Change has been an overwhelming reality for most employers (and employees) over the past 18 months – from a very sudden hard-lockdown in March of 2020, to months of working from home, the ongoing threat of Covid, restructures, layoffs, vaccines, and more recently the debate around a return to work.
During the long months of 2020, Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum stated, “The pandemic represents a rare but narrow window of opportunity to reflect, reimagine, and reset our world”. This statement, and others like it, inspired many to start reimagining the world of work, exploring hybrid working models and dreaming of more flexible work arrangements.
Fast forward to the third quarter of 2021 – we are now entering a new chapter within our pandemic story – the world of work post vaccine, without the possible existential threat of serious health implications to those that have been vaccinated, should they contract the virus. As we start to explore the options of our people returning to the office, the dreams of a reimagined future may be overshadowed by the temptation to return to “normal” as quickly as possible.
As employers, we need to be aware that a rare window of opportunity exists to turn our dreams of a reimagined workplace to reality – we need to mindfully and purposefully create safe workplaces that shift various previously held toxic beliefs and behaviours, and cultivate ways of being that will transform team culture to one that is psychologically safe. Among these previously held toxic beliefs are the need to be always available (presenteeism), the glorification of overwork, wearing busyness as a badge of honour, and the various biases that prevent employees from speaking up, challenging norms, asking questions and feeling that they are heard, valued and truly belong. These relics of pre-pandemic ways of working have no place in a reimagined workplace that embraces the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of it’s people.
Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, Amy Edmondson says that anyone can create a culture of psychological safety by framing the work and context, by asking explicit questions, listening, and responding appropriately. She says that small actions: humility, empathy, curiosity all help.
So, what can you do to start cultivating an environment of psychological safety within your team?
- Start with a conversation – discuss the current team culture openly and invite input from your team members about what behaviours need to shift within the team. Withold judgement and have this conversation in the spirit of curiosity – ask questions with genuine interest, show your own vulnerability and allow your team members to be open and honest without fear of retribution. List those behaviours that you are all willing to commit to and hold one another accountable to them.
- Openly discuss and acknowledge the value that each member brings to the team and invite their input and best thinking on challenges that the team are facing.
- Be more humble and vulnerable – share your own feelings and gaps and invite others to share theirs
- Be courageous and admit when you’re wrong. Acknowledge the contributions and suggestions of others and thank them for stepping up.
- Focus on becoming a better listener, and choose to listen well before responding – embrace a coaching style of leadership.
- Encourage feedback by asking others to give you feedback first.
You may be asking if it really is this simple – and yes, it is, and it isn’t – we are all creatures of habit and it is easy to return to our habitual patterns of behaviour and thinking. For us to change these, we need to become consciously aware of what needs to shift, deliberately focus on creating new ways of being and hold others accountable too.
