7 minute read
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JOHN gAUNT
Learning (and unlearning) from COVID-19
The pandemic forced us to reevaluate our ways of working paving way for unlearning the rudimentary and relearning ways to function and survive in the new normal
When 2020 began, the COVID-19 pandemic affected all of us in the unruliest way possible. It was no longer possible for countries, industries, and economies, let alone individuals, to continue living the same way as before. We are creatures of habit and used to doing almost everything around us in a certain, predictable way. But the pandemic forced us to reevaluate our ways including working. Thus began the process of unlearning the rudimentary and relearning ways to function and survive…in the new normal. We are creatures of habit and used to doing almost everything around us in a certain, predictable way. But the pandemic forced us to reevaluate our ways including working
Embracing agility
Agility and empowerment took on a completely new meaning as the virus developed differently in each country and governments took various measures. Smart company leaders evaluated the seriousness of the situation, adopted an agile stance, and took rapid action, as deemed necessary. That included making hard but important decisions ahead of other companies, knowing their swift and decisive actions protected employees from harm, and consequently protected their clients and their business. Some companies, with their priorities, firmly set, acted
quickly and in some cases weeks ahead of lockdown mandates. To accomplish this, key teams had to be assembled and fully empowered to make decisions overnight and provide employees with all necessary tools. As employee and client well-being became top priorities, the biggest lesson learned was to embrace agility and focus all efforts.
Leading with empathy
Leadership across all organizations at multiple levels realized the need to intensify support efforts for employees as well as their families. It was not the time to focus on sustaining business stability, but it was of paramount importance to ensure that employees and their loved ones felt looked after. Internal communication channels and methods were adapted to allow a fully virtual work environment. The frequency of messaging was increased to keep employees up to date and safely working remotely. It also demonstrated the true virtue of listening closely to all employees and by reaching out with employee “Support Surveys” that could surface employee challenges and spot problems. Savvy organizations subsequently announced a series of benefits and supports for its employees, including full appraisals, work from home expense allotments, and other programs. Several other organizations followed suit and implemented physical and mental wellbeing programs for their employees. They realized that times were tough and that authentic empathy would carry us all through this difficult time.
Engaging for motivation
As the impact of the pandemic deepened, company teams realized that it was likely going to be months before they would physically see each other again. Virtual meetings and interactions were stepped up to make employees feel connected, continuously motivate them, and help them overcome the void left by remote working. Colleagues who once enjoyed lunch and coffee breaks together were suddenly overworking, burning out, and missing catchups with their teammates. COVID fatigue soon became a reality.
Transitioning to employee experience
Companies’ engagement efforts were purposefully transformed into full employee ‘’experience’’. New internal campaigns were strategically introduced including conversations on social media channels were triggered. Frequent town halls and virtual coffee meets with leadership increased, which helped to keep communications clear and erase any ambiguity in the minds of employees. Mobile apps were launched for employees, keeping them updated in real-time on virus news, safety tips, and providing contact info for hospitals and sites for healthcare visits. Successful companies awarded some of their employees with COVID Warrior Awards, applauding their sincerity and productivity in stressful times, thus building company loyalty. Companies learned not just to be sensitive but also to be appreciative of all of their work teams.
Planning and implementing
As companies across sectors sprang into action to survive stressful times, the successful ones meticulously laid the groundwork and conducted thoughtful research to come up with feasible support and benefit options for employees that were then implemented. Organizations realized they needed to broaden their horizons and to move toward new employee expe-
riences. Many mapped out strategic and upskilling agendas and tools leading to the creation of an innovation culture within their teams and mutually-beneficial broader skillsets. These efforts helped to sustain business initiatives and maintain excellence in service delivery for customers. Some organizations increased their employee insurance benefits. Some provided extra benefits such as corporate tie-ups with hospitals, ambulance services, portable oxygen devices, and more to its employees and even expats' families in India. As a result, organizations have been able to prevent COVID-19 related employee attrition, extremely limited COVID-19 cases among employees across, and have realized protections of the existing business.
Looking ahead
We are hoping the pandemic will end soon. Many organizations stumbled over the roadblocks along their way. Each organization was required to learn, transition, and evolve to survive. While some elaborated their upskilling agenda, others announced permanent work from home options for certain roles. Others are seeking to strengthen their existing hybrid talent and new ways of working. Some came out with daily newsletters and chronicles to simplify communication while others partnered with industry associations for CSR initiatives and collaboration.
The road ahead is a little tricky as we are all warming up to the new normal. It has taken a lot of effort for all of us to unlearn what we had been following as second nature for so long -- our nonchalant attitudes towards health, our taken-for-granted perspectives towards relationships, our daily habits of living and working, and even our basic assumptions. But adaptation is an evolutionary must-have that will prevail if we accept change.
JoHn gaunT is the Chief Human Resources Officer of Synechron
the world of work has changed, so must the way we manage employee performance and measure results
By Mastufa Ahmed
It’s always the small pieces that make the big picture. Long before the pandemic, top-notch organizations were already debating the relevance of conventional performance management systems and embracing adaptive approaches that are based on a continuous process with periodic checkpoints to facilitate a transparent and merit-based evaluation of work that is employee-friendly. In fact, successful organizations around the world had steadily started replacing their traditional ranking system with innovative performance management solutions. COVID-19 has changed everything and we have already seen the rise and acceleration of several new trends on how businesses operate. We have seen organizations remodeling themselves to adapt to the changing landscape with new processes. Organizations are already making adjustments to goal setting and ratings while communicating to their employees that they are valued and important. Top leaders today agree that the performance management system should be reinvented and recalibrated for better aligned results especially after the COVID-19 crisis. A Gartner poll of HR leaders earlier in 2020 showed that 87 percent of HR leaders were considering changes to performance reviews. HR leaders should focus on how to make performance management more useful this year and in the years to come, the report adds. Given the current environment, businesses must reinvent how they manage the performance of their employees that triggers the right behaviors in the remote working world, delivers on investment, and develops processes that result in desired business outcomes. HR leaders need to help prioritize what needs to get done. Managers and employees need to be very clear about what's expected because priorities for a lot of companies are shifting. Measuring results is also changing in the remote/hybrid world of work which calls for right tools and processes. It is crucial to be very clear on what metrics, goals, and results are businesscritical. Since everyone works differently, measurement should be done objectively. So, how should organizations calibrate their productivity and performance yardsticks? What should be the key components of the new framework of continuous assessment at a time when everyone is talking about collaboration, innovation, business impact, client success, and new skills? How should you define and measure productivity amid changing business priorities? Our cover story attempts to throw light on the new paradigms of performance and productivity management in the current reality.
