If Covid-19 has taught us anything this past 10 months, it is the value of people. This is true in both our business and personal lives which have been equally difficult to sustain in the face of such great uncertainty.
We treat personal challenges with importance, empathy, and respect; relying on friends, family, and other loved ones to pick us up when we are down and spur us on when we grasp an opportunity to push forward. We often fail to see that to maintain a positive, productive workforce, the same devotion is required to retain and attract the people who will ultimately help your business be sustainable and profitable.
As I write, I have seen a news flash that Scotland will go into full lockdown until the end of January. It seems inevitable that it is only a matter of time before the rest of the UK follows suit. (It may well have happened by the time this article is published). This does not mean “shutting up shop” for many business – many of our clients provide essential services to the entire population; as with previous lockdowns, operational teams will continue to battle through their day-to-day challenges (now even more difficult due to the winter weather) and strategic corporate functions will do their very best to maintain a forward-thinking mindset despite the lack of certainty around how this year will pan out. Whether your teams are in the office, working from home or out in the field, the pressures of once again working under the tightest restrictions will be difficult, awkward to negotiate and possibly even more tiresome than in March 2020. This will no doubt take its toll on business and personal relationships.
With that in mind, it is still possible to prepare for what is to come and support and lead your teams through the continuing challenges of the Covid pandemic. In speaking with clients, I have been reminded of the valuable lessons we learned through previous lockdowns:
Leaders listen to people’s problems. (People may not speak to you proactively, so you must ask.)
Offer support to address those problems, and you will receive support in return.
Control emotions and reserve judgement before casting an opinion.
Kindness and fairness bring loyalty and respect.
Determination and commitment will help you through the toughest of challenges.
Observe performance; Now is the time to recognise those who endeavour, and those who do not.
Work towards a clear, common goal that benefits you, your people, and your customers.
Never give up!
Your people are the ones who will ultimately get you through the most difficult challenges, so it is important to continually assess, develop, and care for each individual team member, no matter how large or small a role they play in your organisation. One major observation I saw throughout 2020 was the synergy between companies who looked after their people and continued to invest in talent, and the subsequent robustness of performance on individual and company levels. It was an incredibly eye-opening year in which we all learned some huge lessons. The challenge this year is to utilise those lessons and continue to evolve rather than making attempts to revert to the old way of doing things. Only that way will the ‘New Normal’ become just … normal once more.
If you would like to discuss the points raised in this article, the wider market and/or any people challenges or plans you may have for the future, please do not hesitate to contact Chris Smith in confidence via chris.smith@normanbroadbent.com