Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2022 - 17

T
he Covid-19 pandemic hit the
world like no other event. The
economic downturn created by the
lockdowns, the focus on diversity,
equity and inclusion (DEI) spurred by
racial unrest, and the accelerated pace
of automation created the perfect
storm. Today, as we continue to steer
our lives and businesses through the
pandemic, we know that the future
will remain uncertain. Likely changes
are how, where and with whom we
work; how we use technology, how
we communicate, how we acquire and
retain customers, how we lead and
how we think about the place of work
itself. As we start to focus on thriving
rather than surviving, our strategies are
dependent on whether the changes
are temporary or transformational.
The Social Contract
Between Employees and
Employers Has Changed
The tremendous impact of the pandemic
on
the
personal
the
and
professional
lives and the health and well-being
of individuals and their families has
redefined
worker-employer
relationship. The following are just
some of the areas in which we've seen
massive shifts:
* Mental Health: There is a strong
business case for investing in the
programs and services necessary to
create a resilient workforce.
* Culture: Culture is critical now more
than ever, and most organizations are
challenged to build and nurture inclusive
cultures,
encourage
positively impact productivity.
* Leadership: Leaders must be mindful
and take a much more holistic view
of their people to better understand
the multitude of factors that ultimately
impact performance and productivity.
It's also incumbent upon them to
provide a psychologically safe place
where
employees
and valued.
The Hybrid Environment
Needs a Human-centric
Model
The COVID-19 pandemic forced most
of the global workforce to move into a
remote work setting almost overnight.
Now, as organizations are planning
their
back-to-the-office
strategy,
many hybrid or remote knowledge
workers agree that their expectations
for flexible work schedules have
increased. The new design of work
must
incorporate
employee-driven
flexibility, intentional collaboration and
empathy-based management.
Providing flexible experiences: Providing
employees with the flexibility that allows
them an equal opportunity to succeed
is essential in a hybrid environment.
The flexibility will enable individuals to
feel
respected
balance their personal and professional
goals, vital for women and caregivers who
traditionally had to choose.
innovation and
Synchronous and Asynchronous
Collaboration: Expanding access to
various collaboration models is essential
to inclusion. Research has shown different
talent segments thrive in each mode.
Introverts, for example, flourished during
the pandemic when they did not have
to interact face-to-face with others. On
the other hand, highly social individuals
struggled with not feeding off the energy
of others in the same room with them.
Becoming more intentional about where,
how and when we use each of these
modes will be essential to achieving
innovation in the hybrid environment.
Empathetic management: Organizations
must equip managers to contextualize
performance in a low-visibility environment
by making empathy a key priority. Six
key attributes define empathy-driven
managers are that they:
1. Prioritize people over processes.
2. Embrace a growth mindset.
3. Create transparency.
4. Ask (as opposed to telling).
5. Safeguard confidentiality.
6. Contextualize their employees' mindset.
However, organizations face three
main barriers in driving empathy-based
management:
Thriving in the post-pandemic era requires
an adaptive skillset and a mindset open to
continuously learning and unlearning.
1. Skills: Managers may not have the
skills needed to be empathetic.
2. Mindset: Managers may resist the
requirement to be compassionate,
believing it is not their job.
3. Capacity: Managers may not have the
time to prioritize empathy.
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Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2022

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