We're all in this together: Recent Episodes
Purple Cubed
Whilst business and many workers will welcome this extension, for many employees who are now approaching the completion of eight weeks of enforced isolation at home, the news that they are, in some cases, likely to be there a whole lot longer is probably far less appreciated. In many cases, people have been thinking in the short term in order to stay positive, though now the thought of another two, three or, perhaps even, four months of being furloughed at home could pose a serious threat to wellbeing, morale and engagement. Five key areas to think about now...
Although businesses face logistical and financial hurdles as we plan to come out on the ‘other side’ of Covid-19, make the most of what's left of your enforced downtime to plan for new and better ways of operating in the future. Think Culture, Flexibility, Leadership, Wellbeing, Learning, Community, Digital, Communication and the Employee Experience…
The conscious consumer is watching carefully how businesses are dealing with the current crisis. Employee satisfaction and loyalty levels are rocketing as a result of their employers having taken an empathetic, kind and caring approach towards dealing with Covid-19. Currently organisations seem to be falling into two distinct camps. There are those who see the big picture, are in it for the longer term, put their people first and are of the ‘we’re all in this together’ mentality and therefore looking for opportunities to contribute to the greater good. And those who are negative, insensitive and going down the ‘knee-jerk reaction’ route...
As the current crisis sees millions of people in enforced homeworking, it’s highly likely that the majority of them will be feeling isolated, uncertain and lacking focus; leading to stress, anxiety and demotivation. From a company perspective, it’s quite a challenge to maintain your culture. As a result, collaboration, belonging and engagement will all take a hit. Managing this needs some special thought and planning.
Social isolation is often associated with poor mental health and can lead to increased risk of depression, cognitive decline, anxiety. Homeworkers can feel lonely, disconnected, unsupported and there’s a serious FOMO factor; fear of missing out on opportunities, on information and on connecting with colleagues, for example. People often feel as though there are more hours in the day to fill because there’s no commute, no interruptions, no one encouraging and supporting, chatting. As a result, they may begin to feel stressed because of a perceived need to keep busy and be productive, without the adrenalin buzz of the workplace and colleagues to drive motivation and morale. So, what should leaders be doing to lessen the negative impacts of enforced home working and giving everyone the best possible chances of coming out of Covid-19 as mentally heathy as possible?
Feelings of panic and despair are natural when faced with a sudden and significant, negative world-event such as Covid-19. However, as the cliché goes, it’s tough at the top and the only option you really have is to grit your teeth and focus on acceptance, resilience, determination, adaptation and action. You ‘are where you are’ and, in my experience, the only way to get through this is to stay grounded, summon all of your inner strength, apply some creative thinking and be prepared to do whatever it takes to get through. A few thoughts...
If even the thought of enforced home working has sent you into a panic, you're not alone. However, there are things you can do to improve the way you work at home and to help you through this challenging period: