Working from home? I don’t think so!
What to do once the tiger has pounced
2020 has been quite the year and we’re only halfway through! The challenge with being caught in a crisis (or is that multiple crises?) is that the focus tends to be solidly on surviving and rightly so. The problem with survival is that it requires reactive, narrow decision-making. There is no point considering what you’re going to have for dinner tomorrow if you’re about to be eaten by a tiger today!!
COVID-19 proved to be one mighty tiger. There was little time to plan and nowhere to hide. Action needed to be taken and it had to happen fast.
But now the dust is settling somewhat. And the tiger seems to be not quite as fierce as first feared. So what now?
Working from home? I don’t think so!
After experiencing such rapid change and uncertainty, there seems to be a strong appetite to hold onto some of the changes we’ve had foisted upon us. This is particularly so when it comes to working from home. The question is: What would it take to allow such a drastic workplace practice to continue? The answer is: Leadership.
Hope is not enough
In a recent report, COVID-19 Workplace Leadership Survey, two themes particularly stood out: 1. Leaders greatly care for their teams and 2. Leaders keenly want some lockdown workplace behaviours to continue.
“I really hope that COVID-19 is instrumental in changing the feasibility and appetite for remote working.” Source: COVID-19 Workplace Leadership Survey
Clearly hope is not enough on its own to sustain change. If working from home is to be an option longer-term, workplace leaders and their teams will need to make a concerted effort to build it into their return-to-work plan. For the plan to gain traction it will require leadership buy-in, adoption, support and tweaking along the way.
Leadership modeling
Workplace leaders may not be able to stop the tigers coming, but they are certainly the ones to ensure that the learnings and new behaviours gained while fighting the tiger are well utilised for the betterment of the business and its employees into the future.
The following flowchart summarises what leaders from the COVID-19 Workplace Leadership Survey had to say on the matter:
So if we just take a look at:
1. what changes COVID has created (i.e. Current Changes) and
2. what practices have remained the same (i.e. Enduring Practices) we can then
3. create a list of behaviours we hope to keep and ones we look forward to letting go of (i.e. Future Ways of Working)…
Sounds all rather straight forward and doable, right? Unfortunately not!
We suck at behavioural change
We humans are incredibly bad at initiating and maintaining change. Consider the last time you went to a training program you loved… Consider the brilliant action planning and imaging you invested in… Remember the excitement and determination you had in taking those changes back to the office. Well, if you’re anything like the majority of people, it is estimated that only 10%-20% of what we learn in the training room is transferred into sustainable change in the workplace. It would seem this low take-up of behavioural change doesn’t just occur post-training. It is also a common experience from planning days, annual reviews, meeting action items and change incentives. Not dissimilar to the average New Year’s Resolution that barely survives the light of day.
In my experience being involved in many developmental training programs from a variety of angles (facilitating, coaching, supporting, observing and evaluating), there are two key killers to change incentives: 1. Lack of leadership support and behavioural modeling and 2. Not enough broader buy-in across the business. These two killjoys leave the individual out on their own.
It’s either all in or sink
So if you’re committed to more flexible workplace practices moving forward, then the only way to avoid the roadblock ‘working from home? I don’t think so!’ is to do more than create a plan. Do more than have an agile mindset. Consider more than your own modeling, commitment, feedback and communication. If hope is to manifest into change then senior leaders need to step up, engage in flexible working themselves, endorse the guidelines and expectations for others and ensure the culture is led by leaders who command trust and followership because of how they lead and not in spite of it.
“We cannot let this opportunity be wasted..” Source: COVID-19 Workplace Leadership Survey
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Maree McKeown is Director, Leadership Complexity Centre, an authority on leadership development and behavioural change in the workplace.
Managing Principal - Risk Management
4 年Congratulations Maree McKeown on a well written article and a very timely survey. I think Q2 has been quite a journey for everyone in a leadership position and the changes will stay with us for a while. So let’s embrace the “new normal” and be open for a change to structures and habits, that have been with us for so long. It’s a great opportunity to review our own leadership style, to trust more and to accept that are many other ways to lead teams. Well done.
Hi Maree , Thought provoking as always and some great suggestions around the need for clear and positive leadership from the Leaders. Your suggestion that people can feel left high and dry will also resonate with many and leaders need to be on the lookout for signs of this I would add into the mix that those people and their other team members who are feeling this stress need to take the opportunity to step up or into some important leadership behaviours as well - behaviours that should help the team building and change journey for everyone including themselves. Recognising that their feeling of exposure and helplessness is not unique to them and that others will be feeling it too is an important first step but wasted without acting on the insight. Telling someone and asking how they are coping will make a big difference as will just asking for help. No one size fits all solutions in this but your leadership suggestions and some positive action from team members should get the ball rolling and as a Pilates instructor said to me recently - motion is lotion! Again great post.
People Experience / PEx Partner
4 年Thanks Maree, an interesting read! We’re currently considering what our transition looks like and I agree that strong leadership is key, and at all levels. Also peer support and ongoing collaboration would be of great value during the transition period.
Chief Executive Officer at Family Life
4 年Great report Maree. At Family Life we are considering what long term flexible practices look like to support work life balance for staff. But agree it requires leadership.
Virtual Assistant | Website Designer | WordPress | Administrative Services
4 年Fantastic article and report?@maree mckeown. Very insightful.