The past year has been a torrid one for many businesses – and HR professionals have been in the thick of it. They have helped employers implement remote working policies and kept communication channels open at a time of unprecedented disruption and uncertainty. And, as the economic downturn has continued to bite, they have tackled the difficult task of letting good people go.

Great employee engagement makes tough assignments like these easier. It can also boost productivity and improve morale across an organisation. Both will be critical for Australian enterprises this year as they collectively tackle the challenge of rebuilding markets and profitability in the wake of the COVID downturn.

There is no hard-and-fast definition of “skill gap”; however, it can be described as deficiencies in performance caused by lack of prowess.

There is plenty of work to do. Australia’s GDP plunged a record 7 per cent in the June quarter of 2020 and although it is since rebounded, Australia’s Reserve Bank governor has warned businesses and individuals to expect an “uneven and drawn out” recovery.

Data analytics – the process of collecting and analysing raw data to produce conclusions and actionable insights – can be a valuable tool for HR departments as they galvanise employees for the battle and keep them focused on growing revenue and profitability.

Here are a few ways local HR departments can put analytics to use.

Make it easy for employees to seek help
Regardless of the touchpoint used, employees should be able to raise requests easily. Ensure your help forms are comprehensive, concise, and well-organised to collect all necessary information from employees so that service reps can provide speedy, satisfactory resolutions. Review the number of back-and-forth conversations between service reps and employees to understand if your help forms are truly helpful. Too many back-and-forth conversations indicate that your support forms do not collect necessary information, so your service reps have to reach out to employees several times.

Data analytics – the process of collecting and analysing raw data to produce conclusions and actionable insights – can be a valuable tool for HR departments as they galvanise employees for the battle and keep them focused on growing revenue and profitability.

Use first contact to keep employees informed
For employees, nothing is worse than raising a request and waiting endlessly for it to be resolved. One way to manage employee expectations is to set them on first contact, providing clear and realistic deadlines for resolution—especially when the request cannot be resolved on first contact. This will help employees prioritise and schedule their activities, and ensure they remain productive even as they wait for their requests to be completed. Use AI-enabled predictions to understand the time taken to complete requests and convey projected turnaround times to your employees.

Empower employees with effective self-service options
According to Gartner, 70 per cent of users prefer self-service technical support to working with a support rep. Unfortunately, only nine percent of users are able to resolve their issues using self-service. Even so, do not hesitate to invest time and money in creating self-service options for employees—it empowers employees to resolve their own issues and cuts down your workload. Once you’ve created enough self-service manuals, be sure to evaluate them periodically to ensure they’re effective and efficient.

Identify and troubleshoot process bottlenecks
Process bottlenecks are the silent killers of productivity. Analyse your processes thoroughly and see if requests are getting held up in the pipeline or bouncing among HR staff due to excessive workload, lack of skill, high demand of services, or other discernible factors such as unavailability of resources. With the issues identified, take steps to resolve them at the earliest.

Promote healthy competition within the team
Always encourage HR personnel to go the extra mile and provide personalised solutions to employees. Create dashboards to track HR performance and foster a healthy spirit of competition. Provide non-monetary rewards, send out thank-you emails, set up brainstorming sessions, create team-based activities, and encourage your staff to resolve employee problems as a team when the situation calls for it. Reward star performers and encourage the others to be more creative and innovative in their roles.

Identify skill gaps early on and train staff to close those gaps
There is no hard-and-fast definition of “skill gap”; however, it can be described as deficiencies in performance caused by lack of prowess. So how do you identify skill gaps? Build key performance indicators to determine how your HR staff contribute to your team or the business. Use employee reviews, 360-degree performance evaluations, peer observations, and performance benchmarks to identify star performers and those who need training. Then provide training to help your staff improve their skill set.

Regardless of the touchpoint used, employees should be able to raise requests easily. Ensure your help forms are comprehensive, concise, and well-organised to collect all necessary information from employees so that service reps can provide speedy, satisfactory resolutions.

Helping steer your organisation towards a stronger future
A company is only as good as its people and, in tough times, a top team can mean the difference between sinking and swimming. Data analytics can be deployed to help your people management division function more efficiently and get your workforce at large working more effectively. In 2021, it’s an investment that may pay for itself many times over.

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1. What are some of the risks or watchouts with a hybrid workforce? I.e. some staff in the office and others at home 

There are a number of watchouts that HR departments and business leaders need to be aware of. Social isolation is a big one. While working at home, many employees will feel the absence of social interactions we’ve become accustomed to while working in the office, which could lead to disengagement or a negative effect on mental wellbeing. While some degree of socialness and connectivity can be achieved with online interactions, many of us will still miss the incidental interactions that happen we’re in the kitchen or in the corridors.

Another challenge of a hybrid workforce is it can be difficult to demonstrate productivity. When we work alone, we can lose track of the importance of each other’s (and our own) contributions, and this can impact employees who use recognition as their personal driver in the workplace or make it harder to identify those who are vying for, or deserving of a promotion.

Be conscious of quiet achievers. You may need to provide more professional development conversations and coaching to encourage dialogue and to highlight these individuals’ performance and achievements.

Accessibility can be a barrier to a functioning hybrid workforce, and needs to be a strong focus for all workplaces. How do organisations ensure they are accommodating the accessibility needs of all team members? Are the tools being used incorporating accessibility? What other barriers are contributing to a lack of access equality amongst employees?

Timeliness also needs to be considered. With hybrid workforces, we need to reset expectations around response times and availabilities. We need to be more forgiving of delays or the non-immediacy in responses from colleagues.

2. How can HR teams and business leaders ensure all employees are involved in the decision-making process when the team is spread across multiple locations? 

Communication is key. Being aware of and using the various tools available to the business to improve communication is the first step. It’s also important to review how team members currently communicate amongst themselves before making any drastic changes.

Set expectations or ‘SLAs” of response times, with an awareness that this will vary amongst team members. Start using collaborative tools, such as online/cloud-based document solutions that allow multi-user editing and commenting.

While working at home, many employees will feel the absence of social interactions we’ve become accustomed to while working in the office, which could lead to disengagement or a negative effect on mental wellbeing.

Be timely in introducing initiatives or activities that require contribution to decision-making. Be aware that employees may have altered schedules or availabilities and provide enough lead-time to reduce stress and pressure, whilst potentially improving quality of contributions.

3. How can HR teams and business leaders ensure performance and pay reviews aren’t biased against employees working remotely?

Create uniform processes for one-on-ones and performance reviews for both office-based and remote workers. Use templates for these if possible. By setting processes, and repeating them each time, you can start to introduce new and expected behaviours over time, rather than being ad-hoc and creating uncertainty.

Be conscious of quiet achievers. You may need to provide more professional development conversations and coaching to encourage dialogue and to highlight these individuals’ performance and achievements.

Introduce mentor programs – this can provide an opportunity to not only contribute to an employees’ success and development, but offers an additional way to seek feedback on performance and potential of the mentees.

Introduce 360-degree reviews or feedback collection, while making sure there are transparent processes and definitions of what constructive feedback is. This will offer a more rounded view of an employee’s performance and potential.

Communication is key. Being aware of and using the various tools available to the business to improve communication is the first step.

4. What can organisations do to maintain a strong sense of camaraderie and collaboration when the team is no longer in a single location?

A first step is always asking employees for their thoughts and input. Gauge the desires and needs of all individuals and teams before seeking or determining solutions. This will help to ensure time, money, and productivity is not wasted on ineffective or underutilised solutions.

Investigate what other companies are doing and incorporate those into your business and processes. Keep up to date with new technologies and insights into hybrid working and workplaces. Follow best practices and regularly review the solutions you’ve implemented.

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Every business, regardless of its size, industry or maturity is exposed to integrity risks such as fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest and employee misconduct. Internal integrity risks remain a persistent threat to businesses as motivated employees look to take advantage of weak internal controls, outdated business practices or lucrative opportunities to commit fraud and engage in misconduct.

To add to the complexity of running a business and managing risk in 2021, there is a global pandemic hanging over the business landscape and the associated security risks. Outside of the organisation’s walls, businesses are coming under increased threat from cyber criminals with issues like business email compromise (BEC), phishing and data breaches.

The risk landscape in 2021
As we enter a new calendar year, businesses and governments are attempting to get back to ‘normal’. The impact of COVID-19 has demonstrated the need for organisations to reassess how they manage and mitigate integrity risks within the business to protect their people, reputation and bottom line.

In times of uncertainty, instances of employee misconduct, fraud and corruption can significantly increase as employees facing mounting financial pressure rationalise behaviour and take advantage of opportunities to enrich themselves. Unfortunately, for businesses, this is bad timing.

As businesses grapple with navigating and surviving a global pandemic, the focus of the organisation shifts to cutting costs, remaining “open for business” and minimising the impact of day-to-day operations. Investment in proactive initiatives is put on the back burner – and rightly so.

However, with signs of economic recovery on the horizon, the time is now to consider how you will look to prevent and mitigate integrity risks from occurring or increasing in your business.

Risks to your organisation can be internal, such as theft, fraud, bullying and employee misconduct. External risks can include corruption and collusion with suppliers, third-party fraud and business email compromise.

How to manage the new risks
Proactive risk management needs to start at the top of the organisation. Most business owners and leaders understand that leading a business involves a degree of risk. The key is to ensure that, as your business matures, you build the capability to identify, assess and manage risks in a prudent manner. There will always be a degree of risk and quantifying this is known as a Risk Appetite Statement. While that might sound like a complicated step for your business, it doesn’t have to be.

It’s important to recognise that integrity risks can take many shapes and forms. Risks can be internal to your organisation, such as theft, fraud, bullying and employee misconduct. Or external to your organisation, such as corruption and collusion with suppliers, third-party fraud and business email compromise. Taking a moment to stop and think about what risks your business faces is a simple but important first step.

For most businesses, the best place to start is to focus on your employees, their roles and the behaviour you expect from them. This is often captured in your organisation’s policies, such as a Code of Conduct,Bullying and Harassment Policy or Conflicts of Interest Policy.

Perhaps one of the biggest areas of opportunity for businesses in 2021 is to review and update your policy suite to ensure employees understand what is expected of them and attest to these policies. When we conduct internal investigations into fraud or employee misconduct, we often encounter employees who are not familiar with the policies, cannot remember the last time they read the policy or where it is located – there is an evident disconnect.

Another area of opportunity is to improve the way conflicts of interest and gift and entertainment is managed. These two areas present the greatest area of risk for an organisation as they affect the greatest number of employees across all roles.

In almost every organisation we work with, we see an inadequate approach to how these risks are managed. Registers for tracking conflicts of interest and gifts are often underutilised, empty and siloed across business units. Importantly, there is a lack of oversight and review at an organisational level.

Every business, regardless of its size, industry or maturity is exposed to integrity risks such as fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest and employee misconduct.

Moving to Centralised Compliance Software
Large organisations often have polices and other integrity initiatives located on an intranet site, however in 2021, this is an outdated way to manage risk.

Cloud-based software now exists for virtually every aspect of running a business and compliance is no different. A cloud-based compliance software, such as the one we use at Core Integrity (www.corethix.com), can dramatically improve your integrity risk and compliance program.

There are several simple initiatives that can be implemented through a cloud-based compliance platform to help proactively manage risk in your business, including:

• Ensure all company policies are located on the one platform to maintain version control of each policy and distribute these to all employees automatically by role, function and location for reading and attestation.
• Move all conflict of interest and gift and entertainment management online so employees can submit declarations in real time for management to review, approve or investigate.
• Migrate incident, issue and safety reporting online so employees can submit issues via mobile devices as they occur rather than waiting to return to the office to submit a paper-based form.
• Leverage technology to integrate your organisation’s whistleblower or ethics hotline into the compliance platform to improve the reporting experience.
• Drive engagement and use by employees by leveraging communications and announcement functionality.

Now is the time to proactively assess and mitigate the potential integrity risks in your business and examine the opportunities to enhance your compliance program to ultimately engage with your employees. Prevention is always the best method to ensure your organisation is protecting its people, reputation, and bottom line.

Key Takeaways

• Most business owners and leaders understand that undertaking a business involves a degree of risk. The key is to ensure that, as your business matures, you build the capability to identify, assess and manage risks in a prudent manner.
• Risks to your organisation can be internal, such as theft, fraud, bullying and employee misconduct. External risks can include corruption and collusion with suppliers, third-party fraud and business email compromise.
• Engage integrity risk experts such as Core Integrity to educate your people about your internal policies such as a Code of Conduct, Bullying and Harassment Policy or Conflicts of Interest Policy.
• Review and update your cyber security systems to ensure your software reflects current risks and protect your organisation’s data, resources, and accounts, such as centralised Compliance Software like Corethix.
• Work from the top down to implement culture and policy that reflects the guidelines for a workplace that encourages integrity.
• Implement reporting systems that support internal and external whistleblowing and at a minimum, discuss potential issues within the workplace.
• Move all conflict of interest and gift and entertainment management online so employees can submit declarations in real time for management to review, approve or investigate.

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Fear is key to our survival. Fear’s job is to protect us from danger by pointing out risk, physical and social risk. It tells us to avoid situations that put us close to risk and it does this by triggering a physiological system designed to help us fight, flight or freeze. Clever. Except, when it gets involved in things that they need not. Often our fear voice tells us to avoid risks that would be good for us. Here are a few common ways fear can interfere with our performance in a team. Fear wants us to:

• Hide that we do not understand something in case people think less of us.
  But then we might not know how to support each other, or we may have gaps in our knowledge, worse we hide mistakes or errors. We also get some people anxiously striving for perfection which slows down workflow.
• Agree with the most powerful person in the room.
  Fear tells us to only voice opinions that are safe and sanctioned. This makes for much less useful conversations or ideas. It promotes groupthink and makes true inclusion of any difference very hard. We also see over-reliance on the leaders to make decisions and we become vulnerable to command control leadership styles.
• Keep quiet or in the background in case we get judged.
  Employees may feel they need to present a mask instead of their true self. We get people who are not psychologically safe enough to point out new ideas, mistakes, or misunderstandings. This breeds silence, disengagement and wasted potential. The team fails to build on each other’s potential, and we get silos of workflow or relationships.
• Put walls up, defend or attack to protect our status or position.
  Even when this is not toxic, we can end up battling in ways that stop the progress of good ideas.
• Stick to what you know, do not risk failure.
  This is of course why and how we struggle to change or be agile.

As individuals in a team, the more we fear, the more we protect ourselves. The more we protect ourselves, the less we trust, each other and ourselves. Fear limits our performance as a team.

When our fear voice is in control and we are not, our behaviours become guided by fear-based intelligence, not by our intelligence or even our goals.

Fear-based conversations
Fear does not always look like cowering in the corner biting our nails. A good way to assess fear in your team is to consider your conversations.

When conversations are combative there is some level of fight happening. We see people sparing over things which appear to be territorial, more blame centric or ego-based and while they take up huge energy and attention, they are not constructive. When the airtime in a group is disproportionately shared, it indicates that some people’s intelligence is not being capitalised and it would be worthy to investigate the level of fear.

When conversations are full of polite, pleasant conversation it can be a sign that there is not the safety to discuss things at a deeper level. Peaceful conversations avoidant of emotion or robustness means that we avoid courageous conversations. It can lead to a lack of energy in a team or a surface level of conversation that fails to get to the conversations that matter. It can also point to people hiding their true feelings only letting them out in less appropriate ways. This is the type that I most frequently see at work and the type that have the most to gain through working on their fear.

Fear tells us to only voice opinions that are safe and sanctioned. This makes for much less useful conversations or ideas. It promotes groupthink and makes true inclusion of any difference very hard.

Controlling our fear
Managing our fear means we can have courageous conversations that lead to remarkable team performance. Examining the courage, the vulnerability, humbleness, openness, sharing, asking for help, good listening and contribution by all, fun meetings, ability to change direction or adopt new ideas are key indicators of a group of people who are managing their fear well.

Fear is natural, necessary, and normal. It can even be very motivating if we have a good relationship with our fear. However, if our fear voice becomes very loud it can dominate and tell us what to do. When our fear voice is in control and we are not, our behaviours become guided by fear-based intelligence, not by our intelligence or even our goals. Our choices become fears choices.

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In recent years, however, greater insights and expertise have emerged in this domain. Let me identify some of the great “myths,” breakthrough principles, and practices you might apply to have more success in the future.

Myth #1: “People are motivated by money.”
My friend and colleague, Alan Colquitt, a veteran PhD. with 32 years’ experience in corporate HR research roles, offers an explanation for this myth:

“We are prisoners of our own flawed assumptions, beliefs, and mental models. We learned in basic psychology and economics classes that people are motivated by money and tying rewards to individual performance will improve results.

“These programs have not been broadly successful… And even when they do work, they can have undesirable side effects and unintended consequences like increased competition, reduced intrinsic motivation, and other bad behaviour…”

As Alan points out, the myth is the belief that people are motivated only by money. Get the money right and the problem will be solved. In fact, people are motivated also by many other things (many of which are also desperately needed by their organisations).

Tip #1: “Pay people enough money so that it is no longer an issue,”

says author Daniel Pink. The question is, “how much is enough?” Those, whose earnings are comparable to others in their community and industry for similar work, seldom have an obsession with earning more money.

Myth #2: “Rewards are needed to motivate people.”
Alfie Kohn explains this myth, “You can’t motivate another person,” he says, “so framing the issue that way virtually guarantees the use of controlling devices.”

In the 1960s Pay for Performance systems were hailed as the big innovation in rewards. The biggest challenge with pay for performance is to avoid defining performance too narrowly – at the expense of other critical performance elements.

Tip #2: Don’t be seduced into believing that controlling devices such as individual pay for performance or individual bonuses are the only way to motivate high performance.
The controlling devices are all extrinsic motivators: rewards are contingent on performance. Intrinsic motivators are deeper and longer lasting. These motivators have been described best by Edward Deci as “the need to feel effective or competent in relation to one’s environment.” Effective reward systems are comprised of both extrinsic and intrinsic motivators.

Myth #3: “You get what you pay for.”
“One of the most thoroughly researched findings in social psychology is that the more you reward someone for doing something, the less interest that person will tend to have in whatever he or she was rewarded to do.” – Alfie Kohn

So, you may get what you pay for, but the spark dissipates over time. Meanwhile, you might not get many other things that you also need!

“We are prisoners of our own flawed assumptions, beliefs, and mental models. We learned in basic psychology and economics classes that people are motivated by money and tying rewards to individual performance will improve results.

Tip #3: Compensate associates for a broad spectrum of contribution – individual, team, organisation, and company performance – mirroring what the organisation and marketplace require to survive.

For example:

• Research indicates bonuses motivate performance only for mechanical skills.
• For cognitive skills, bonuses actually drive poor performance.
• Designing roles for autonomy, mastery, and purpose drives cognitive skills.

Myth #4: “I know my people.”
How well do you really know what motivates each of your people? Consider this research conducted by Professor Ken Kovac at George Mason University:

The 10 elements here are a mixture of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators. The results of Ken’s research are representative of many similar studies I have seen. For example, supervisors almost always list “good wages” as number one on their employees’ list; yet “good wages” are usually no better than number five on the employees’ list. I realise the preferences of your people may be different from this study. Therefore, read carefully Tip #4!

Tip #4: Compile a profile of the key work-related needs of people in your organisation and then design your purpose/goals and the work itself to align with your people’s intrinsic motivation:

The product of your design work will be an improved rewards system.

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The brutal reality of COVID-19 has shown us all how critical people leadership and culture is. It has pushed us to elevate our human capacity for care, connection and understanding, as we lead employees through unprecedented change.

How businesses responded during this time will forever make an impression on our most valuable assets – our people. So, how can organisations build an effective health and wellbeing (HWB) strategy that provides the appropriate mental, physical, social and emotional support that current and future employees expect?

To gain insight, Vitality Works conducted research across 13 industry sectors in Australia and New Zealand. The results provided unique understandings into how COVID-19 has impacted businesses and the influence a post-COVID world will have on the future of health and wellbeing. 

Treat employees as people and not just as workers
People are the lifeline of any organisation. Without them, companies don’t exist. And while this has always been a truth, the pandemic has shone a much-needed light on it and prompted organisations to prioritise the health and wellbeing of their employees.

According to the Vitality Works Corporate Wellness in a New Era Survey, in the 12 months pre-pandemic, only 40 per cent of organisations viewed having a HWB strategy as a high priority. Now that number has increased to 82 per cent and is growing.

Depression and anxiety; mental wellbeing; team morale; fatigue/burnout and physical wellbeing are five of the top issues that our research identified as potentially negatively impacting employees over the next six months due to COVID-19.

After what has been a gruelling 2020 for many employees and a blurring of the boundaries between work and home, there is now an expectation that organisations will have a robust HWB strategy if they are to attract and retain talent. From an employee’s perspective, health and wellbeing can no longer remain a box-ticking exercise. It needs to be part of the company ethos.

As people leaders, we must heed this opportunity to look beyond the “worker” and view, understand and support individuals in their totality. Our number one goal now should be to help employees take small steps every day to create a culture of mental safety and openness, both in their work and home lives. 

Safety and mental health challenges are constant
The past year has illustrated the impact that change and uncertainty is having on mental health and safety, and it has reinforced that it’s not just temporary, but ongoing.

As a result, organisations must respond by expanding or redeveloping their HWB strategies to help employees deal not only with the physical, psychological and work-related challenges faced since the pandemic, but also to navigate the change and uncertainty that lie ahead.

The pandemic prompted many employers to integrate new technology quickly to meet the changing needs of remote workers. The exciting opportunity moving forward is to encourage staff to connect virtually and to use technological changes to help deliver more targeted, personalised and innovative health and wellbeing initiatives.

Depression and anxiety; mental wellbeing; team morale; fatigue/burnout and physical wellbeing are five of the top issues that our research identified as potentially negatively impacting employees over the next six months due to COVID-19.

To manage this, it will be critical for people leaders to take a whole-person view of individuals, helping them build their mental, social, physical, financial, vocational and spiritual wellbeing, now and into the future.

For remote workers, re-examining personal safety policies to include family violence protection measures and additional addiction support may be required on an ongoing basis by some organisations. 

Understanding the post COVID work and critical next steps
HR and wellness professionals are not only finding that the HWB needs of employees have changed, but the method of delivery of HWB programs must be adapted to meet the needs of a hybrid workforce.

The pandemic prompted many employers to integrate new technology quickly to meet the changing needs of remote workers. The exciting opportunity moving forward is to encourage staff to connect virtually and to use technological changes to help deliver more targeted, personalised and innovative health and wellbeing initiatives.

Wearable technology, health apps, telemedicine and digital communication offer new, interactive methods of delivering wellness initiatives, allowing businesses to reach employees across multiple locations and working situations.

Central to the success of such initiatives, however, will be people leaders who have the knowledge, tools, and skills to lead on mindfulness strategies and manage mental health issues through proactive and preventative approaches. 

Our number one goal now should be to help employees take small steps every day to create a culture of mental safety and openness, both in their work and home lives. 

Measurement has never been so important
Vitality Works research revealed that more than 30 per cent of organisations don’t measure the effectiveness of their wellness programs. This is despite the significant influence that the health and wellbeing of our workforce has on culture, performance and business success.

Collecting data and measuring the outcomes of your HWB programs not only helps to determine ROI and employee outcomes, but is critical for garnering insights into an employee’s health, their health behaviours, and their readiness for growth and development.

Adopting digital HWB initiatives offers a natural opportunity for data capture. In addition to tracking hard data, it will also be important to regularly survey employees about their perceptions of your organisation’s HWB program and its effectiveness.

As this new frontier of people leadership is upon us and employee HWB becomes a key barometre for success, businesses are encouraged to use these insights to build from or refine their health and wellness strategy for 2021 and beyond.

Key takeaways

• Since the pandemic, there is now an expectation that organisations will have a robust HWB strategy if they are to attract and retain talent.
• Blurred work and home boundaries have pushed organisations to look at HWB support across the whole person, not just the ‘worker’.
• Safety and mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic are ongoing and need to be addressed accordingly by organisations.
• Embracing digital technologies offers the ability to be more targeted, personalised and innovative with health and wellbeing initiatives.
• Data collection from, and evaluation of, HWB initiatives is essential for determining ROI and garnering insights into employee health, health behaviours, and readiness for growth and development.

Download our Free Whitepaper: Corporate Wellness in a new Era – http://bit.ly/VW-Whitepaper

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With COVID-19 has come challenge and opportunity for workplaces, and as you look into the future what do you want to leave behind and carry forward in terms of how you work?

Answering this question is important on two fronts. Firstly, it is too soon to go back to pre-pandemic ways of working, and secondly, COVID has accelerated workplace change with much of it here to stay.

This process starts with identifying what is working for you, your team and organisation. Think about what you have enjoyed, the benefit received and why you want it to continue. Write these down and reflect on why it matters. Next, look at what has not worked and why. Identifying the root cause is important to determine if that new way of working should be disbanded or just needs to be tweaked.

It can be helpful to invite your team members to participate in this review, so you get their perspective on the workplace. Doing this also helps to build their buy-in and commitment to future change.

Different speeds
As part of this process, recognise that the level of adjustment and adaptation required across workplaces has and will continue to be mixed.

For some employees, the rapid move to working from home has been successful – with less commuting, better work-life balance, and access to effective technology to support productivity. For others, it has been stressful as they juggle home-schooling, have no defined workspace nor the technology needed to work effectively. As well, for people who draw energy from connecting with colleagues, they are missing the office banter and casual conversations.

These impacts translate into variations in productivity and engagement. Consequently, it’s essential to recognise each team member’s needs and to understand what they need to be at their best at work.

People want to feel they matter and to know they are valued. Leaders should continue to set regular times to check in with their team. These check-ins are not just about how tasks are progressing; they’re about finding out how the team member is going on an emotional and mental health level too.

Create choice
Many organisations are now using the term ‘work from anywhere’; signifying that the traditional model of sourcing employees who are willing to be locally based or travel frequently has shifted. This opens organisations to a broader talent pool.

For employees, it also means they are no longer geographically hamstrung from applying for roles that are based overseas.

As well, some people are keen to get back into the office, and others less so. Examine your workforce and roles to determine the options and flexibility that can continue.

Not everything translates virtually
Working from home is here to stay, but connection and time with team members and colleagues will always be necessary.

Humans are tribal creatures, who are hard-wired for connection. Part of the joy and happiness that people experience at work comes from the banter and chats they have with colleagues. Nothing can replace the casual corridor conversation or chat in the tea-room.

Recognise that not everything can be done remotely (or done as effectively remotely). Leaders will want to consider where face to face sessions are more productive and effective, and where remote will work just as well.

Step up and lead
Leadership matters no matter the working environment – be it the office or home. The best leaders appreciate this and are shifting and elevating their leadership style to suit these new circumstances. They understand that in times of challenge and uncertainty they need to provide more, not less leadership.

People want to feel they matter and to know they are valued. Leaders should continue to set regular times to check in with their team. These check-ins are not just about how tasks are progressing; they’re about finding out how the team member is going on an emotional and mental health level too.

For some employees, the rapid move to working from home has been successful – with less commuting, better work-life balance, and access to effective technology to support productivity. For others, it has been stressful as they juggle home-schooling, have no defined workspace nor the technology needed to work effectively.

Support healthy practices
Central to creating a healthy environment is the relationship the leader has with their team members. Successful relationships are underpinned by psychological safety. This is an environment where people are comfortable to share what is working or not working for them, how they are feeling and to be their authentic self.

It helps if you, as the leader, role model self-care behaviours.

Encourage your team members to take care of their physical and mental health. For example, taking regular breaks during the day, noticing, and managing workplace stress, and having a safe space for your team to talk about their mental health and well-being.

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More than six months into remote working and the initial novelty has well and truly been replaced by collective fatigue. Isolation from colleagues, feeling like we’re ‘always on’, and the stresses of home-schooling have combined to create extremely challenging conditions for workers, both physically and mentally.

In fact, according to Springfox’s latest study, The Australian Workforce Response to COVID-19, the biggest cause of heightened stress for 55 per cent of respondents was changes to ways of working – which includes having to adapt to new technologies and dealing with blurred boundaries between work and home. As a result, many workers are now finding themselves on the brink of burning out.

It can be near impossible to spot the signs of burnout in a virtual workforce, especially when leaders are unsure of what to look out for. Despite this, in order for organisations to survive and thrive through the pandemic and beyond, employee wellbeing should be a priority for leaders everywhere. If you’re wondering how to identify the signs of burnout in a remote workforce, consider these indicators.

As we move into 2021, it’s highly likely we’ll see a delayed effect of burnout and mental illness sweep across our workforce, as we grapple with the transition into a post-COVID world.

They’re online for long hours
Extended or unusual work hours can be one of the most telling signs of someone experiencing burnout. If you notice your staff logging on very early in the morning or remaining online until late into the evening, it could be a sign that they’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling with their workload.

Some organisations allow staff the flexibility to start earlier or work later depending on their preference, but it’s important to ensure staff are choosing these hours rather than feeling they have no choice. Encourage staff not to stay online any longer than necessary and consider re-evaluating priorities so your team understand which tasks can be left for the next day. Leaders should also lead by example and log off at a reasonable time, and avoid sending emails after 6pm.

They appear fatigued during video calls
Video calls can offer very important insight into how your staff are coping. If an employee frequently appears noticeably fatigued or worn out, it might be a sign that they’re under excessive stress. You should also take notice of body language and facial expressions, such as slumping or resting their head in their hands, or appearing frustrated or sad, as these can also point to burnout.

Leaders should endeavour to check in with staff frequently, especially those who appear to be struggling. If the underlying cause of their exhaustion is work-related, leaders should consider ways to support the employee to alleviate undue stress – this could include temporarily reducing their workload, connecting them to the organisation’s EAP program, or encouraging a mental health day to rest and recover.

They don’t log off to take breaks
Working from home has undoubtedly blurred the lines between work and life, with many of us finding we now work and relax in the same space. But if it seems your staff rarely log off to take breaks throughout the day, it could be a sign they’re overworking – or feeling pressured to do so.

Remote working has, in many cases, rid us of our usual daily routines – which means having a coffee in the break room or ducking out for lunch with a colleague is now no longer on the cards. Nevertheless, remind staff of their break entitlements and encourage them to use them fully, especially while working from home. It’s also important for leaders to lead by example and ensure they’re taking regular breaks themselves, so that staff feel comfortable to do the same.

Encourage staff not to stay online any longer than necessary and consider re-evaluating priorities so your team understand which tasks can be left for the next day.

Their productivity is declining
High levels of stress and mental fatigue have a direct negative impact on productivity. Staff who are experiencing these symptoms are likely to feel disengaged and have trouble concentrating on their work, meaning they’re more likely to drop the ball or make uncharacteristic errors.

Leaders should demonstrate compassion and empathy when broaching the subject of performance with staff by acknowledging the impact of the shift to remote working, and discussing ways the employee may feel more supported to do their best work.

These are some of the more common indicators of burnout, however it’s important for leaders to remain attentive to their team’s wellbeing to ensure other signs are not missed. While burnout in the remote workforce is, in many ways, a result of the unique circumstances facing organisations and their people this year, leaders should be very mindful that this won’t simply end in 2020. Rather, as we move into 2021, it’s highly likely we’ll see a delayed effect of burnout and mental illness sweep across our workforce, as we grapple with the transition into a post-COVID world.

Leaders should endeavour to check in with staff frequently, especially those who appear to be struggling. If the underlying cause of their exhaustion is work-related, leaders should consider ways to support the employee to alleviate undue stress.

Just because your team is working remotely, doesn’t mean you should discount professional learning and development programs either. Our research has shown formal resilience training programs deliver a 30 per cent reduction, on average, in anxiety and depression symptoms, and there are many ways these programs can be delivered to remote working teams.

After all, there’s never been a more important time to build the strength and resilience of your greatest asset – your staff.

Image Source: Pexels

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What I don’t like about office Christmas Parties is looking for a job the next day – Phyllis Diller

It’s that time of the year, in a year like no other, when the excitement and anticipation of the office Christmas Party starts to build to fever pitch.

Many will have already called off the end of year festivities, particularly those who have decided to make 2020 the year of WFH, and will opt for the virtual celebrations over Zoom, MS Teams, Skype for Business, or whatever their platform of choice has become. No doubt there will be disappointment for some who look forward to the end of year catch up and the chance to celebrate with their work colleagues.

However, as some states are more advanced in re-opening, the planning and excitement will be building. There will be many who after a year of constraints, will be ready to unleash at what could possibly be their first human to human social event for 8 months.

As a manager, how can you ensure that all of this built up excitement, energy and need to let go doesn’t end up in throwing more curveballs into a year that has already provided the greatest challenges you have ever faced?

Here are five failsafe ways to keep that Christmas Party from going sideways and turning 2021 into another year to forget from the fallout of a bad end to 2020:

1. Open Bars Are Recipes for Disaster 
   Similar to the saying, “like pigs to strawberries.” You know the type who usually sip away on a beer or a nice glass of pinot are all of a sudden doing laybacks or shots at the bar. It doesn’t take long and things will get very messy. It’s better to cop some criticism for limiting the drinks menu, and possibly having a tab for a limited time than having two or three of the team comatose on tequila slammers.
2. Company Policy Applies to Secret Santa
   One of the fun elements at an end of year bash is receiving a gift from a secret Santa at work. Unfortunately, in the excitement of the gift buying moment, there’s a chance that a ‘joke’ or a ‘fun present’ will cause someone personal harm and will potentially breach company policy. The last thing you want to do in the break is investigate via the process of elimination who the culprit was. A timely disclaimer is the best way to remind work colleagues of their responsibilities.
3. Say no to a Booze Fuelled Performance or Pay Review
   As a manager, you know there will be a chance that one of your team members will still be carrying some baggage from the latest pay or performance review. Once they get on the truth serum, there’s every chance of a confrontation with them. This can be embarrassing for both of you. Keep an eye on that team member and shutdown any conversation they look to start very quickly with a simple “we’re here to enjoy each other’s company, not talk work.”
4. Set Yourself a Time Window
   Whilst you are the manager, you aren’t a babysitter or security guard that needs to be there until the last patron potentially staggers out of the function. Go along with an exit strategy for yourself, and stick to it. I’m sure there will be some ridicule but it will soon be forgotten when you next see the troops in 2021.
5. Social Distancing Still Applies
   Whilst it is fantastic we can get back together, remember that by law, there are still social distancing protocols to cover off on and a whole group photo at the end of the night (you get my drift) once everyone has had a bevvy or two will not bode well when it gets posted and commented by your resident company social influencer. These images could land you in hot water with more than your CEO. Remind people of the current laws to avoid any potential fallout.

I’m not for one moment being the party pooper here, however humans who have been cooped up for up to 8 months in some places have been released and this could end in tears at the end of year company Christmas party.

A few friendly words of reminder about protocols, policy and laws here and there will go a long way to having a night to remember for the right reasons.

We all deserve a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays in 2020.

Image Source: Unsplash

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Organisations are facing an increasing challenge of leadership attrition and disconnection. No sector or industry is devoid of leaders questioning their values and purpose. Leaders are often beyond exhausted dealing with their core remits whilst simultaneously defending other, and often indefensible situations. Many feel demoralised from empty excuses denying accountability and responsibility.

The impact of COVID-19 has exacerbated disharmony with many questioning if they should stay or leave.

Association impact
Whenever there is wrongdoing, its common those proximate to the transgressor/s will experience the impact of the misconduct and vicarious shame. For example, family members of someone charged with a felony are often tarred by association.

Now imagine that impact resultant of organisations or an industry thrust in the spotlight for misconduct. Leaders are subsequently obliged to deflect PR issues to their teams which creates ethical discomfort and psychological compromise.

Loss of trust
Central to confidence and engagement is the belief that work has real meaning and positively impacts others. If leaders are unable to respect their workplace, self-reliance is the only way to survive. But that is a lonely and untenable road leading to burnt out.

Many competent and values based leaders are losing energy and feeling increasingly powerless to make critical changes. Pretences of ‘all is rosy, nothing to see here’ is not believed by staff and trust is further lost.

The tug of war 
Leaders often wrestle with an internal tug of war including:

1. I work for self-interested people
2. My industry has too much bad PR
3. I care for my staff and cannot abandon them.
4. I’m very well paid so put up with it
5. I’m not a quitter and must bring change.
6. Who will employ me? This is all I know
7. Be positive, things might improve
8. I have a family to support

Untangling the mess
Untangling the mess of conflicting thoughts swirling is the first step. Acknowledging your situation is real and not a delusion or conspiracy is crucial.

Confiding with a trusted friend or mentor is the next in understanding your cognitive feelings and responses. Reflecting on how issues impact your wellbeing and career reduces feelings of isolation and hopelessness. Next is to get off the floor and review the situation from the balcony. Gaining distance on the the balcony creates real perspective to draw a draw bigger picture of what are deeply complex issues.

Learning to hold multiple and competing perspectives is a capability foundational for effective leadership. The capacity to see the ‘system’ through multiple lenses is essential to navigate the complexity of moral paralysis.

Conquering rumination
Once greater perspective has provided a more informed picture leading to greater clarity, now is the time to act. And essential to this is to move away from all the tail-chasing and procrastination to make clear distinctions between actions and beliefs.

But many are stuck in a spiral of rumination. Being in this spiral encourages feelings of hopelessness to change. The cycle is pernicious in keeping leaders stuck and not evolving. Each time an action seems clear, rumination can bites again.

Albert Einstein famously quoted: “We cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”

Rumination is incessant thoughts spinning in circles without any destination or positive outcome and is correlated to cycles of depression. Minimising is crucial for effective leadership, mental health, well-being and decision making.

Active reflection
A core component decision making is active reflection. It is asking the hard questions and examining evidence of attitudes and beliefs preventing growth, including:

1. Do I work here out of fear or a sense of obligation?
2. Am I leading with integrity?
3. Where is the focus – me or others?
4. Is my leadership making a positive impact?
5. Can I be part of the change that is needed?
6. Is the problem insurmountable?
7. What is my role and obligations here?
8. Can I find a way forward that does not conflict with my values and ethics?

From a psychological standpoint reflecting brings us back to a mid-point but action is required to move forward to a place of psychological thriving and wellbeing.

It is only through action that we can truly change how we feel about a situation and change the problem itself. Goal setting and action has the effect on rumination that sunlight has on vampires; it kills it dead.

Stay or leave? 
Reflection provides clarity of what we can control and what we can influence. Raging against t issues out of our control fuels incredible existential angst and feelings of despondency.

After weighing up all that is occurring, you may decide leaving is in your best interests. Or you may decide to stay and take a different approach, or transition careers elsewhere. . Whatever your decision, make it one that you are proud of owning and acting upon.

Whatever the decision the key act is to commit and stick to it without waver. If you do not do this, you just end up boarding the express train to a deeper malaise and hole.

Perhaps an option is with a caveat of eighteen aligned with three specific changes sought. Remember every skill and experience has other applications and clarity of confidence and self-determination is key.

Final question
The final question leaders must ask is:

 ‘Where can I serve that makes a meaningful contribution?‘

If having to wrestle with moral dilemmas means you are unable to show up in a way that is authentic and congruent then the decision is clear. Where you serve as a leader is unimportant as what matters is how you lead.

Image Source: Pexels

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