WAR… WORKPLACE READINESS

With missiles blazing across the skies like firecrackers, the emotions that emit aren’t joy and happiness, but fear and hopelessness. Currently, the geo-political circumstances are moving towards generational war with infants and toddlers having memories of massacres and killings. Given this let's discuss the threats that loom in our workplaces and prepare our readiness quotient.

1.????? Emotional upheavals: Fear of the loss of life of near and dear ones, and loss of hard-earned property and assets can trigger the most innate emotions. Workplaces need to gear up for the non-productivity of employees who are to be directly impacted by the war. You can expect to lose control of emotions and get into bouts of crying, anger, or helplessness leading to depressive mindsets. Some can even develop panic attacks leading to anxiety disorders.

This is the time for the mental health hotlines to be robust and active in assisting the employees during trying times. In addition, organizations can also form cohesion groups of employees with positive minds who can be the sounding board for employees who want to express their thoughts and feelings. This is the time for ‘Culture of Compassion’ to be at its best.

2.????? Evacuation and repatriation: Corporations will be pressured to evacuate and repatriate their employees and families. The cost of these could be enormous. Now, comes the cost-benefit analysis of ‘Duty of care’. Investing in such evacuations would enhance employee morale and create a ‘Humane Corporation’ brand. However, on the flip side, one might not be sure repatriation of these employees can result in retention and higher employee productivity. One must still understand that emotional upheavals are still high.

Industry benchmark study of large corporations during the Ukraine- Russia conflict ‘Duty of Care’ benefited the organization's brand and employee morale. However, the long-term issues of legal asylums, work permits, and assimilation into new culture continue to be challenging.

3.????? Factionalism: Political narratives often turn to interpersonal debates. Post-pandemic times have seen an extreme rise in low tolerance towards disagreements or opposite views. Gun violence incidents even across Asian countries are an indicator of this. Workplace conversations are turning toward propaganda which can border on coercion too.

The election year of 2024 was witness to this factionalism. The lesson learned from this was to reiterate the values of ‘Respect for all’ and ‘Agree to disagree’. Also, be prepared to address more workplace harassment and abuse cases.

4.????? Social media outrage: With citizen journalism at its peak and the era of misinformation and disinformation adding fuel to the fire, it is essential that corporations work on stringent social media Policy and governance of it. Opinionizing of political happenings is a natural phenomenon during these incidents. It is a balancing act between ‘Freedom of speech’ and against ‘National Security’. Perspectives can result in legal battles for corporations with the state, especially for MNCs who have set up their subsidiaries across the globe and promote a diverse global workforce.

This is the time for close monitoring of water cooler conversations and any coercive conversations that can affect employee morale. These abusive and harassing environments can spill over to the external platforms resulting in ‘Reputational Risk’ for the company.

What is stark about these times is the sense of acceptance of the negativity, numbness, and apathy that has crept in. There is inaction in the mind to do anything to set right the wrong, almost bordering hopelessness. This will have more far-reaching effects in the coming years!!