What if those temporary working-from-home measures introduced to deal with the Covid-19 crisis become permanent?
Businesses everywhere are now asking the same questions. Do we really need everyone in the office every day? Do we really need that huge office building?
Many employees and organisations have been forced by this crisis to prove to themselves that they can continue to perform without physically going into an office.
And many of us are realising the potential for our quality of life and work-life balance to improve as we emerge from the pandemic.
No more daily commute. No more fighting for space in the communal fridge. More time to spend with family and friends. More flexibility in our working hours. Less traffic on the roads. Less pollution in the air.
Sounds great right?
But this permanent change in the way we work is going to mean permanent changes in the way we communicate within organisations.
Too much or too little?
In the last few weeks I’ve spoken with numerous people who are finding their internal communications haven’t been able to cope with the pace of change we’ve been all been experiencing.
I’ve also seen some excellent examples of organisations and individual leaders getting it right.
Some organisations have suffered from lack of communication, while others are communicating so much there’s no time to get any actual work done.
There’s no single solution that will address these challenges. The best solution for one organisation won’t work for another. There are so many variables to consider, including:
- Requirements of your service or industry
- The skillsets of of your leaders, managers and teams
- The technology and resources available
- The existing organisational culture (and the culture you want to establish)
Planning for life after the crisis
Those who have made a success of this huge change have taken a considered and reflective approach to their communications.
By now, many organisations will have settled into a new way of doing things that was arrived at hurriedly and out of necessity.
The next challenge may be re-engaging with team-members returning from furlough and only now adapting to working from home.
Looking ahead, you might be thinking about how you’re going to foster team spirit among groups of people who only rarely meet in person and integrate new staff members into established teams.
So now’s the time to critically assess what you’ve been doing. Then you’ll be ready to plan improvements that will keep your organisation thriving as temporary homeworking becomes a permanent way of life.
We can help. Get in touch with Rosebank Media, here support you as you review your internal communications and prepare for a new way of working.
