Mitch Hoefer is knocking on wood, pinching himself, rechecking the back log – whatever it is that CEOs do when they want to make sure that their luck is holding out. For Hoefer Welker, his commercial-architecture firm in Leawood, Kansas, has been humming right through the coronavirus crisis so far and looks as though it will do so until the rest of the economy reaches the other side of the coronavirus abyss.
“We’ve been able to work through the storm pretty well,” Hoefer told Chief Executive. “Deadlines are being met; projects are continuing to work at the same speed in terms of productivity and efficiency and completion of tasks. Clients are involved in all of our meetings through Skype.
“Only a couple of projects – theater projects – have gone on hold; we’re trying to wait that out. Health care, government and commercial work hasn’t slowed down. So we’re amazed at how well it’s going.”
In fact, Hoefer Welker has just hired about a half-dozen new employees and interns from among the fresh crop of college graduates and students who have nothing but time on their hands at this point. They’re scheduled to start at the firm within several weeks.
“We’re computer-buddy-shadowing them to get them oriented and efficient in working at home,” Hoefer said.