The world or work is in a full sprint. Digital dominates all communication, employee activism is exploding, expectations of all employees are shifting constantly, and the concerns about the economy are ever present.
So, are you still engaging your employees with an annual survey, pizza party, and branded stress ball?
Are you still saying “our culture is strong, we are in good shape?”
Have you convinced yourself and your executive colleagues that the news headlines do not apply to you because your organization is “special?”
If this sounds like one of your executive team meetings I have some bad news for you.
The rules have changed about how work gets done…about how employees expect to be treated…and how you need to lead them.
Relying on pre-COVID engagement data, anecdotal feedback, or your long history of being “a great employer” simply no longer applies.
Does that sound threatening? Are you offended? Good.
We all have to accept that we will never return to how things were prior to 2020. Candidly, I don’t think that is a bad thing. The changes that have taken place force leaders to elevate their game. No longer will a job title and some authority guarantee your influence matters. No longer will antiquated policies, practices, and language about corporate culture have a place in the workplace today.
The good news is that you now have a unique opportunity to differentiate yourself and your organization. The ball is in your court. What are you going to do next?
Thanks for being here.
Jay