There’s been a raft of advice shared in the last three weeks in the UK, around working from home, furloughing employees and ideas around the ‘new normal’, among many others, as we all look for solutions to deal with the change we’re going through. Some of this practical advice is brilliant but considering the emotional impacts are as equally important, as people try to navigate a sea of unknowns. Based on what I’ve seen in the last couple of weeks, here’s a few things for the here and now that organisations might want to consider, particularly around communication, if they’re not already on the list.
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What’s most urgent still isn’t necessarily work
From most recent conversations, staying safe and healthy, looking after family and job security seem to still be the priorities for many and are often still all-consuming. I can’t tell you the unexpected massive sense of relief I felt in getting a long-since ordered grocery delivery that meant I could help my isolating mum stock up on cat food and loo roll. I hadn’t realised how important this had become to me.
The majority of us are still in the lower levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy, with physiological, safety and belonging (human contact) still in really sharp focus and, for many, they’ll continue to be in this space for some time. We are still adjusting to what’s going on. This model helps to make sense of some of the responses and reactions we are still seeing from people and why good, clear communication that guides people through this period of big change, is key.
Our differences in sharp focus
At a global level, differences that existed before, such as socio-economic, health and wealth, are being amplified by the situation we’re in. When you consider our work environments, this is no different. Those with children (including teenagers) are having to learn how to live together and, along with those who live alone, are having to set new boundaries between work and the rest of their lives. I’ve seen two distinct groups emerging in the world of consultants and freelancers too – those who are flat out with work and those who don’t have any, with little middle ground. Compassion and looking out for ourselves and each other will be even more important over the coming weeks and months.
What works for some, doesn’t work for all
In the first few days and weeks of people being asked to stay at home, it felt like a new dawn for many organisations, large and small, with people suddenly having to work remotely. There’s already talk of ‘digital transformation’ arriving early for many organisations. Although adapting to working remotely has been easy for some, with little time for preparation, the reality has been and continues be very different for others and they are still struggling to transition to this way of working. The systems and processes many are used to are gone, and everyone is adjusting and adapting at different speeds – see my recent post. Think about finding enough room for work calls if your living space is primarily your family home and is not geared up as a home office. And how do you feel about having your work colleagues in your home, albeit virtually, with your kids, while they run around dressed as superheroes? Even if we’re all saying it’s OK and we’re in it together, it’s still pressure.
Regularly checking in with teams, will be key over the coming weeks and months. Remember to ask them how they and their families are doing - today - first and foremost, before asking anything about work.
This is not a culture shift - yet
I’ve seen lots of chat about the way we’re all working in this ‘new’ virtual world. But the reality is very different from the perceived nirvana. There are many things to consider when you move teams wholesale to a different way of working. As just one example, replacing back-to-back meetings with back-to-back calls without having the time to work through together how this will work best, is not ideal.
I’ve been lucky enough to work with a client for the last few years where I rarely meet anyone in the team – we’ve worked on Skype calls – and so I’ve gotten used to how things work. But, from personal experience, this way of working needs structure, collaboration and good communication to work effectively and efficiently.
If organisations want to move to this way of working in the longer-term, then sharing guidance and capturing the positive and negatives through lessons learned will help. And that includes getting feedback from your new remote teams for a fully rounded view.
Unintended consequences
In my work in organisation change projects, we often have some time to think through the potential outcomes of plans – and spot some of the potential unintended consequences. When you’re working at warp speed – as many organisations have been over the last couple of weeks – that thinking time can be in short supply. One example I’ve heard this week along these lines, is furloughed employees. As these employees must not work for their employer during their furlough period, some have added an out of office to their email, explaining that they are on furlough. So far, so good. But, in some cases, there is no signpost in this out of office to another a colleague in the organisation who can help; this is key if someone is looking for information on payroll or accounts.
A small thing perhaps but if we think back to Maslow’s hierarchy, money really matters at the moment. People want to get paid and will have payment queries, and that includes your suppliers as well as your employees. If they can’t get this easily at this tricky time, people will remember this about your business.
Even though time is short, ask someone outside the immediate decision-making team to spend a couple of minutes thinking about the potential pitfalls and gaps and asking questions. You can’t possibly cover every base but spotting just one of these will save time and possibly your brand reputation in the long-term.
Thinking on all fronts
Back to Maslow – right now, people are immediately concerned about their health and safety and job security, particularly those in lower paid jobs or those who have suddenly found themselves at home without any job at all. Organisations and operational teams are still looking at managing the here and now, setting up virtual teams, sorting out the details of furlough etc. But while we’re in the midst of the here and now, there is discussion about the transition out of this crisis* and the longer-term economics of this situation, plus considering how we maintain some of the more positive outcomes to support a better future for society and the planet**. Employees, shareholders and consumers will also be thinking about this at some point very soon, so organisations need to be prepared.
Navigating the here and now as well as looking to the medium and longer-term future, although feeling like a lot to consider, will be essential for those organisations who want to come out positively on the other side.
These are big demands for leaders and their teams. Maintaining wellbeing and resilience over the long haul, will be key.
* https://www.thersa.org/discover/publications-and-articles/matthew-taylor-blog/2020/04/transition-covid-lockdown
** https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/31/how-will-the-world-emerge-from-the-coronavirus-crisis