The better normal

Everywhere you turn someone is using the phrase ‘the new normal’. But how about using ‘the better normal’ instead.
 
A normal where employees are trusted to do the job they are employed to do. A normal where they can choose where and when they work. A normal where we don’t have to jump through lots of hoops in terms of outdated HR policies and practices. A normal where the starting position is that every job can be done flexibly.

The reality is that organisations are going to need to look past simply returning to how things used to be because employee expectations have changed. 

Whilst people are missing the human interaction of working in the office, they are thriving on not working in noisy, open plan offices and are having time to think. 

They are able to spend more quality time with their families or squeeze in some exercise without losing time on their daily commute. 

They can take the dog for a walk at lunchtime and still get their job done.

This does however need to be balanced out as for some they are working longer hours as it is difficult to switch off from work and ‘leave the office’ or for others they are not able to create a suitable working space at home. 

For People Managers they are expected to have all the answers and make sure they are always checking in on their teams but who is checking in on them?

Some employees are struggling with ‘Zoom fatigue’ and others are struggling with the isolation and are counting down the days to returning to the office (whenever that might be). 

Everything has been turned upside down over the last 3 months and organisations have taken leaps forward in their thinking and approaches to flexibility.

Changes to ways of working have been forced through and now is the time to embrace what has worked well, look at ways to improve what has been more challenging and keep moving forward to create our own better normal.

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