DEAR MANAGER…. I NEED A HUG; SOMEONE I CAN TALK TO…. I NEED YOU AS MY MENTOR

It is week 10 of my quarantine. I am already counting the days in my walls. A new morning, a new mark. Kids are already up and screaming. I need to feed them, and I also need to take the dog out. It is my day of the week. My other half is already on a conference call, so I cannot count on her. At least, not for now. There is so much I need to get it done at work, and the deadline is approaching me like a bullet train. No, I am not procrastinating. It is just the new reality. If I were working from my office, it would be easier, as I had my colleagues next to me, and I could ask them for help. Now, it is game on. We are all on the same boat. If I need something, I had to try “whatsapping” them, to see if they are available for a call. Most of the times, they are also suffocating, trying to get things done on their side. There is no easy way out. I finally found a way to squeeze a call after lunch. For now, I have to figure it out how to get this task done. Yes, I will get the work done, but it will take me more time. Or, I have to wait for the conference call. Let’s relax a bit. One step at a time. Feed the kids, take the dog out. I cannot deny I am very stressed out. I remember asking my boss if I could work from home, at least once every two weeks. I thought it was a nice break from the office environment. And I had that amazing feeling to wake up a bit late and have a nice breakfast with my family, then after that, sit down on my coach, still wearing my PJ’s, and work. What a great day. It was cute to have the dog barking next to me, asking for a walk, and to help the kids getting ready for school. And now, it is day 46 of the quarantine. No school for the kids, which means, I have to help them with their online classes, trying to figure it out the new way of learning Math, so I can help them. I miss school. Not for me. For them.

I am very stressed out. So are my other 25 colleagues. WE NEED some TLC (tender loving care), from our BOSS. Hello…..BOSS?? Are you there? No, I am not talking about our weekly call with the Team. We are 26 people and there is only 60 minutes, which it means a little bit more than 2 minutes for each person. Not enough. And the BOSS is spending most of the time looking at KPI’s, productivity, and other things. I don’t think he does that on purpose. He never managed a team working from home. He is also working from home. And likely, he has the same “challenges” as most of us. Kids, pets, neighbours, not enough space to work. But he is our boss, and he needs to be ready to step up. There was a reason for him to be there. To guide us, to mentor us, to be our coach, and, moreover, someone we count on, especially during this unforeseen circumstance.

This is the portrait of one of the thousands of employees who had to change their work (and life) style, due to this pandemic. Perhaps, this is the new way to conduct business going forward. Every day, I am watching the news and I hear about large organizations that  are deciding to extend the “working from home” scenario until the end of the year, or, on a more drastic solution, until further notice.

What about management? Are they also getting ready for this change? Weekly KPI meetings won’t work for too long. You MUST connect with your team on a strong EMOTIONAL level. Conversations are going to be tougher, as people are also dealing with their own home issues right in front of them.

Dear Managers, your Team is seeking for your shoulder, for you to be their supporting pillar. Yes, they will find a way to get the work done, but at what cost? Are they worried about their jobs? Absolutely. They have seen friends and family members losing their jobs, as the economy is taking a big hit. But it is not the proper way to get something done. Fear of losing a job will only take you to a certain degree of productivity. My Dear Manager, you will need to learn a new skill, which is 100% related to the human behaviour and how you are going to support it. It is the unexpected change you MUST be ready to face it. On this new scenario, there are no tools available. It is all about being able to engage on a deeper level.  

Dear Managers, are you READY for that? Changes are coming fast. Let me finish by sharing a quick number from a research done in 2018. Back there, looking at North America only, there was a decrease of about 20 to 30% productive hours. A loss in terms of working hours. You know why? Lack of employee engagement with either you and/or the organization. And we were all working under the same space. What about now? What would be your guess? Let’s be prepared for the challenges ahead of us.

If you want to find out more about how to get Management READY to DRIVE the CHANGES, please contact me fabio.negrao@sonzanegrao.com .