COVID-19 one year in: Why we need reflection and connection
We are only beginning to understand the price our company cultures paid in terms of loyalty and connection as a result of the pandemic.
From weathering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to navigating issues of racial and social injustice, the last year has brought no shortage of stress for organizations across industries. We’re entering into this next chapter with hope from both public health experts and economists that this will be a year of recovery. As we look ahead to a possible winding down of the pandemic and gearing up of the world economy, I urge every leader to reflect on the lessons of the past year and make a commitment to preserving the sense of connection that people created in such extreme circumstances.
Building resilience into our cultures is now a strategic necessity, and it won’t be an overnight fix. A study from executive search firm Odgers Berndtson showed only 15% of executives worldwide have confidence in their company’s ability to manage big disruptions.
Related: Will employers or workers have the upper hand after the pandemic?
One of the biggest pain points for leaders is maintaining a healthy, thriving organizational culture – keeping productivity and morale high in the face of adversity. We are only beginning to understand the price our company cultures paid in terms of loyalty and connection – a price that will become clear as the economy recovers.
A year of reflection
A recent Workhuman consumer survey showed that 71% of U.S. employees have experienced an impact on their mental health as a result of the pandemic. According to Simon Sinek, at some point everyone who stayed in “go mode”, persevering through the twin stresses of pandemic and downturn, will have to deal with the pain. You can’t ignore the personal and organizational price of so much trauma.
Sinek also said that in great cultures, “people will show up and take risks together.” A positive way to channel the stresses of the past year is to capture the good it brought out in people. Leaders can reflect on what cultural changes happened in their organizations and, rather than get back to the way things were, consider how so many people achieved a higher awareness of what really matters in a workplace. Congratulate, commiserate, recognize and share thanks with employees.
Workhuman did an ongoing analysis of what employees said to each other through an application in the Workhuman Cloud called Conversations; it reveals what was foremost in employees’ minds during the year. Comparing the data to previous years, trends appeared that showed a rising awareness of the most human qualities of work:
- Many words about personal qualities were consistently used when expressing recognition. Words like stronger, dedication, ethics, and resilience.
- People consistently focused on their work relationships with increased use of words like appreciation, collaboration, thankful, champion, support, and contributions. Support for one another and focus on the customer/patient were prominent.
A caring culture is a resilient culture. Let’s reflect on the ways those newly common words strengthen our organizations. Let’s talk about them and put them into practice.
A year of connection
The need for connection is ancient and universal, and we saw in the past year that the workplace, in which employees unite around a mission, can function as a virtual community. In our continuous performance management application, Conversations, employees initiated check-ins 150% more than in 2019; the number receiving feedback soared 200%. In addition to increasing a sense of belonging, managers giving feedback in the style of an open dialogue gather important but otherwise hidden information.
At Merck, managers and peers have used a recognition system called INSPIRE to communicate a range of successful work behaviors. Teammates and co-workers are more likely to see the collaborative aspects of their work, while managers see more of the execution and career development. BP found that their Energize! program was especially helpful in engaging their non-office-based workers.
We know that regular check-ins improve performance; studies reveal the extraordinary fact that performance improves even if the conversation isn’t about work or goals; just the act of connecting lifts people’s productivity. In Workhuman’s recent survey, a majority (53.1%) of respondents said they’d like to see employers incorporate more human moments in the workplace by offering recognition for their hard work. Given that almost any positive connection is beneficial, managers need to add a regular cadence of connection and recognition to their job routines. According to Joe Hirsch, managing director at Seneca Partners and author of The Feedback Fix, “Feedback is not about reports; it’s about relationships.”
Connecting on screens helped teams get their work done, but while working remotely, we all learned how much connection is built non-verbally. Going forward, let’s resolve to see and celebrate our teammates by giving them our full attention. Leaders should ask not only what people are doing but also how people are doing.
In the past year, we saw the power of connection, and at the COVID-19 one-year anniversary, we have a rare opportunity to preserve the best of our new habits. When we return to the office, a cultural imperative should be learning safe ways to deepen our trusted relationships, communication and collaboration. That will mean re-inventing culture around office’s use of technology, space design and scheduling (the subject of my next column). But mostly, it means preserving the hidden qualities that adversity revealed.
Eric Mosley is CEO at Workhuman.
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