Change your perspective to better understand others and yourself.

The way in which companies are managing the new ways of working can polarise opinion 

We’ve seen examples of companies who use punitive methods and threats which have a (not surprisingly) negative effect on their employees’ wellbeing and productivity.

Our heightened anxiety levels mean keeping calm and carrying on isn’t an option. We need to take a moment to breathe (and find calm), take a pause and ask ourselves what we and our teams really need right now? This article gives a great breakdown of how our brain and body respond to the coronavirus quarantine.

Companies, good companies, want their employees to feel safe and valued. We’re all continuing to, or are returning to work during a hugely stressful event. 

Using a 5 minute check-in with your team members is invaluable. Using this method, I listened to one colleague describe her frustration with another colleague’s constant and repeating questions.

After allowing her space to air her frustration, she paused and reflected that this colleague must be struggling right now. Working from home during the COVID crisis with two very young children (and the subsequent toddler brain), she realised it is bad at the best of times.

This also gave her an opportunity to self reflect and realise that perhaps her own memory hasn’t been performing at its best during lockdown. 

We’re keeping calm and carrying on as best we can in the circumstances, and so is everyone around us. 

If a 5 minute check in isn’t possible in any way, try taking a few minutes out and assessing the problem from the other person’s position. As in this case, you might find some things about yourself you didn’t expect too.