Employers be ready……………..

As more people crave normality, we have seen a shift in the conversations people want to have with us. Whilst we are all massively concerned with COVID-19 and our own safety, security and mortality, the practical challenges of living with these restrictions are now firmly front of mind for many of us.

The new conversations individuals are having with the Thrive team of today:

·     Job security – will people think I am at home dossing….. being constantly on my laptop and not feeling able to take a break

·     Being in the house with my family (and the pets) – what is really possible and how to make work… work

·     Building resilience – how to stop overwhelm when there is so much to think about

·     Managing the kids -how to manage boundaries and keep the kids entertained

·     Staying connected and creating virtual companions that are productive

·     Interestingly we have also had quite a few people talking to us about breaking the glass ceiling and how to use this time productively to advance their career

And employers are coming to ask us

·     The distributed workforce – our new normal and what this means I need to do for my team

·     Making working at home mimic working from the office – video protocols and what to ask for

·     How to help the team be stronger in this crisis

What we know is teams who are joining virtual check ins per day or per week feel more informed, more connected and more consulted. The rhythm in the meetings are more concentrated despite kids and pets joining the meetings. There is an empathy and a commitment to just get on and some of the political game playing has ceased.

Many are noticing how nice it is not to be getting out of bed at 5 am and being back at 6/7pm but working normal days and actually enjoying time together in the daylight hours when support can be given for homework, dinner or sitting together or playing in the garden.

And whilst some are bored and using the time to call and speak to their colleagues to simply be more connected, others are producing exciting and meaningful work.

At Thrive, we know It is possible to create a structure that can work and each day over the coming weeks, we will share our top 10 hints and tips for each of these themes.

In conclusion, it is highly likely we will return to work post this pandemic and no longer be willing to work in the way we have done before. It is the time to start really thinking about how you will design your business post COVID 19.

I believe more and more organisations will choose to allow people to home work and therefore thinking about educating and informing your team to do it well now, can only be beneficial as they will demand it and employers will question the price to health, the P and L and the environment of returning to our old, complacent ways of running a business.

A new set of rules is being written right now…make sure you are ready.