Work life muddle

There are many aspects of our lives that have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, regardless of where we live. Border and travel restrictions mean many families are separated, schools and workplaces have shut down, there are widespread economic impacts, obvious health concerns, the list goes on…And that’s without mentioning the uncertainty and resulting anxiety about when life will resume some normality.

Amongst all of this, many people are, for the first time ever, trying to work from home. This is often at the same time as children being home from school. That sounds…challenging, right?

Before this pandemic, working from home was a theoretical concept that many people loved the idea of. You mean I don’t have to wear a suit to work? And no commute? Amazing! Personally I would work from home once a week and find myself much more productive with fewer interruptions and more focused work time.

Organisations were often reluctant to let people work from home pre-Covid - worried that staff would be less productive in a home environment. Leaders also worried about how to manage their staff without actually seeing what they were doing on a day to day basis and weren’t sure how to build morale without having the whole team together face to face.

One silver lining of this pandemic is that it has forced us all to adapt and figure out how to work, lead and manage from home at a much greater pace than we would have otherwise. But we need to be realistic about how challenging this is, especially with all the other factors going on for people at the same time.

Leaders in particular are likely dealing with their own challenges of working from home, as well as supporting their staff to do so, all while coping with the stress of a global pandemic.

So, as a leader what can you do to manage all of this?

First, create boundaries for yourself and your staff. With the additional use of technology providing 24/7 access to emails, whatsapp, and phone calls, and your personal and work spaces becoming combined, it is a lot harder to switch off from work. When you can, disconnect from your email and phone outside of work hours, and try to create a routine around when and where you work in the same way you would if going into the office. As a leader, your staff will take your lead in terms of what is expected, and if you are seen to be sending emails at all hours, they will feel pressured to do so as well. Encourage your staff to genuinely switch off from work when they don’t need to be available and do the same yourself. Separating yourself from your emails will also give you some much needed thinking and reflection time to grapple with the big issues and think stategically in a way that is difficult to do when you have your head down in day to day issues.

Secondly, cut yourself and your staff some slack. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Perhaps you and your people won’t be as productive as you were pre-pandemic, and that’s okay. During times of great stress and uncertainty we are spending a lot more time in fight or flight mode - which makes focusing on work more difficult than usual. And that’s not to mention the distractions that come with having whole families at home together. It’s also likely you won’t have as much visibility of your staff as usual - try to let go of the anxiety this might create, and put good monitoring mechanisms in place to keep in the loop as much as is needed. You will know which of your staff need more regular check ins and input from you than others (e.g. those who are new to role).

Thirdly, look after yourself and your people. Check in regularly on how people are doing, and use your own strategies and support networks to help you to manage this challenging time. Ask your staff how they are finding working from home, and what additional support or resources (including equipment) they need to make it work. Connect regularly with your team and your peers, and adjust and adapt how you’re working as needed. Think about one thing you can do each day that will help you to cope effectively and encourage your people to do the same.

Finally, focus on what you can control. There are many aspects of the current situation that we can’t control. But as a leader, you have a real opportunity to create a stable, supportive and positive work environment for your people and to test out new and different ways of working.

Remember, we’re all in this together, and when normality does resume, we will have gained new perspectives and skills that will take us forward. But for now, take a deep breath, and do something that will make your day better - whether that be a video call with a family member, a walk outside, or that second cup of coffee.