“Back to Normal” Isn’t “Back to the Office”

As we enter another week that’s manifestly closer to the end of the pandemic it’s worth considering what it will mean. Unfortunately, we hear rumblings of “back to the office before mid next year”. Hopefully, if we’re lucky, this isn’t a true considerate position, but a gut reaction coming from our collective need of everything going back to where it was before this nightmare began and therefore it’s one that will disappear once said consideration comes in. 

By consideration we mean, as ever, the serious effort of redefining work enough to arrive at its true drivers and purpose. We put out our second Covid offer for our Psychological Safety Dashboard -that you can see below- so that we stimulate the right formula - all-remote is amazing for some industries, but hybrid (with a mixture of chiefly individual work and meetings done from home, and rare huddle occasions with the team to be creative in person or with the wider group of industry peers for belonging), is the ideal. Most companies are gearing to do just that which is great news.

HR and leadership should only worry about the proportion between WFH and in-person meetings and about setting both alternatives up in a sustainable way, with the right permission and tools which can only happen if they facilitate the space for an open exploration of “what does performance mean to us” so hopefully no-one is spending time on anything else. 

The one thing they need to accept is that irrespective of anything else, Covid has killed “command and control” in terms of physical attendance. The corporate office punch-in system and the peace of mind that micro-managing middle managers got from looking over the office floor are gone forever. Even if we should force our employees back in the office in a fear-based short-sighted move, there is no way to keep them there leave alone keep them from being disengaged enough that they are only making an act of presence.

Long after general vaccination, we will remain tied to testing in fear of new strains and of reoccurrences. With Boris Johnson in isolation again this week it’s clear it will routinely happen to all of us. It doesn’t mean he’s not working. Why should it? Like he says “we have Zoom and other miracles”, the British people won’t have suffered from his lack of productivity (albeit some would have much to argue on the point in general) at least not on account of his inability to work remotely and the same applies to any employee with a non-physical job.

Even if employers would foolishly insist on a full return to the office, these periods where people won’t be “in” will be a way of life and they will instead only be personal responsibility, common sense and honour bound as the means to forensically police the veracity of the need for isolation won’t exist. 

This is all that will matter instead

• Clearly defined work outcomes;
• Personal responsibility powered by purpose;
• Productivity powered by team happiness based on their level of Psychological Safety;
• Trust instead of command and control;
• Feedback loops so strong they constantly show how people feel.  

So what should happen for the remaining few weeks of this year?

For employers? A chance to go back to re-thinking the meaning of work and outcomes, not location, and to walk away from policing. Another opportunity to reduce their HumanDebt? by working out what indeed makes their people happy and gives them high performant team behaviour through Psychological Safety and an opportunity to reinforce purpose. A time to communicate a clear commitment to hybrid to underpin their chance to excel going forward.

For employees? A time to recharge batteries. We all used to use the Christmas break for this very purpose on a “normal” year, this year it’s worth starting earlier. The self-care is more needed than ever. You don’t need organisational permission to take a breather. You know you’ve been going above and beyond. Give yourself an allowance to do only what’s needed for a while. Relax your own expectations and resolve to stick things on the mental backlog but not kill yourself to do them as they come in, be mindful of how many meetings you accept, state your boundaries to the team and be kind to yourself. If we all manage to do less but with more value, we may find the mental reserves to start next year with a bang.  

For all of us? Even if we have suffered a loss- of loved ones, of job or at the very least of heart - a moment to breathe in and be grateful we’re still standing and we live to forge a new beginning away from the office, wherever work and life take us. 

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Don't send your teams home with a laptop, a Jira and Slack account and a prayer!

Get in touch at www.psychologicalsafety.works or reach out at [email protected] and let's help your teams become healthy, happy and highly performant.