How to lead as employees return to the office

When COVID-19 hit, we thought its impact on the office would come in two phases: hunker down, then welcome back. In truth, it’s a lot more complicated than that.

With the onset of the Delta variant, even the most carefully laid plans after the vaccine needed a lot of modifications. As a mom and as a leader, I learned just how adaptable I can be, and I saw the same for our workforce at Lockheed Martin. Across the Space business area, we’ve invited the majority of our workforce back into the office and require COVID-safe protocols, like masks and social distancing. So, as we also learn to?live with?the virus among us, we’re also learning to?work with it.

For my own workforce, this is nothing new. Most have been coming to their desks throughout the pandemic. Many of the engineers and technicians that work on sensitive programs can’t work from home, and they have to stay connected to protected networks to get the job done. Very quickly, my team (and I) had to lead with an adaptive mindset. Agile thinking tells us that solutions require iteration, and so does dealing with COVID.

Here are the top five things I’ve learned while leading in a changing COVID environment:

1.?????Lead with empathy

The transition between working from home and returning to the office is tough for a lot of people, but all in different ways. Some have to figure out child care or elder care all over again. Some are better performers at home. Some are just still afraid of the virus. Whatever it is, we need to understand where employees are coming from and implement policies that create maximum flexibility so they can meet those challenges.

2.?????Revise. Repeat.

Bob Dylan said there is nothing so stable as change. That means however many adjustments we introduce, we’re not yet done creating our post-pandemic workplace. (Granted, we’re not even post-pandemic.) Be open to changing course multiple times before you find the right policies and approaches. They may work this quarter, but not next year.

3.?????Double down on digital transformation

Lockheed Martin accelerated its digital transformation during the pandemic to support more remote work, increase collaboration and help people work efficiently. We doubled down on collaboration tools like Slack and Box, invested more in common software factories and introduced AI assistants to make work more efficient. Technology can power change, and we’re investing smartly to be a better company as we emerge from COVID.

4.?????Continue a culture of caring

Prioritizing safety, making room for empathy, choosing what tech can make a difference. The undercurrent of all that is caring for each other and the work we do for our customers. It’s a value I teach my own kids. If they see a friend withdrawn or stressed, reach out and offer your help. At Lockheed Martin, it’s part of our values to Respect Others—especially during a time of rapid change. If the root of our decisions is to prioritize our people, that makes us stronger.

5.?????Have fun

Wearing masks, social distancing, Zoom fatigue. All this can weigh a culture down. Look for opportunities to put smiles on people’s faces, even if they’re covered by a mask. Maybe that’s grab-and-go cookie bags, posting fun questions on Slack for your team or doing work group contests. We may have had different ways to celebrate and network before the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t new ways to have fun!

The return to the workplace is more complicated than we expected. But learning from those who never left their desks, we see a clearer path forward where our offices can be both safe and engaging.