Life, as we knew it, has changed. While the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has strangely brought the world closer, it has also put our adaptability to the test. Whether it is with regard to social distancing, self-quarantining or working from home, most of our routines have undergone drastic alterations. We can be sure that it may be a while before the dust settles and things go back to “normal”. As we adjust and adapt to our new normal of masks, social distancing and nervous checking of the live coronavirus tracker, let’s pause, breathe a little and think.
What are some of the things that we, as leaders, can strive to do better to ensure that our teams do not feel that they are alone in this battle?
Behind the mask
In the midst of social distancing and self-quarantining, it is often easy to forget the need to stay connected. We are an entire generation that is suddenly at war against unseen forces and with times such as these, comes a persistent sense of uncertainty. These are times when leaders need to keep in mind that every team member is anxious - about their health, their loved ones, their jobs and their future. We need to try to connect to the person behind the mask - to put in that extra bit of effort to stay collectively engaged at work. What are your employees’ biggest concerns? How can you help lower the stress level? Could you possibly reassure them about their jobs? These are some of the questions that we need to ask ourselves before we set up any greater asks from our teams.
Mental health first
As the world starts working from home, our routines have changed. Every change (good or bad) comes with a dose of stress, discomfort and anxiety and let’s face it, a lockdown situation is not ideal for most of us. As a leader within your organization, it pays to not just check in with your team on their deliverables but also to check on them to ensure that they are doing well. It is not easy to be indoors 24/7 and being social beings, limited to a stay-at-home routine could lead to unhappiness and depressive thought loops. While you cannot instruct your team on how they should be spending their days, you can guide them and make sure that you create enough opportunities for them to share ideas, thoughts and suggestions with you and each other. This is not a situation where we must choose sanitation over sanity but rather work together towards holistic health and well-being.
Leading by example
The most honest way to guide your team is by example - by lighting up the path you would like them to share with you. It is crucial to be visible and not forget that we are all still individuals behind screens. There is a fine line between giving your team the autonomy they need to do their work and managing them without intruding upon their personal space. You need to respect their boundaries because you now have entered the privacy of their home and it is upon you to help them follow a healthy and balanced work-life routine. Showing the team that you are able to do the same amount of work from home as in the office will also give them the confidence to do so themselves. Micromanaging is an easy habit to develop as a leader during these pressing times but that is a managerial trap that must be avoided at all costs. Your team needs to know that they are appreciated, trusted and that their jobs are safe to be able to perform their roles optimally. Make sure to let them know that they are valued and that you do have their backs even during times that are trying, stressful and uncertain.
In preparation for tomorrow
In life, there are times when we are faced with situations that paralyze us. In such times, when the present is uncertain and hope for the future is bleak at best, it is important to remind ourselves of the transience of things - while we are aware that good times do not last long, dark clouds pass as well. It may seem difficult to plan for 6 months ahead at this point in time but we must strive to prepare for the days to come.
Challenging situations at times make it difficult to look beyond them. Maybe focusing our efforts on better preparing for the future is the push we need to look for the silver lining behind these dark clouds of uncertainty. It may also help to look at this situation as a test for our systems and processes, our ability to adapt and our strength to bounce back. This has become a shared experiment on working from home and how we perform on this, would impact how we structure our work and workplaces henceforth. A few decades back, offices going paperless seemed like an impossibility - maybe a few years down the line, organizations would go office-less and anytime-anywhere work would become the norm.
Experts believe that it would be at least a year before the stock market stabilizes, work resumes and life goes back to normal. But, what if, our “normal” itself has changed? If chaos can be a ladder, the current situation could be a stepping stone to more evolved ways of work and functioning. While we grapple with the demands of today and tomorrow, let’s not forget about the day after - when the clouds will clear and the sun will shine again. 🌤️