(Why yes, that cover image IS in fact a picture of outer space...because WE ALL DESERVE SPACE IN TIMES OF CRISIS. This article explores the science and art behind navigating crisis in the work environment with space, grace, kindness and efficiency.)
Our world has seen a fair amount of crises in recent years. And, whether these are universally experienced like COVID or polarized like an election, here are some data-backed recommendations to help you rebuild psychological safety, communication and collaboration among your teams, organizations, partnerships and beyond:
GIVE SPACE, TAKE SPACE
Regardless of whether you are a people manager or individual contributor, tenured or brand new employee, top performer or on probation, all are entitled to extra space.
Your employer is paying you to perform a function, and you may only be capable of doing so when your tank is not grinding on empty. You may need to live with 1/4 or 1/3 full for a while, but remember that few managers are going to actively give you the space you may need. So give it to yourself, communicate appropriately and find what works best for you to continue performing at the best capacity you are able.
While this is inherently more challenging in a fully in-person work environment, the principle of creating the least personally-invasive space holds across the board. Everyone processes in different ways and at different speeds, has unique stressors on their plates, and need different conditions to perform their job functions.
So, if you're a people manager, be the manager others aspire to be and allow your teams to breathe in their own ways. And, if you're an individual contributor, find empowerment in caring for yourself so that you can perform the essential functions of your role, while leaving the "rainy-day checklist" for a time when you are more resourced. Here are some tricks to giving and taking space with great consideration for yourself and your teams:
- Chat meetings -- Consider shifting your meetings to an instant chat medium like Slack, Microsoft Teams or GoogleHangout. Replies to questions or reports are easier tracked with a written log in your team channel. Make a simple structure, keep it to 45-minutes or less, and integrate something to diffuse tensions like gifs, surface-level fun questions or fun appropriate links from around the internet.
- Cameras off -- If hearing people's voices is absolutely necessary, consider leading by example with cameras off. Aim to not put employees on the spot, but create the safe space where folks are empowered to unmute when appropriate.
- Find what works for you, and be sure to communicate it -- Try taking frequent breaks throughout a work shift, spontaneous tap-outs, or Do Not Disturb mode or Delayed auto-response greeting on your internal communication device or email. The key here is communication. This will reduce your anxiety of receiving an urgent request while you're taking a break, and will allow your team to understand when you'll be back to ask for or share whatever is necessary.
- Reduce working hours -- If you are in a decision-making position, consider shortening the workday or week for your employees. A well-placed multiple choice poll has been known to work quite well too. No meeting days or hours, screens off afternoons, Fridays off, all of these things will pay enormous dividends to your ultimate collaboration, productivity, innovation, and retention rates.
DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL
Some circumstances are too emotionally fraught or fresh to invite collective vulnerability to the table, so the kindest, most empathetic thing you can do for yourself and others is to refrain from getting personal (even if your relationship dynamic has welcomed that previously).
Societal crisis mode calls for the basics. So keep it to the basics. Get things done, be cordial, be brief and submit deliverables. Here are some tips on how to tread delicate interactions that are just more complicated than they should be in crisis:
- Don't ask -- Even something as seemingly harmless as a "How are you?" can be triggering to folks in crisis. And steer entirely clear of asking about the circumstance at hand, be it the election, global humanitarian crisis or other. If you feel the need to reach out for connection, it may sound contrary to popular belief, but an empathetic statement goes much farther than something requiring others to respond. Try "I can imagine we're all going through our own difficulties right now, so please do what you need to in order to take care of yourselves. I will be glad to be a non-judgmental ear for anyone who needs to talk or ask for help."
- Don't tell -- Studies across the board show that employees perform more efficiently, collaboratively, innovatively, and with greater longevity at organizations when given greater agency to perform their job functions in their own ways. So don't commit team culture suicide by making demands on little things that don't ultimately matter but are a matter of managerial preference. This could also include reducing group projects and pushing out deadlines on deliverables that require high collaboration to reduce the instance of interpersonal conflict between employees, disagreeing over anything under the sun to see a project through.
LIFT SPIRITS BY PAYING IT FORWARD
With so little to agree on in today's climate, one thing that tugs at all heart strings and will bring your teams together unlike any gelato pop-up cart, trivia game, or free merchandise is community service. Here are a few thoughts beyond the standard planting tree initiatives:
- Global, asynchronous -- If your team is remote, hybrid or global and you'd like to give a congruous experience, you can consider projects like building kits for those suffering in humanitarian crises. Spare the decorated tote bags for your nieces and nephews and find projects that actually help humanity. Better yet, find an organization who needs the unique vocational skills that your team can provide and help them build a website or implement firewalls or apply for grant funding or something that will continue to ripple with positive effects for years to come.
- Global, synchronous -- Bridging timezones is always difficult, so I recommend finding a singular day or week that all can participate in a similar activity. Physical and virtual opportunities can both be just as helpful to communities and nonprofit organizations serving those in dire need. Poll employees on where their passions lie to define what kind of work and organization will motivate them the most.
- Ongoing support -- As a former nonprofit leader myself, I can tell you that one day support chopping vegetables in the soup kitchen is cute and helpful for the day, but ongoing engagement is what keeps organizations afloat with community support. Your skills or company's services are the best support here. Technology, marketing, fundraising, internet security, databases, products, massages, teeth whitenings. Nonprofits will welcome with open arms anything you have and devote 40 hours a week to.
- Crowdfunding -- Again, speaking as someone who has ran nonprofits for years, CASH IS KING. Consider a matching campaign. Consider allowing your employees to choose the organizations for your donations. Consider gameifying the experience and set a realistic but significant fundraising goal and date to reach it by. Consider clearing out the company SWAG/merch closet or offering other budget neutral prizes (like lunch with the CEO, extra PTO, WFH privilege, work travel flight upgrade) to spread the goodwill to the generous employees in your organization.
In Summary
Everyone deserves the dignity of their own experience, while still maintaining their job and owning the empowerment to perform their functions as best they can, most especially when in crisis.
So go forth and be the kindness, generosity and balance you wish to see in the world.
