Work/ Life Integration Now?

If you are like most of my colleagues in Talent Acquisition and Management, we are starting to feel a little uneasiness and apprehension, wondering what is going to take to get the world supply chain and economy back on track. This is a worthy pause. The longer the pause goes, the more we are all realizing no matter what role we play, just how deep this question can go. Being a talent acquisition professional for over 25 years, I have served in a variety of verticals, including manufacturing, supply chain, software, and global finance. I have been hearing more and more chatter from my network of talent leaders, executives, and consultants from all these verticals, which is painting a new picture of how Talent will be in companies. And it has already begun. 

We have arrived here because manufacturers and suppliers, logistics professionals, and financial institutions constructed a just-in-time global supply chain. For these past 20 years, tier 1, tier 2, and tier X suppliers have negotiated harshly and fiercely with their suppliers to save pennies on every million spent. In the long run, this added up to some pretty attractive profits for investors. Despite warnings voiced more than a decade ago of markets being overinflated, of investors being overly exuberant, global trade has continued to become more entangled, interdependent, and profitable, fueling investors who just can't get enough of those high-priced IPOs and quick returns.

Cliche'- "A chain is only as strong as the weakest link." Wow-now we get it! The COVID 19 pandemic exposed 1 of what is undoubtedly several serious vulnerabilities about the way the world does business. It was an inevitability - poor working conditions coupled with long hours, few breaks, and overcrowded living conditions created a bomb just waiting to go bang! Investors were suddenly reminded how quickly the profits of 20 years could be lost in only a few weeks when the global money machine screeches to a halt.  

But why such a long pause? Why can't we just resume - everyone is better now, right? There are many reasons such as how every link is waiting days or weeks for its supplier parts. But most likely, it's an anticipated wake-up call to look at a global redesign of the entire supply chain, integrating new technologies such as Digital Supplier Networks and Real-time global payment solutions to create alternative, diverse supplier networks. Coupled with the realization that we have to seriously consider human conditions and how work is done, industry and governments will be perplexed for the next decade. 

The pandemic has resulted in some unexpected changes in Talent- talent management, recruiting, productivity measurement, and career satisfaction. Most significant is the new normal is that now almost half of everybody working is doing it at home. And it happened almost all at once. Sure some of us have worked at home for decades. But in the past, we virtual employees were scrutinized, with Employers questioning "why can't this person come to an office, "often creating unsettling wonder of what must be wrong with them. I have been denied many assignments that were in my expertise because they wanted me in the office every day. 

In the 25 years I have been finding the innovative executives and contributors who don't want to be found, I have worked at home for 22 of those years. Most of that time has been with clients global in scope, touching many personals from high revenue sales leaders, to the most technically innovative Imagineers. I have often faced the interview questions as to why do I have to work from home, which I have always answered with the same response- I am far more productive being able to dig in, uninterrupted in my home office. Now employers are seeing that I wasn't kidding.

As team-oriented and exciting as an office environment can be, it is often the home of distraction, cliquish behavior, and unnecessary rivalry, all of which inhibit performance, morale, and productivity. With the introduction of particular technologies and software, managers have been becoming comfortable with the fact that they don't have to have an eye on each of their team members every moment of every day. What they're going to realize is that the work-life balance is becoming work-life integration.

I have learned to schedule my personal affairs as part of my day. I understand that it is always my responsibility to be there when my customer needs me to be. It is also my responsibility to be available whenever my team members, subordinates, or superiors, require my input. It is expected that I'll be productive and get my work done. It doesn't matter, therefore if I had a personal affair during the business day or if I have to take my kid to the doctor, or if I get distracted for 20 minutes taking care of a little family drama that each of us has from time to time.

Employers are going to learn that it's better to handle personal matters as they come up during the day and get done with them so that we can get back to work. Better yet- if we know these are coming, schedule them around our urgent work task so that we don't miss a beat for our customers. Most people find they can handle personal matters and duties quickly and effectively when a productive home office is available. How many times have you had to take half a day off work because the cable guy can give you an appointment that's a four-hour window, or the repair person for the washing machine can only promise they'll be out sometime on Thursday. And then they cancel and ask to reschedule! 

These are huge holes in our work schedule that when we are not set up to work from home, our productivity is disrupted. That 20-minute conference with the school teacher can take up most of the morning of work.

Worklife integration is accepting that we all have personal lives and responsibilities that need to be addressed. It also means believing that capable and committed employees are going to make sure that their commitment to their employer and customers is complete no matter how late they have to work. The notion that they can be kept entirely separate is unrealistic. 

We as Talent acquisition professionals need to be strong voices of this new paradigm and take the time to educate our anxious Hiring Managers and executive leadership of how this is going to affect what we consider to be a typical workday. Productivity is going be measured by tasks achieved, the quality of work, projects completed, and most importantly, customer satisfaction instead of how many hours we sat behind a desk or were on the telephone or behind our computer. Most of us know we are at our best when trusted and left to do our work with pride, and most of us ask for help when we get in over our heads. Hiring managers roles shift to the support, the coach, the life raft when deadlines must get met. This is the new paradigm shift that we as talent acquisition professionals face not only in helping our hiring managers feel comfortable with hiring the "right" people onto their teams who they've never had an opportunity to meet face-to-face, but also helping our new employees adjust to this new normal of integrating their daily lives with their work life. 

Companies had already been moving to help employees manage and grow their skills so that they can have more agile contributions. We are going to find that as we learn more about our employees as people and not just task doers, that they are a store of all sorts of hidden skills, experiences, and wisdom that we were never able to tap in an office environment. This will allow companies to embrace that more agile approach and find ways to truly capitalize on employee strengths and abilities while creating solid career paths and never before realized job satisfaction. All this trickles down to happier customers, which translates into more business!   

There are many new challenges- making sure team members have the tools and support to be successful, overworking- believe it or not, higher stress loads are also not uncommon for people working at home. Sometimes people can't tear themselves away from work. It's 11:31 PM as I type this. But that's OK when you are not chained to an office 9 hours earlier! These late-night blocks are often when I am most inspired! 

I'm excited about this change. We will adapt! I've been productive doing this for over 20 years. And I think the best is yet to come. I am open to chat or consultation- find me on LinkedIn and send me an invitation.