One of the conversations that is occurring more frequently for us at the moment revolves around people returning to the workplace as we transition towards a ‘post-pandemic’ world. In most states of Australia, various workplaces are now permitted to have 50 to 75 per cent of their workforce back on site, provided certain Covid-safe practices are adhered to.
In these conversations, some of our clients have shared that a number of their team members are less than enthusiastic about the idea of returning to the office. For several leaders, this is quite perplexing as they did not expect this resistance. As one of them summarised, ‘If, before Covid, I’d asked my team to work from home full time, they would have said it would never work. Now I am having trouble getting them all back!’
In supporting our clients to better understand what might be happening, we have encouraged them to look at some of the potential reasons for this reticence. It is easy to forget that others may not feel the same as we do, particularly if we are openly enthusiastic about returning, looking forward to being with our teams again, excited to reconnect and to ‘get going’ and make things happen.
We need to remind ourselves that some people still hold concerns about the virus and its impact and are hesitant to travel on public transport and/or be in more public spaces. Some don’t like the idea of returning to a workplace that will be quite different from before, given ongoing limitations due to the pandemic. Some have become used to doing without the daily commute. Some have become settled into their new way of working and, after 12 months, are resistant to another round of change. Some are unsettled by the idea that another Covid outbreak could lead to another lockdown or unexpected restrictions, potentially undoing any ‘progress’ made by returning to the workplace.
The list goes on. I’m sure you could add to it!
Given the many and varied responses, we are recommending that the first step in approaching a transition back to the workplace is for the leader to start with where they are themselves and how they are responding to what they are experiencing in others.
One of the first things to do is to ‘catch’ your own automatic reactions to any resistance you come up against, understand what is triggering you in other’s responses and avoid below-the-line reactions.
Having done that – opening yourself to the notion that others may definitely be feeling different to you – it’s really important to approach conversations around returning to work with a clear intent. This means thinking about how you want to ‘be’ as opposed to what you want to achieve – in your discussions with team members.
The next thing is to be truly open to what others are thinking: to listen for the first time, to listen without knowing. One of the techniques we have used for doing that is to ensure that, when having a conversation, there are minimal distractions. This is even more important when the conversation is taking place over Zoom, when it is so easy to lose focus.
In this instance, having short one-on-one conversations with each person, rather than a single group conversation (in which, sometimes, the loudest voice or fastest ‘hand raiser’ dominates the floor) can ensure everyone is truly heard.
We are also encouraging leaders to talk to other organisations about the plans they are putting in place. There are some really innovative approaches occurring around the world – just search for ‘How offices will change after COVID’ to explore what is happening and what is possible. This can really open up a leader’s perspective and create many more options in the conversations they will have.
As one example, the concept of co-working spaces, which has been alive and well in the social entrepreneur space for many years, provides a real opportunity to explore the practicality of this style of working environment as part of an overall transition plan.
Regardless of the ultimate course of action, we need to remember that our journey through the pandemic over the past 12 months, and the subsequent returning to a workplace, is something new for all of us. Reminding ourselves of some of the basic techniques to support our own emotional health, as well as that of others, is critical to enhancing the wellbeing of all and to constructively and mindfully dealing with the transition we are navigating.
Gayle
