(This post has been updated to reflect the state of the pandemic in December 2021.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a long, slow-moving tragedy that has upended day-to-day life around the globe. The past two years have been marked by constant stress and uncertainty. We don’t know when we’ll finally escape pandemic purgatory—just when we think the worst is over, a new variant pops up and we prepare for a longer recovery timeline.

Over the past 24 months, businesses have had to rethink internal procedures, navigate operational challenges, and manage a remote workforce. Against this complex backdrop, most organizations’ first priority has been crisis response and emphasizing physical and mental health and safety.

As workplaces continue to reopen, it is important to note that recovery will not be linear. Uncertainty about the new Omicron variant and polarization surrounding the vaccine and employer mandates have complicated return-to-office plans. As a result, many organizations are pushing back return dates and implementing hybrid working arrangements.

It is clear that simply resuming business as usual is no longer an option. The COVID crisis has shown that effective leaders must engage their workforce and set a new direction that reflects the conditions of the “new now”. For instance, some people might need the office for their well-being, while others have gotten used to working from home and are comfortable continuing to do so. A Wells Fargo/Gallup survey found 42% of 1,094 workers surveyed had a positive view of working remotely, versus 14% who viewed it negatively.

While recovery is not a one-size-fits-all approach, we believe a 360-degree Readiness-Response-Recovery framework (Figure 1) can help organizations move from responding to the immediate crisis to preparing for life post-crisis.

The process of readiness, response, and recovery is a continuous loop of activity, not a single event. We view readiness as ongoing. When leaders exhibit readiness, it allows an appropriate response, resulting in recovery.

Readiness involves polling team members. How leaders respond is key. There should be open discussion as leaders reflect on the changing environment, employees’ current home/life situation, and changes with an eye toward the future.  Leaders should ask questions such as:

  • How can we work together to help reduce your anxiety?
  • How are we making sure that health and safety are at the top of the agenda?
  • How are you handling stress and what can we do to help with stress management?
  • How is your family holding up?
  • Do you have everything you need to be productive?
  • How would you change your role, if you could, in a way that might help?
  • What has this time revealed about our organizational culture that is going to need to change in the future?

Response

Here are some actions that leaders can initiate immediately — to Respond now:

  • Be realistic about the promise – and the reality – of technology.
  • Take employees’ personal challenges seriously and provide true resources.
  • Rethink time management and rearrange the workday if needed.
  • Hone in on what’s critical and what can wait.
  • Acknowledge and tackle the gap in informal interaction to continue to drive innovation and problem-solving.

Recovery includes finding a balance between returning to something resembling normal and reimagining future operations. As leaders move into the post-crisis recovery they can:

  • Seek to understand, collect data, and connect with team members out of a spirit of curiosity.
  • Treat the process like an onboarding process – with a focus on (re) introducing the company culture.
  • Acknowledge that employees’ experiences may be very different – and ever changing.
  • Address rewards and performance metrics.
  • Most importantly – give people a voice.

Dr. Kathy Garrett, Co-Founder at The Propel Consulting Group, states, “Most corporations have a bias for action versus a bias for thought.” In this uncertain time, it is vital that corporations have both a bias for action AND a bias for thought.  Listen to your team and collaborate. Get input on what is and isn’t working, and allow different options to the extent that you can. It’s really about the emotional state of teams and what is going to work best for them so that they can stay high-performing.

In the most effective turnarounds, leaders devote a portion of time to thinking beyond the crisis, finding ways to transform after the worst is over. By embracing continuous improvement and treating this moment as a learning opportunity, leaders can strengthen and prepare their teams for the reality of the ongoing pandemic and help them navigate what comes next.

To learn more about The Propel Consulting Group and the programs we are offering to teams and leaders in the Era of Covid, please contact us at info@thepropel.com.

References:

Drake, E. and Connor, T. (2020, 17 June). “Lead with Curiosity as You Prepare Employees to Return” Crain’s Chicago Business. https://www.chicagobusiness.com/chicago-comes-back/lead-curiosity-you-prepare-employees-return

Schwartz, J. and Hatfield, S. (2020) Workforce Strategies for Post-COVID Recovery [White Paper]. https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/covid-19/covid-19-workforce-strategies-for-post-covid-recovery.html