What Have We Learned?

Workplaces for Everyone

One of the many takeaways I have from living and working during this pandemic-

Previously, the business world spent a really long time telling everyone (and especially the disabled community) that they were unable to meet their needs, specifically around remote work. And that was… totally false.

Clearly, we are able to figure it out if we have to. And in the conversation about when to “open back up,” it feels like we are starting from all the same (read, stale) paradigms as before. So here are some thoughts for business leaders to consider:

1. If you feel or are being told that you have to have team leaders in the same space as their team so that they are confident work is getting done, then you have either the wrong people on your team or, more likely, the wrong team leader.
2. Work flexibility isn’t a gift that an employer is giving to an employee. We are human, companies are made up of humans, let’s stop pretending otherwise. Whole humans, with full lives, create the best work environment and product, and smart leaders embrace that. We have to stop believing that we can compartmentalize into perfection, it’s a failed and short-sighted understanding of people and work.
3. Workspaces, systems, and structures that are built for everyone will work better… FOR EVERYONE. Employees not specifically seeking accommodation, benefit from a work environment that is happy to meet their needs and more importantly, eager to have the conversation. Self-aware employees that feel comfortable talking to their teams about what works best for them or what they need are assets, not problems
4. We can hold both. Let’s talk about the things that we feel are lost or missed in the switch to remote work alongside the benefits it has. This is not an all-or-nothing conversation and shouldn’t be framed as such. Spend the time, talk to your people, what works for them? How can you as a business leader meet your team where they’re at? Let’s acknowledge that we are humans, not robots. We thrive in different environments and with varying amounts and types of support. Don’t be afraid to ask your team how they are feeling, what is helping them through their weeks and what is feeling like a huge mountain to climb. Build a practice around these conversations, embrace the vulnerability that it requires.