The Hidden Challenge of Remote Work and How to Empower Employees to Thrive
In the beginning of Covid, companies were forced to quick-pivot to remote work in what was, for everyone, a stressful and chaotic time.
Organizations worked through real-time challenges of remote work experienced by employees having to juggle spouses and roommates being at home together for extended periods of time, not to mention the added layer of helping young children navigate virtual learning – on top of their work.
As time has gone on, the new-ness of virtual work has worn off, but for Leaders, the challenge remains. In fact, many find working remotely to be an even greater challenge today than it was when the pandemic first began.
As the days and months wore on and working remotely became more of the norm for companies, those that had offered support to their dispersed teams early on in the pandemic, began to abate this support and “go back to normal.”
But the structure of how we once showed up to work has changed forever.
Hybrid and the remote-first workplace is no longer “the future of work.” It is a reality that’s here to stay.
The truth is, the need for supporting Leaders in a remote-first environment is one that must continue (or be added back in, immediately) because those challenges they faced early in the pandemic – juggling families at home while trying to work, feeling disconnected from colleagues, and losing a sense of engagement with their work – are challenges that still exist.
In fact, in many cases, the struggles are amplified because of the sheer duration Leaders have endured this constant pressure.
Prolonged strain, in conjunction with the ongoing global pandemic and political unrest have led to crisis fatigue across the board.
Far worse than organizational burnout, crisis fatigue has Leaders feeling they’re past the point of exhaustion, and many simply don’t know where to go from here.
C-suite executives: you must address the new challenges of working virtually and crisis fatigue within your organization today.
This next wave of change – navigating the long-term need for support and leadership in our new landscape of a dispersed workforce – will prove to be more ambitious and challenging, particularly if retaining, engaging, and developing top talent remains a top priority.
The Solution:
Most importantly, don’t take your eye off the ball. Continue to look for ways to support your Leaders in this “new normal.”
The challenges companies face right now can’t be solved by reading a book or attending a few conferences and workshops.
Leaders need intensive, experiential learning and individual guidance and feedback.
Teams need to be guided with agility, flexibility, and resilience.
Coaching can give your Core Leaders the support needed in the unique landscape of today’s workplace. Advocating for your Leaders in this way can help your organization not only survive, but thrive as we embark on this new way to work.
Contact us to find out how we help you guide your Leaders in today’s workplace.
