So what has the pandemic taught you? Every one I speak to has at least one story about what they have learned during the pandemic period. Whether it is how to unplug, read more, learn a new skill, pivot to a new facet of their business, swivel to a completely new business or just learn more about spending quality time with the family.

So, what we don’t want to do is forget these as we start moving towards the new normal.

Here’s 5 mistakes you don’t want to make as we prepare for the new normal.

1.Forget How the Office Environment Has Changed

Just as adjusting to working from home was an acute change, so also will returning to the office. For many, they will not make that change easily, and will not want to do it. We may have to be more flexible and offer a hybrid system to ease back into things, and be mindful to keeping options open. Many of our clients and business owners I speak to, have already decided to reduce their office space and just have a core of people in the office. Many others have already made the leap and gone completely virtual. But whatever the decision, consider the impact on your people. See 4. Below.

2. Ignore the Changes Others Have Been Through

Just as you have gone through many changes during this time, never lose sight of the fact that so have the people that work for you. Enforced lock down, quarantines, kids constantly home from school and financial worries, are just some of the stressful bye products that our people have gone through. Stress and anxiety have increased for all meaning that we need to be more empathetic than maybe we normally are or have been.

3.Forget What We Stand For

Whatever the changes, our Core Values should not have changed. Now is a great time to re visit these and remind you, your people, customers or clients and suppliers what you stand for. It’s yours and your stakeholders anchor and it says what you believe in and with all this change, you need to remain true to them. It will build on your trust bank.

4.Focus on Metrics and Not Your People

Photo by Luke Chesser on Unsplash

More than half of employees surveyed in North America plan to look for a new job in 2021, according to a new report, while separate research shows that a quarter of workers plan to quit their jobs outright once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides and recruiting efforts ramp up. The institute surveyed 2,000 employed adults in February, finding that 52 percent are looking for a new job, up from 35 percent a year earlier.

The pandemic has provided people time to reevaluate work life balance and what they want from a job, and it appears many are not getting it. What can you do to retain your people and attract new hires?

5.Forget the New Habits You Have Learned 

The pandemic has provided many of us with a great opportunity to change our lives. Whether has been learning things, reading more, started scenario planning, pivoting our business, spending more time with the family, reflecting – don’t revert. Make sure we maintain some of these new healthy habits that we have learnt.

The new normal is going to be challenging in many ways, but we should be careful not to rush back to a place, as if none of this never happened. If we do, we will be wasting a wonderful learning opportunity that can make us stronger in the brave new world.

 

Featured Photo by Adam Nieścioruk on Unsplash