that connects” carries over into our team values and our support of our community. Using integrated legal technology, we endeavour to provide ongoing mentorship through the support of key programs like the NAIT Captioning and Court Reporting program.

We recognize that we are not an island.

Our success depends on the success of the industry as a whole. Being keenly aware of the challenges our legal system faces as well as the future of court reporting across North America enables us to stay abreast of the trends and to have a hand in continued development. With an eye toward collaboration and collegiality with our counterparts across the nation, we hope to maintain a broad perspective of what is possible and how we can continue to participate in this evolution.

Connect Series: Meet Kris Bergado

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Kris is another friendly face at the Vancouver office. He is the office services coordinator for Reportex and works with reception/client services as well as the catering department to ensure all in-house operations are running smoothly for clients and staff. Kris was born in the Philippines but grew up in Ottawa. He moved to Vancouver as part of his love for travel and new experiences. He solo traveled 16 countries in two years while making many international friends through his travels. His employment experiences include working for one of the biggest companies in the hotel industry as well as one of the finest luxury hotels in Vancouver.

Kris is another artist in our midst, like Shannan. We seem to attract a creative bunch!

You appear to have a passion for travel and meeting people. Can you tell us where the urge to learn architecture comes from? 

Growing up, I always had a fascination for ornamental structures. Seeing all the beautiful statues and little details that make a building pop really appealed to me. Things like incorporating the surroundings to create a picturesque look really excited me. I thought maybe I could create something like that myself one day. Maybe not as ornamental, but something that would capture people’s attention.

We have been discussing wellness on the blog and in our internal Slack channels. Do you have a favourite way to recharge or any tips to share on staying well?

Wellness is an important thing to me! Most of my free time is spent at the gym, but I also like to give my mental health a break and take the time to sit down and pop a bottle of wine and snuggle with my dog.

At Reportex our core values of team, mentorship, equality, community and industry are central to what we do. Which of these values resonates most with you and why?

Out of all the core values community and team were the two that I immediately felt strongly about.  As a fairly new staffer I was introduced to team-building events, such as paint night and Cinco de Mayo. It’s nice to just chat and laugh with your fellow colleagues and just be in the present.

You have been an integral part of the move to our new floors. What excites you the most about the new space?

The new space is awesome! This might be a simple answer, but I love the windows and how so much natural light comes into the space. No need to go outside for your daily dose of vitamin D.

We’re glad you are enjoying the new HQ, Kris, and we are thrilled that you see how important our core values are to us. Reportex firmly believes in supporting and keeping connected with all our staff and contractors. Internal communications and support are equally important as external, and we feel that helps make our team so great at what they do.

(R)evolution: shaping the future of legal solutions

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To say that this pandemic has been disruptive to most industries would be a bold understatement, but it has been particularly disruptive to those who rely on systemic stability and are/have been traditionally slow to adapt to change. It is no secret that our legal community can struggle with the adoption of new technology and procedural shifts. There are also those who have been trying for decades to demonstrate the value of implementing new legal tech, like hybrid proceedings or integrated realtime reporting with videoconferencing in the courtroom. For that reason it was a pleasant surprise to see how quickly everyone was able to adapt to new ways of handling legal proceedings and how readily clients of all ages and demographics understood the need to pivot during this crisis.

Many of these systems were already in the nascent stages, but necessity certainly put a new timeline and a hyper spotlight on the need to be able to adapt quickly and effectively. This was necessary not only to keep the justice system running smoothly on a day-to-day basis but to ensure adequate access to justice throughout this challenging time. Streamlining processes as well as digitizing them has shown everyone that the legal industry can survive dramatic changes and adjust with the times.

Reportex has always strived to stay abreast of new technology, and we are dedicated to helping shape the future of legal proceedings to better serve our clients. Our commitment to remain on the leading edge and our team of technical and reporting specialists have allowed us to weather the last 14 months with barely a ripple. 

This has been reflected in the ongoing development of our new headquarters at 700 – 925 West Georgia Street. The plans for the new HQ had been in play long before COVID hit, and we managed to carry on without too much delay. Safe and secure in-person meeting spaces will always be required in the legal industry, even more so now that the pandemic has sped up the shift to remote law firms or vastly downsized office spaces and solo practices. Making sure that we are equipped with the best AV technology, videoconferencing and court bridge services allow our clients to communicate and work effectively, no matter where they are located.

As we plan a more fulsome return to work, we are always cognizant of the health and safety of our clients and staff. Because of ongoing COVID protocols, we are limiting the number of people in a meeting room to six, including the court reporter. Clients can take advantage of our technical solutions for virtual or hybrid communications for mediations, discoveries, arbitrations, and other proceedings.  

As part of our ongoing commitment to support our valued clientele and industry partners, over the coming weeks, we will be sharing with you more plans about the ongoing technical developments, e‑solutions, and service solutions.  

This is the Reportex (R)evolution. This is our commitment to being the leader in shaping the future of our industry.

You can learn more about our COVID protocols here and our virtual and hybrid systems here.  

Connect Series: Meet Shannan Howe

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Shannan is from Ireland and moved to Vancouver in February of 2020. She started working at the young age of 15 and has a lot of experience in customer service, complaints and leadership. Her compassion and caring attitude are her strongest assets.

Shannan completed a one-year course in social care and later studied social studies and psychology. Sadly, she had to leave college to take care of her ill grandfather full-time. After that, she became a care manager for elderly people. After a few tumultuous years, Shannan decided to travel the world and ended up in Vancouver. She fell in love with the area and all it had to offer, and thankfully for us, she has not left yet.

At Reportex our core values of team, mentorship, equality, community and industry are central to what we do. Which of these values resonates most strongly with you and why?

Team and community. I think these are the core values that resonate mostly with me in my daily life and work life together. Working as part of a team is something I have always felt strongly about. Everything and anything can be done better and more efficiently with a team of people that are honest and open and willing to work hard together.

Throughout my life I have been part of so many teams, such as dancing, folk storytelling, music groups and volunteering back home — which leads me to the “community” aspect. The “support local” movement has become a huge part of the lives of those who give back to the community, especially because of the pandemic.

Helping people and supporting people around me has always been something I have tried to do, hence studying social studies and becoming a full-time caregiver. I come from a very small community with about two shops, four pubs (of course), a church, a football team, a primary and secondary school and one overcrowded care home for all the elderly in the community and surrounding area. I volunteered in the care home to give a helping hand where it was needed, and I was soon offered a full-time position as a caregiver and ended up managing my own team. It was an amazing experience to meet all of the locals that had known my own grandfather (and family too), and I also enjoyed making their days a little better. I’ve also worked closely with children and youth, teaching Irish sean‑nós dancing and mentoring dancers in the community because we were too far out of the closest town for other teachers to travel. There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.

Tell us more about SsketchyArts? Does artistic talent run in the family?

SsketchyArts is my accidental pride and joy, thanks to living in Vancouver. When I moved here, it was quite hard to get a job as most places wanted a Canadian reference, which I clearly did not have, so I had a lot of spare time. I bought canvases and art supplies and just started painting like I have always done when I was bored. Then random people started sharing my paintings online and asking for commissions. I set up an art page after my family and friends forced me to because I was too scared, and it just blew up. I now have paintings that are displayed all over the world in online art galleries in places like Sweden, Dubai, Ireland, Croatia, Spain, Australia and all over Canada. Luckily (and also unfortunately), most of my dad’s side of the family has an artistic hand, so they think nothing of the fact that I am selling paintings. But at least we all share the love of art!

We have been talking a bit about wellness on the blog and through our Slack channels. Do you have a favourite way to recharge? And does it include you still practising Irish dance?

Unfortunately, I haven’t done much dancing since I moved to Canada, more so because of the pandemic of course, and it’s just not as fun or enjoyable without a crowd clapping and joining in. It’s the atmosphere that dancing brings that is the best part. So recharging for me right now is stepping back each day to practise gratitude, make affirmations and set intentions:

  • Gratitude: think about what you are grateful for today.  
  • Affirmations: first analyze the thoughts or behaviours that you would like to change in your own daily life and career that day. Say “I am confident” out loud — it does help.
  • Intentions: this can be as simple as planning to drink enough water today or accepting yourself as just enough. 

Try it — you will love it!

We want to thank Shannan for leaping into the deep end with such enthusiasm for her new role at HQ.  We could not have gotten through the renovations and the move without her can-do attitude.  Thanks Shannan!