The Hokey-Cokey Year

This week is one of the busiest for huge sections of the population, even those who may not celebrate Christmas. Businesses have yearend, salespeople have quotas to meet, and recruiters openings to fill. Many would rather paint their houses with a Q-tip than read yet another LinkedIn newsletter, especially one that tries to make sense of the world of work. Possibly because there isn't any. Sense that is.

So I'll be brief.

When I look back at 2021, the one thing it has going for it is that it was marginally better than 2020. That has to count for something.... right? If 2020 had been a fish, we probably would have thrown it back in.

And 2021?

The hokey-cokey year

It's been something of a hokey-cokey year. Half-in, half-out. Minus the shaking part. In and out of quarantines like fiddlers' elbows, I've had more PCR tests than I can count, some bordering on brain surgery. But anyone who is reading this, one way or another - you have survived. Give yourself a self-congratulatory back-pat.

I said in March of this year we were all looking for a "better normal." Did we get it? I'm not convinced. I think, to quote Marilyn Ferguson, many are still outside their dryers waiting for their blankets.

“It's not so much that we're afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it's that place in between that we fear . . . . It's like being between trapezes.?It's Linus when his blanket is in the dryer.?There's nothing to hold on to.”

We are all coping as best as we can.

How did you survive - count the ways

We've coped when not all organisations grasped the pandemic nettle.We have endured the discussions on the where of work (#WFH and #WFO, ) the how of work (safely, hybrid, sync or async) or the managing or monitoring work. It has all generated widespread angst and occupied a huge piece of collective white-collar head space.

My prediction of morphing into "Zoom Town Brats" was a good call. My expectation for planned change and forward thinking less so. Today, many geographies are facing another round of confinement measures, and returning to the office is still in hokey-cokey mode. Some regions are even talking about more lock downs as Omicron becomes the mot de jour. Many of us are hoping the karma police will kick in where necessary and hold some shysters accountable.

Forced compromise

Most organisations are reaching some sort of forced, rather than planned compromise. We are still making assumptions about what people want based on age, relationship status and gender, when all we need to do is ask. The ones that are doing this will find they are ahead of the game.

Large numbers of employees feel under-valued, and are choosing to look for recognition in organisations more aligned with their values.The ones left behind holding the fort, are coping with additional pressures. Many have burned out.

Umbrellas in a brain storm

There are millions of open vacancies world wide. But despite this, and to quote the American philosopher Ted Lasso, people are still bringing umbrellas to a brain storm and necessary change is therefore more elusive than it should be. We are struggling to shift to competency based hiring, and continue to ask for experience at entry level at the same time as rejecting older candidates because of age bias. We seem to have stopped asking people where they see themselves in 5 years time and why they have a gap in their CVs in 2020.

We survived the poll-ution of our LinkedIn streams with mind numbingly repetitive questions about hybrid working patterns, forgetting that many don't have the luxury of choice. I feel less confident about our survival skills to deal with the seemingly endless polls on sleeping habits, tastes in coffee and pizza and whether we pee in the shower. LinkedIn needs a FFS button. When I suggest that you'd think I'd kicked a kitten.

Gratitude

So while many wait to see what the new year brings, congratulate yourselves simply for being here. You made it. Sadly many didn't. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones or those still suffering. I am one of those people who would rather be vaccinated than eat a hot dog, and interestingly someone did call me "woke" a few weeks ago. Thank you. I am grateful for science and it is better than the alternative.

It's time to count our blessings in whatever form we receive them. Small things make a big difference. My postman terrorized in 2020, now seems to be suitably satisfied that isolation would not drive me to jump his bones. He now leaves my packages at the door. Honestly, the days of my name and jumping appearing in the same sentence are long gone. I have been healthy and can work from anywhere. My family are safe and well.

I have appreciated my friends and network and all the people who have taken the time to read this newsletter and comment.

So thank you to all. Happy Christmas if you celebrate, if you don't, take some time for self-care to look after YOU.

Looking forward to seeing you in 2022 and what it will bring.

When the blanket comes out of the dryer it will be pretty interesting, I think.

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My goal is to increase the number of gender balanced, diverse and inclusive workplaces where everyone feels secure and reaches their potential.

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