January 29, 2023

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The pandemic has hit home. Many Americans are back at work but all is not going smoothly. The workplaces that were ravaged by the pandemic are now striving to get back to business as usual.

Employee Perspectives

Approximately a quarter of American laborers would rather undergo a root canal than work in a regular office 5 days a week, and nearly 40% would leave a job that requires them to show up in person even one day a week. This suggests an alteration in perspective concerning the classic office atmosphere. Companies that do not keep up with the change may find themselves losing employees. In addition, 60% of small to medium enterprise chief executives intend to expand their staff, and a hybrid work model that offers flexibility can keep employees content and involved, improve the business’s financial standing, permit companies to attract a larger group of potential employees, and lead to cost savings. It is essential for businesses to recognize cognitive biases and put effort into overcoming them so as to make sound decisions about their operating procedures.(1)

As companies move towards a hybrid work model, where employees can work both in-person and remotely, there are several challenges that leaders must address to ensure effective communication and collaboration, such as lack of transparency, equity issues, power differentials, and electronic miscommunications. To improve communication in hybrid work environments, leaders should demonstrate transparency, develop guiding principles, and implement inclusion best practices. These steps can help reduce interpersonal conflicts, ensure equity, and improve overall collaboration among employees. (2)

The post-pandemic workplace has necessitated managers to manage workers in remote places and at all different hours. A study by Slack Future Forum discovered that workers with flexible schedules show 29% higher productivity and 53% greater ability to focus than those with set hours. Parents make up around one-third of the workforce and are particularly in need of time flexibility. Management experts state that although it is necessary to provide this kind of flexibility, it is also important to set up some markers of regulation and routine for this new type of workday. (3)

Don’t Forget About Workplaces

If you’ve been out of work for a while, you may feel a little dysfunctional. You may have family, friends and community commitments that keep you from having the time for work. Make sure you’re not forgetting about workplaces or getting back in touch with them as soon as you can. You can use the support network at your disposal. If you haven’t been in touch with your workplace in a while, reach out to the Human Resources department at your work and see what they can do. If you’ve been out of work for a while and have no idea where to start, speaking with employees at nearby employers to get a feel for their culture and expectations. Also, make sure you’re on the same page when it comes to benefits. Remember, while you may have your regular job security, your workplace may have seen better days. Always make sure you’re plugging the necessary holes in your benefits and paying your bills before you go.

Hiring Ageism Increases Post-Pandemic

The AARP 2022 survey shows that ageism is a prevalent issue. 53% of older job seekers are asked to provide their birth date during the interview, 15% are not hired due to age, and 93% believe age discrimination is common. 32% of older workers have heard negative comments about a fellow older coworker’s age, and 17% have experienced ageism themselves. To combat this, post-pandemic solutions include creating awareness of ageism on a corporate level, having conversations about ageism with an intergenerational workforce, setting up mentor roles for older workers, and training employees and management on harassment and discrimination prevention policies. (4)

Workplaces Are Going Quiet

“Quiet quitting” became a term for burned out workers and young Generation Z hires entering the workforce. Employees were not going above and beyond in their work without additional compensation. The trend was driven by a desire for work-life balance, with many employees seeking to leave unfulfilling jobs, and was exacerbated by passive-aggressive management tactics and low wages. Career cushioning has also emerged, where employees quietly looked for new jobs while still working their current ones, sometimes leading to a form of “quiet firing”. (5)

Keep an Eye Out For New Owners

You may have been looking forward to working for a new company but quickly grow attached to the old place. You may even have a family members or friends who used to work at the old place and now find themselves jobless. Make sure you’re keeping an eye out for potential new owners. It’s possible to find new owners in a couple of ways. First, look for employees who were in your former workplace and may have found a new job. Alternatively, apply to companies that are looking for employees, and see if they are willing to work for a new company. Some employers may even have open positions for job applicants!

Be proactive

If you’ve been out of work a little while, you may feel a little dysfunctional. You may have family, friends and community commitments that keep you from having the time for work. Make sure you’re not forgetting about workplaces or getting back in touch with them as soon as you can. You can use the support network at your disposal. If you haven’t been in touch with your workplace in a while, reach out to the Human Resources department at your work and see what they can do. If you’ve been out of work for a while and have no idea where to start, speaking with employees at nearby employers to get a feel for their culture and expectations. Also, make sure you’re on the same page when it comes to benefits. Remember, while you may have your regular job security, your workplace may have seen better days. Always make sure you’re plugging the necessary holes in your benefits and paying your bills before you go.

Mental Clarity Is Key in Post-Pandemic Whirlwind

It is essential to maintain mental clarity at work for both engagement and productivity. With the stress of workplace insecurities and uncertainties, it is important for companies to consider employee support and stress management. Prolonged cortisol levels can damage the brain, leading to memory loss, decreased cognitive flexibility, and even degenerative diseases. Developing a positive attitude and clearer mind at work can be done through routines, self-care, exercise, deep breathing, gratitude, and finding a therapist. Awareness of extreme points of view can also help meet yourself in the middle.(6)

Training Improves the Hybrid Workplace

Companies aiming to create a flourishing hybrid workforce should not only adopt a hybrid work policy but also furnish employees with the required training and resources to operate in a hybrid work setting. This type of instruction is needed to attain improved productivity and performance, heighten employee participation and job contentment, and help retain and recruit top personnel. Hybrid work training should be a continual process, evaluated often and updated to suit the demands of the workforce, and can address the issues that come with remote work, such as detachment. Hybrid work training is imperative for businesses that want to capitalize on the advantages of a hybrid work atmosphere. (7)

Make your leave time count

You don’t have to take every day for your job. Some days you may be too busy to even take the time for yourself. So, figure out when you can take a day off or take a week off. Make sure you’re taking the time to relax, rejuvenate and recharge. This will help you come back stronger and more prepared for your next opportunity.a real vacation. Make it a priority to take that day off, and then make it a priority to make yourself useful to your work place. If you have to work on a Tuesday, make sure you’re going to the office on a Tuesday. If you have to work on a Wednesday, make sure you’re going to the office on a Wednesday. If you have to work on a Thursday, make sure you’re going to the office on a Thursday. You can also set up aaway at your workplace where you don’t have to constantly be in the same room with people you work with. That way, you won’t over think it and come up with even more ideas to be discarded along with your job.

Bottom line

The pandemic has come to an end, and the workplaces that were affected by it are trying to get back to normal. What this means is that the pandemic has made some workers want to come back to work, but others may want to stay in retirement. With the workplace returning to normal, it’s important to take some time for yourself and start with deciding what time you need for yourself and your workplace.

Sources

(1)

Tsipursky, G. (2023, January 26). 26% of U.S. Workers Would Rather Undergo a Root Canal Than Follow This Workplace Policy. Entrepreneur. https://www.entrepreneur.com/growth-strategies/26-of-us-workers-would-rather-undergo-a-root-canal-than/443756

(2)

Doherty, L. (2023, January 20). Leading in a Hybrid World. Harvard Business Publishing. https://www.harvardbusiness.org/leading-in-a-hybrid-world/

(3)

Rosenkrantz, H. (2023, January 10). A New Wrinkle in the End of Traditional Office Life: The Decline of 9-to-5. SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/people-managers/Pages/End-of-the-9-to-5.aspx

(4)

Writer, C. S. W. (. (2023, January 10). Ageism in the Post-Pandemic Workplace. SevenPonds Blog. https://blog.sevenponds.com/something-special/discrimination-in-the-post-pandemic-workplace

(5)

Kayser, A. (2022, December 28). “Quiet quitting,” “quiet firing”: The year the workplace grew quiet. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/workforce/quiet-quitting-quiet-firing-the-year-the-workplace-grew-quiet.html

(6)

Robinson, B., PhD. (2022, December 16). 8 Tips To Maintain Mental Clarity When Instability Swirls In The Workplace. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2022/12/16/8-tips-to-maintain-mental-clarity-when-instability-swirls-in-the-workplace/?sh=3098b1a870ca

(7)

Tsipursky, G. (2023b, January 28). Hybrid Work Training: The Key To A Successful Hybrid Workforce. Medium. https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/hybrid-work-training-the-key-to-a-successful-hybrid-workforce-23ff6e882d65