There are many hot topics being shared right now but none more heated than the idea of when and how to reopen our buildings and communities. For over a year we have literally stayed to ourselves-working and playing from our homes. Most of our organizations are still functioning in a virtual manner, meeting on computer screens with lots of faces in equal-sized squares. Some schools have opened up in a mostly hybrid way so our children can propel forward in their education. Of course, there are still many students still learning remotely with little contact with their friends. We are definitely still living in a strange and unprecedented time.
Re-opening is on the minds of every leader who is eager to begin the process of connecting in-person. In an organization I am working with, the discussions are starting to reach a crescendo. The outrage from some leaders wanting to pick up the pace is being matched by leaders who feel meeting and working remotely is the way of the future. The question that keeps coming up is : “When will we get back to normal?”
Here are five critical leadership considerations to re-opening:
1. What Are The Feelings Of The Stakeholders?
The first step for leaders in evaluating a re-opening decision, is to take the pulse of the people who would be returning to the workplace. What does that mean? Since many stakeholders have been out of their physical buildings for over a year, there may be a hesitation to return to their workspaces. In my experience, people are fearful to re-enter a building, worried that they may contract the virus as many team members may not have been vaccinated. They also have gotten so accustomed to working from home that there is a psychological fear of working outside of their home offices.
Taking the pulse of how your team members feel about returning to the workplace is essential before re-opening. Click To Tweet2. Is Our Building Safety-Ready?
A second consideration for leaders is to assess how prepared their work environment is for teams to come back safely. According to a recent SHRM article, it is essential to follow these steps:
- Spacing workstations farther apart.
- Installing barriers to prevent the transmission of the virus.
- Adjusting the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, such as increasing the sophistication of filters or increasing the airflow.
- Using outside stand-alone purifying systems or fans to move the air faster and make it cleaner.
3. Who Will Be Responsible For The Re-Opening?
Equally as important as preparing the physical workspace is having a solid plan in place that every stakeholder is aware of. To design such a document requires a COVID 19 task force that is comprised of both medical and non-medical individuals to decide how to share the plan with everyone. In one organization, this task force has become the guide and compass for all decisions. They are consulted on how to manage difficult personal situations such as travel restrictions, quarantines as well as emotional issues that come up from time to time.
4. What Has Changed and What Has Remained The Same?
As with every change, it is important to be clear on what will stay the same before organizations went into lockdown and what will be different with the re-opening. A post COVID 19 work world can be looked at from the same lens as any big change or transition.
- Have a proper goodbye of what things used to look like. Honor the losses with the team.
- Be clear on the expectations of the new work environment, leaving room for fearful or upset stakeholders.
- Acknowledge that together new dreams and plans will be made.
5. How Will The Next Phase Be Monitored?
The final leadership consideration is deciding how to keep propelling forward. Sure there will be bumps along the way and unexpected closings or re-evaluations. The key is not to let those setbacks turn your team backwards. It’s fine to have disagreements as long as everyone shares them in a respectful way. Above all, leaders may need to function in a “gray zone” with tons of ambiguity and uncertainty. Go with it. We will find a new path that feels right and empowers us to perform at our best.
What additional critical leadership considerations are you and your team making for a welcoming re-opening?
If you would like some support in a post COVID re-opening, please let me know.
Important topic with a lot of complexity. It’s not as simple as sending out a mass email saying “See you on Monday.” We’re also going to see that some people would like a permanent blended approach which will need to be proactively addressed by the task force and theorganization’s leaders. One-off approvals post-COVID will lead to more unrest given the undercurrent of fear and resistance to change. Appreciate that you first and foremost remind leaders that helping employees deal with their fears will be where they need to start now – prior to reopening. These are global issues and you help shine a light on the path forward.
Will share!
Alli
I agree that these are global issues and the first step is taking the pulse of how people are feeling. Are they fearful or ready to restart their engines? Do they want to continue a hybrid model to accommodate their personal lives too? So much has changed with work and our home lives. All these new ways of connecting and working and delivering high quality output needs to be weighed. And all of this is a process that will take some time.
Thanks Alli for sharing your thoughts!
Terri
Love this, Terri. The sentence that struck me was this: “The outrage from some leaders wanting to pick up the pace is being matched by leaders who feel meeting and working remotely is the way of the future.” Why is outrage the go-to reaction these days? When did outrage become so acceptable?
The question that keeps coming up is : “When will we get back to normal?” Shouldn’t we really be asking ourselves, “What is the new normal?” Now is the time to seize on opportunities and new ways to move forward.
Like you, I’ve found outrage to be the most common response to anything people find objectional but it’s really just a fear-driven response when we don’t have confidence in both ourselves and others…a very important topic! Thanks so much for sharing…
I’m with you LaRae with the way people are interacting with each other. We need to lead with respect and open mindedness. Our team members often have strong opinions and are passionate about their points of view which can translate into loud discussions. As long as we listen to truly understand each other’s perspectives we can have meaningful conversations.
Thanks for sharing your insights LaRae!