2021 Trends in the Workplace Series: A New Player
“To fight such deeply ingrained systems we must be willing to do both internal and external work, working on our indoctrinations and working with others to further the initiatives and efforts that have long been pushing for justice, equity, and systemic change.”
Sonya Renee Taylor, The Body is Not an Apology
Our household watched the Broadway musical Hamilton last week – again. One would think after seeing it so many times that we might tire of the sameness. Well, that’s a no. Every time I watch Hamilton, I find something new in it. My focus in this viewing was the coordination required backstage. Characters are constantly moving up and down, left and right, individually and in groups throughout the whole production. I kept wondering what group managed that movement and how they designed it. Behind the scenes work is just as important as being on stage.
That’s what I want to focus on today – behind the scenes work. This is the fifth post in a six-part blog series about new trends in the workplace. This series has provided an overview of the employee impacts, changing team dynamics, and organizational design shifts required for survival. While we see these trends happening in large organizations, I’m proposing that the same trends will need to happen in small businesses as we face a new future of work. Every business must evolve in this space; however, another piece of this new puzzle is emerging – personal development.
Personal development is the “behind the scenes” work needed to show up differently and effectively in the workplace. Too often we rely upon employers to change us with training and development programs when in reality, employers can only offer the frameworks for personal change. We cannot shift to the next reality of work unless we choose to do so. For example, think of the knowledge-building happening right now in the equity, diversity, and inclusion space. Knowledge and awareness are strong first steps. We must also digest this new knowledge and awareness and show up differently in our relationships and systems. How do we do that? We work on our interior selves.
Uh oh. Sally’s getting deep. Stick with me here. Our interior selves are the parts of us that we do not share with others or maybe we don’t even know about ourselves. Think of a 4-pane window. One pane reflects what you and others know about yourself. The second pane is what others know about you, but you don’t (blind spot). The third pane is what you keep to yourself and no one else knows. The final pane is what is yet to be discovered about you. This is called the Johari window, a feedback theory developed in the 1950s. The assumption is that one grows significantly more in relational community.
So, what does this mean for the workplace? It means that when we don’t know much about our interior selves then we don’t know how we might show up in teams, situations, and systems. A personal practice of interior curiosity can uncover unconscious bias. A relational practice where we learn how to give and receive honest and loving feedback can change how we interact with humanity. A therapeutic practice of exploring relational patterns reoccurring in our lives can shift how we approach power and privilege. A reflective practice of pausing and observing our units of work can reveal what brings us energy and connection.
Today I’m asking you to peek behind the curtain and explore some behind the scenes work on yourself. Below is a list of reflective questions related to these new trends in the workplace. Take some time over the next few weeks to think about the following questions and journal about your interior self.
1. How do you approach virtual connections? You may think virtual is “less than” or not as valuable as in-person interactions. If so, how this impact how you show up in virtual spaces?
2. Have you been working from home? If so, what adjustments have you made to this new office environment? What have you enjoyed? What parts of the experience will you carry with you?
3. Some organizations may offer multiple work options – remote work only, office only, or a hybrid. What would you choose if given the option? Why? How might people in other situations approach this decision?
4. Many organizations have focused on employee well-being. How are you doing right now? What self-care practices are you using to maintain your physical, mental, and relational health? Who has been part of your pandemic pod or bubble?
5. What levels of autonomy and flexibility have you gained during the pandemic? How has this shifted the relationships in your team and with your supervisor?
6. Where are you finding inclusive practices in your team? What are some working team agreements that support inclusion for your group? How can you start that conversation?
7. How will the changes coming with the future of work change how your organization works? How will it change your department? What shifts will need to take place to support a hybrid workplace?
8. As your organization deepens the work around equity, diversity, and inclusion, what are the next steps for healing and reconciliation? What does that look like in your teams? In your relationships?
9. What skills do you need to thrive in the virtual workplace? What additional training might be helpful in expanding your virtual engagement skills?
In a recent Industry Week article, professor Ann Feyerherm noted that “psychosocial contracts” are being discussed in leadership circles. A psychosocial contract is “an unwritten set of expectations that employees have of their company.” I would also add that the reverse is true. While the expectations may be more explicit, companies will have expectations of employees that include a working practice with equity, diversity, and inclusion AND the ability to navigate work relationships well. How will you show up in the future of work? I can’t wait to hear about it.
Photo Credit: Manuel Nageli via Unsplash