The power of small gestures

It is not Artificial Intelligence, as advertised, that is helping us to deal with the current crisis, but rather Emotional Intelligence and its expression in small gestures.

The future of HR management is Artificial Intelligence, which is supposed to relieve us of our administrative work and allow us to concentrate on our core business: the management and development of human beings. This was predicted not so long ago – though that feels like an eternity now - by the world's leading experts in the field. Their predictions did not take into account the probability of an unprecedented, long-lasting crisis called a "pandemic". Ironically, this crisis is what brings us back to our core mission.

What have we been managing for fourteen months?

 Big changes and small ones, organizational, professional, personal changes; anxiety about our work, our physical and mental health; fear of illness, death; death of loved ones, mourning processes; uncertainty; loss of reference points, of habits; anxiety in the face of isolation; absences; telecommuting; problems with childcare, sick relatives; testing procedures, quarantine, vaccination...subjects for which Artificial Intelligence is not of much help!

What is our strategy to address these sudden concerns of employees and their managers?

In this unprecedented context, sanitary measures set the tone and rhythm of our lives. Gatherings are forbidden and conviviality is no longer welcome. In fact, it is hardly possible to implement sophisticated and ambitious programs. The most natural option is to treat employees with heightened sensitivity and to focus on small gestures.

Adopt an even temper; be polite; pay attention to the tone of our words, be careful with our vocabulary; stay the course; be flexible; give our time; listen, really listen; show empathy, kindness ("each person we meet is fighting a battle we know nothing about"); reassure; accompany; express our gratitude in writing and encourage others to do the same giving employees the opportunity to be supportive; writing a comforting card; checking in; giving an extra day off; improving meals; sending flowers, a cake, offering chocolates; giving surprises ... are simple tools within everyone's reach and means that allow us to preserve the culture of our organizations and even strengthen it.

There is no need to theorize about the definition of Emotional Intelligence. We have, with this major crisis, the opportunity to manifest it daily in each and every one of our words and actions.