As the pandemic eases, increasing numbers of companies and employees are running out of health-related reasons why everyone who can work from home needs to do so.
This topic fascinates me. And, while I try to see beyond generational stereotypes, I think younger (or newer) workers in any field benefit from being around more experienced people, establishing themselves with their teams, and having more casual time to meet and know their co-workers. Water-cooler talk it may be, but those less structured connections make teams work. I know they can be created remotely, but a savvy team leader would need to be intentional about creating time for connection. Does that happen in a busy Zoom meeting? I wonder.
At the same time, I feel like our neighborhoods are strengthened by home workers who now take a walk at lunchtime, see the mail carrier, and are aware of the comings and goings around their homes. That gives richness and a sense of place to a neighborhood, and I think home workers feel more connected to where they live. The time spent re-connecting to where we live instead of driving to neighborhoods where workers have little investment, will serve to strengthen lost bonds caused by long commutes.
What C-types (and all leaders) need to understand is that expectations for work has changed and so the work that we do has to change too. Leaders need to think about connection and cohesion more pointedly. There needs to be team building, mentorship, and greater attention to how people of color establish connections. That's not tough to do - but it is different work. And if I have observed one thing post(ish)-pandemic is that many people are anxious to "get back to the way it was" instead of using what we've learned. But, leaders needs to see the puck has left the building.
This topic fascinates me. And, while I try to see beyond generational stereotypes, I think younger (or newer) workers in any field benefit from being around more experienced people, establishing themselves with their teams, and having more casual time to meet and know their co-workers. Water-cooler talk it may be, but those less structured connections make teams work. I know they can be created remotely, but a savvy team leader would need to be intentional about creating time for connection. Does that happen in a busy Zoom meeting? I wonder.
At the same time, I feel like our neighborhoods are strengthened by home workers who now take a walk at lunchtime, see the mail carrier, and are aware of the comings and goings around their homes. That gives richness and a sense of place to a neighborhood, and I think home workers feel more connected to where they live. The time spent re-connecting to where we live instead of driving to neighborhoods where workers have little investment, will serve to strengthen lost bonds caused by long commutes.
What C-types (and all leaders) need to understand is that expectations for work has changed and so the work that we do has to change too. Leaders need to think about connection and cohesion more pointedly. There needs to be team building, mentorship, and greater attention to how people of color establish connections. That's not tough to do - but it is different work. And if I have observed one thing post(ish)-pandemic is that many people are anxious to "get back to the way it was" instead of using what we've learned. But, leaders needs to see the puck has left the building.
Thanks for a thoughtful article Herb.
Marianne