{"id":15645,"date":"2021-05-12T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-12T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquent.com\/?p=15645"},"modified":"2021-05-12T04:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-05-12T09:00:00","slug":"why-you-should-stop-calling-it-return-to-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aquent.com\/en-au\/blog\/why-you-should-stop-calling-it-return-to-work","title":{"rendered":"Why you should stop calling it ‘Return to Work’"},"content":{"rendered":"

I've facilitated<\/a>\u00a0over 100 roundtable discussions with senior design leaders from high-profile brands\u00a0\u2014 many of which occurred during the pandemic that forced their teams to work remotely. As you can imagine, our topics have been variations on the \u201cvirtual world of work<\/a>\u201d theme. So it's no surprise that as the world begins to open back up, leaders everywhere are trying to figure out what \u201cReturn to Work<\/a>\u201d will look like.<\/p>\n

There are hundreds of articles on the topic, from very tactical ones that provide checklists for physical space considerations to endless survey results that generally end with<\/p>\n

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\u201cHey, people want to work when, where, and how they want<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But a fascinating take on this topic came up in a recent Seattle\u00a0InsideOut<\/a>\u00a0roundtable, which started out trying to answer the question, \u201cWhat can leaders do NOW to make Return to Work GREAT?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of generating a list of things to do, these leaders questioned the entire premise and walked away with thought-provoking ideas that I cannot wait to share!<\/p>\n

The following are tips that you can use as your team \u2014 and your organisation \u2014 attempts to plan out what's next for the new world of work<\/h3>\n

1. Acknowledge the Situation<\/h2>\n

It's REAL that people are concerned by all the uncertainty around what's happening next and that they have gone through a lot over the past year. So acting like this next phase is simple, easy, and a welcome change for everyone will no doubt alienate a portion of your team \u2014 and make you seem out of touch.<\/p>\n

Acknowledging their feelings goes a long way toward showing that you care and understand their fears. It also gives you a chance to engage them in the discussion by pointing out that everyone can play a part in moving forward from here and figuring out what's next. Once you're sure they've felt heard and valued, open the conversation:\u00a0What IS \u201cReturn to Work\u201d<\/em>?<\/p>\n

2. Change the Language<\/h2>\n

Everyone's referring to \u201cReturn to Work<\/a>\u201d as though it's a singular, concerted event that will simply happen.<\/p>\n

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The reality is that it's NOT a moment in time, nor is it likely that there's one physical place to which all a company's employees will return full-time. So stop calling it \u201cReturn to Work.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It's up to leaders to help reframe the way people think about the next phase, and by using language that doesn't fit, you reinforce their trepidation about a future moment in time that seems blurry and out of their control.<\/p>\n

Perhaps \u201cThe Evolving Work Experience<\/a>\u201d as a clearer way to describe what's happening next (and beyond) since it implies that future change is inevitable. And it is.<\/p>\n

3. Create Equity<\/h2>\n

As the work experience evolves, some staff will remain remote, some will become hybrid on-\/off-site workers, and some will go into an office space on a regular basis. In fact, some staff were never remote. With most humans yearning for the benefits of physical proximity to others, it's almost impossible to manage everyone's expectations and create a fair playing field. But it's important.<\/p>\n

Start those discussions now with your team\u00a0and talk through what they believe will best keep them feeling connected, with equal opportunity to grow.<\/p>\n

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It's up to leaders to provide an inclusive, balanced work experience and ensure that location doesn't hinder careers or show preference to those who gather together in person.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As an idea for your physical space planning, one InsideOut leader suggests removing conference rooms (or not using them for group gatherings that include remote workers) as a way to level the playing field for on-\/off-site employees.<\/p>\n

4. Engage Staff<\/h2>\n

Before you book that first chat about reimagining the work experience, be sure you're ready to meet people where they are, using empathy and vulnerability<\/a>\u00a0to speak to their unique situations. One-on-one discussions are the best way to open that door, listen to their concerns, and share your own.<\/p>\n

Once you've made a real connection, encourage them to participate in building the next work experience and beyond, which can start today. Be clear that there's no one-size-fits-all solution but that with their help, you can better represent their interests. Remind them WHY their job exists (to help customers, solve problems, etc.) to reassure them of their place in the changing organisation and help them move past their fear to become successful, valued contributors during change.<\/p>\n

5. Provide Transparency<\/h2>\n

To fully engage employees, they need to feel safe, included, and in the know. In the new VUCA world we live in (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity), a good way to do this is to model the behaviour. Get OK with saying \u201cI don't know<\/em>,\u201d and position what you do know as a moving target,<\/p>\n

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\u201cHere's what I know TODAY, and when I know more, I will share.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Lack of transparency erodes trust (check out this\u00a0great HBR article on trust<\/a>) and allows misinformation to circulate unchecked. Information is power. Don't hoard it. And there had better be a really good reason NOT to share information with your team, or you will lose their trust entirely.<\/p>\n

6. Be Human<\/h2>\n

Pay attention to how people are behaving and make time to check in, connect, and address the humanity of the situation. Leaders can model vulnerability by sharing their own experience and concerns about the evolving nature of the work situation. One leader suggested revisiting Psychology 101 (including\u00a0Maslow's hierarchy of needs<\/a>) to make sure that before you jump to \u201cgrowth mode<\/a>\u201d (top of the hierarchy), you know that the rest of their needs are met<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Also, it's easy to forget people or simply assume they're OK when you're not seeing them regularly, so don't be afraid to over-communicate and check in frequently. Worst of all, don't be tone deaf as a leader. People are paying attention, and as the\u00a0job market<\/a> continues to improve, they will be less concerned about your return to work plan and more focused on finding another place to work.<\/p>\n

The bottom line<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There will be no \u201cReturn to Work\u201d moment where what work looks like is final, so stop calling it that. On the bright side, that's great news for everyone out there feeling the pressure to get it right. Leaders have an opportunity to transform the concerns of their staff into an entirely new way of thinking about the work experience \u2014 one that engages them in being an active participant in crafting the experience itself, indefinitely.<\/p>\n

This blog was originally posted on Medium.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There will be no \u201cReturn to Work\u201d moment where what work looks like is final, so stop calling it that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[837],"capabilities":[],"class_list":["post-15645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-thought-leadership"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t