2020 wrap: a tough year for workers & leaders everywhere. Thank you!

What a year. If I told you at this time last year that this is where we would be today would you believe it? 2020 has been undeniably challenging for workers and leaders across the globe. The mere act of going to the workplace has been anxiety provoking for many and practically prohibitive for others. The events that transpired were "unprecedented" as humans around the world "pivoted" and adapted to new ways of working and counted their blessings as the lucky ones who were privileged to keep their jobs. Essential workers have been more essential and vulnerable than ever. They have shown up and shouldered the burden for their communities because they could, because they felt they should and at times when no one else would.

Political, business, community and health leaders faced the greatest challenges of their generation of leaders. In Australia we have battled bushfires, floods and the Covid-19 pandemic, with both gratitude and trepidation as we watched the horrifying news developing across the world regarding the plight of our global counterparts.

Leaders have been grappling with the burden of managing the public health crisis and keeping our vulnerable populations safe whilst also considering the unquantifiable impact on the wellbeing and livelihoods of their people. The considerations are many and varied from health considerations, vulnerabilities, comorbidities, economic impacts and the effects of isolation, substance abuse, mental illness, poverty and family violence. Too many women were killed in Australia this year. 52 to date. One a week. One a week too many. We need to do more. My mission for 2021 is to continue to do so.

The challenge for leaders has been that for every decision intended to have a positive or protective effect on one facet of our society, there is a counteracting negative effect on another. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (Newtown). Yet decisions need to be made faster than we have ever made them before and they are the most impactful and consequential ones leaders are likely to have ever made in their careers. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. There will always be consequences and criticism but inertia is not an option. Although the critics of decisions are many, few envy those forced to make them.

Work from home has been the hero of the pandemic by ensuring health, safety, business continuity and income maintenance for many workers globally. Nothing is perfect and there seems to be consensus that a hybrid model that captures the best of both worlds is ideal, but it has been a privilege as Flexible Work Ambassador to be part of the movement towards the structural change that I maintain is necessary to build more healthy and inclusive workplaces. Early adopters of work from home models have enjoyed not only business continuity but indeed a competitive advantage as those who historically resisted work from home scrambled to implement it as their "saving grace". Regardless of the circumstances I am grateful that we have seen a transformational change to the workplace that I do not expect we would not have otherwise seen in our lifetime. I hope we can hold on to that to ensure we continue to create healthy and inclusive workplaces where people and organisations thrive.

As we wrap up the year, there is one thing I am consistently hearing and frankly feeling. We are tired. We are tired even though we have not been boarding planes, crossing borders or operating in different time zones. We are tired even though for the best part of the year we were not commuting on public transport, meeting people face to face or attending "real life" events. We are tired even though we have spent more of the year than we could ever dream of in pyjama pants and ugg boots. Our exhausted state has been attributed to "zoom fatigue", "pandemic fatigue", the blurring of work-life boundaries and being constantly "on". There is so much more to it that I can't pretend to understand or articulate. The only thing I know for certain is that it's true.

So it's time. Time to switch off, relax, replenish and rejuvenate. Time to spend quality time with the members of our households we have been dodging all year as we tried to work from home. Time to think of and thank our essential service workers who are unquestionably exhausted and still going. Time to think of leaders and decision makers as humans who have the weight of their workplaces, states and countries on their shoulders. Most of all, it's time to hope for a better, safer and healthier 2021. 2020 has been a lot. It's important we maintain our resilience, learn from the experience, show gratitude to those who have tirelessly worked to lead and protect us and to know that better days are coming. Slowly but surely.

Thank you and happy holidays!