How To Help Your Organization Transition to a Post-Pandemic Life
Congratulations! Your organization has survived the pandemic, perhaps even thrived. You have been nimble, pivoted, adapted to meetings on video calls – agile is your middle name. However, the post-pandemic period is already highlighting the need to continue to be flexible and efficient because people don’t just “snap back” to the way things were. As we adjust to life post-shutdown, where should you be focusing your efforts?
Your organization can no longer rely on what works “right now,” even if you are doing well. Your decisions in the near term should support your recovery period and plan for long-term success. Leaders who ignore this period of individual and organizational transition will find the recovery more complicated than they expect.
Here are three critical areas, most integral to long term sustainability as we adjust to life post-pandemic:
Governance in a virtual world
In my consulting work, I see organizations whose governance didn’t allow them to continue to conduct business virtually. Most not-for-profit bylaws don’t have provisions for electronic voting or meetings because they don’t often practice reviewing them on a routine basis. Sometimes, bylaws haven’t been reviewed or updated in years, often the surprise of the board chair. Most cannot make necessary changes until the next board meeting.
It’s easy to see in hindsight that organizations need to ensure that they can function effectively in a virtual environment that is now ubiquitous. It is worth asking, “what can we learn from our current situation that will enable us to be adaptable and more agile in the future?’.
Reevaluate Staffing
A recent article by Ty West in the Chicago Business Journal made it clear how much leverage employees have at this time. Work arrangements from location to benefits that were once uncommon are now requirements for some. For example, working remotely and having flexibility in a work schedule are priorities during this transition. Does your organization have a good understanding of what talented people want beyond compensation? Even if you believe you do, it’s worth making sure.
Developing a long-term staffing model that addresses our current climate is imperative to maintaining high employee satisfaction and productivity level. Companies need to address the productivity gaps found during the pandemic and ensure their culture transitions with the rest of the organization.
Rebounding
Many leaders expect and are eager for a rebound, as are employees. They are rebounding enthusiasm, creativity, teamwork, and results. Understandably, leaders might over-index on optimism as the fears we’ve lived with for more than a year become less acute. However, the pandemic has changed us and will affect how we work. Leaders will be contending with employees who no longer want to work in an office or travel, for example.
Marilyn Jansen, Director of Business Development at Association Management Center, realizes that many organizations face tough decisions around staff structure and operational management. She right to be concerned, not because leaders don’t recognize the challenges but because some may over-estimate the rebound effect. In contrast, others may be hampered by bureaucracy, old habits that no longer serve them, or in some cases, fear.
A surge of positive emotion is very likely, but so are behaviors that might surprise leaders, such as inconsistency or distractability. Leaders need to show patience with people and themselves.
Your employees are the lifeblood of your organization. This notion has become even more evident as we’ve adjusted over the last year and will require your commitment to further change for your organization. Now is the time to capitalize on that rebounding high and position your company for monumental success.
