THE KEY TO THRIVING IN OUR CHANGED WORLD OF WORK
Photo by Ralph (Ravi) Kayden on Unsplash
If you’re a leader, this changed world of work can feel overwhelming.
There’s been plenty written about all the challenges that have converged to bring us to this point in our history. Are you experiencing these in your role?
• People are still leaving in big numbers and experts say it will get worse before it starts to get better
• While staff want more flexibility, including continuing to work from home for some of the week, teams are fragmented and people feel isolated and cut off from colleagues.
• Mental health issues are soaring and many leaders are grappling with expectations that they now have to be amateur psychologists
• Trust in government and the media continues to fall and workers are looking to their employer as a credible source of truth
• Now that we’re out of pandemic survival mode, there’s a re-focus on performance and results, but business-as-usual has become a whole lot more complex
I’ve been researching and synthesizing the key trends of our time – and observing that, while there are plenty of problems, there aren’t too many solutions being put forward.
So I’d like to offer this one.
The world is forever changed and many of the factors are outside your control. The answer lies in what you can control - the words you speak and write, the way you interact with your people every day.
I believe clear, credible communication from leaders is the key to rebuilding trust with fragmented teams and moving organisations from chaotic to high-performing.
In its Global Labor Market Survey released in December 2022, Gartner identified the top reasons for staff leaving as:
1. Poor management
2. Respect
3. Work-life balance
The top factors to attract employees? Location, work-life balance and respect – with work-life balance jumping two places as both an attraction and attrition factor.
As a leader, you mightn’t have full control over a team member’s sense of balance in their life or the location of their role and flexibility involved.
However, you can directly contribute to the leadership culture of the business by the way you show up, your approach to communication and the quality of the relationships you cultivate.
Put simply, the way you communicate can directly affect whether an outstanding employee hands in their notice or decides to stick around – and whether a team can move past current challenges and begin to thrive in a better future.
I’ll be releasing my research paper soon, with fresh insights and practical steps for you to step into your power as a credible leader. Stay tuned!
Dr Neryl East is a professional speaker and executive coach who shows leaders how to be heard, stand out and command influence. Connect with Neryl on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neryleast/
