There’s no going back… but where are we actually going now?
I recently attended a PSPS event with a panel of HR leaders who were speaking about the new leadership imperative, post pandemic. One of the panelists was talking about how much has changed and helping employees manage through that. One of her comments really stuck with me. I am paraphrasing, but she said, “What we have just been through is loss. We are absolutely never going back to the working ways of pre-2020. Some love that, hate it, some fall in the middle, but nonetheless it is loss. People need to approach it just like the grieving process, mourn it, and finally move to acceptance of the change.”
So what now?
In my role I have the opportunity to talk to a lot of leaders and HR professionals who are dealing with all of the post pandemic issues. One thing I hear a lot is that organizations go to great lengths to put together teams who plan and plan and plan for things like return-to-office, or a hybrid work model, only to have the whole plan thrown in the trash a week later. I certainly don’t have a crystal ball, but what I do know is that we are still living in an experiment and being able to pivot and pivot often is the one constant.
Some things are here to stay.
Some things that are a direct result of the pandemic, I am certain, are here to stay. So companies need to plan for them (but still be nimble). It isn’t an option; employees are demanding it.
A focus on mental health
Employee mental health support went from a “nice to have” to a business imperative. Workaholism and burn out showed us that the way we were working just was not working. Companies have been forced to make mental health a priority. Things like mental health days, 4-day work weeks, counseling benefits and mental health apps are all great, but if a big focus on mental health isn’t part of the company culture, it is just lip service. Employees are demanding more.
Hybrid work schedules
There is no one-size-fits-all approach here (and obviously there are roles where 5 days in office are absolutely necessary), but if you are requiring your employees to be in the office 5 days a week, there’d better be a good business case for it. If not, people will start to leave. I can tell you from personal experience that when we are working with clients who require 5-days in-office, that role is incredibly more difficult to fill. Employees learned over the past 3 years that, for the most part, they can do their jobs (and do them well) from home. The reasons for going into the office have changed. They are for team building and collaboration. This hybrid work remains an experiment, so don’t get too “married” to your hybrid plan. Companies are going to need to constantly re-evaluate what is working and what is not for their own organization.Flexibility
Employees now feel empowered to take charge of their work life balance, or work life integration. They want control over how, when, and where they work. Giving employees some control over this (to the extent that is reasonable) is critical for workplace morale and culture. I recently read a statistic that in 2023, 50% of adults will look for a new job. The #1 reason was flexibility.Mobility
So many people moved during the pandemic and they do not want to be told to come back. Companies have decisions to make about retention and also talent attraction, now that we are on the other side of the pandemic. Can you still allow employees to work anywhere (within reason)? Are you still benefiting from the expanded pool of talent since you may not be so restricted by geography? Employees have gotten used to being able to take extended vacations where they can continue to work but still join friends and family. There are many implications on taxes and compliance, but companies need to plan and develop policies to accommodate where they can.
During the pandemic the pendulum swung very far in one direction. It will never go back, but it likely will settle somewhere in the middle. One thing is for sure, work and the office is never going to look the way it did in 2019 – love it or hate it. Companies that don’t respond to this shift will face turnover, morale issues, burnout, and difficulties attracting talent.
We tried something new… and it worked!
Do I miss our pre-pandemic work world? Sometimes I do. But I also recognize all of the positives that have come from it. We worked the way we worked before because that was just how it was always done. The pandemic forced us to try something new – and to everyone’s surprise- it worked! Is it perfect? Of course not. Companies will continue to tweak things, change things, try new things, but one thing is certain: we are definitely not going back.
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