Video Transcript:
It seems to be trendy right now to stress about what your work model is going to be. You may have been asked, “what does your “new normal” look like. I’m Elise with Woodworth Enterprises and I think that is a trend you should recognize and avoid.
Experts are all over are debating if people can innovate virtually, if in-person is the best or only way to connect, do we need to go “back to the office”. And it is hard to figure out who is right. In most cases, the answer is, they all are. There are a lot of questions to answer and decisions to make when it comes to the transition.
1. Don’t Rush.
When the pandemic started to shut things down, some people had a sense that it might be a short-lived. But folks it’s been over a year. People have had to make a lot of adaptations to the way they live and work. It seemingly happened over night, and the transition out doesn’t have to be the same. Consider your companies goals and meet them. Which leads me to the next mistake:
2. Don’t be influenced by trends.
Just because it seems like everyone is going to a hybrid model, doesn’t mean that is what works best for your company.
All-in, hybrid, or 100% remote. Only you can know what is best for your company. New shiny technologies may look great and make big promises. They could also come with a steep learning curve or high price tag. Again, evaluate if these trends are helping you meet your goals, or distracting you from your people, your strategy, and your vision.
3. Don’t force your opinions.
It can be tempting, when you are in a leadership position, to make a decision and force compliance.
Just because you want to work from home, doesn’t mean others might benefit from some time in- person. Just so for the opposite. Be ready to listen to suggestions, stay open and adaptable. Keep in mind your company’s culture.
Stephen R. Covey says “When promoting and interdependent environment, trust is crucial. Can you afford to lose your employee’s faith and respect? Interdependence cannot be maintained without Win/Win solutions.”
As a business leader you are in an interdependent relationship with your employees. By applying your innovative mindset, you can come up with win/win situations that work best for your organization as a whole.
4. Don’t do it alone.
A lot of companies are trying to pull this transition off internally. Well, there are some situations where do-it-yourself is okay, but this isn’t one of them. Change is hard for people inherently. With the various aspects of this type of transition external stressors, differing opinions, and personal feelings piled on-top of standard work load could easily overwhelm a department or team.
Unless “leading the transition out of the pandemic” is in someone’s job description, they have work to do. The importance of managing this change is more than just an additional-duty.
Brining someone in to help this most important project go successfully is a really good idea and shows that you care about your people and the wellbeing of the team.
How you choose to handle transitioning to a new work model will affect your organization. People will stay or leave; disengage or be energized. We know that avoiding the mistakes outlined today will help your company.
If you need us, we are here to help. We look forward to working with you.
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