Pandemic Resilience & Beyond
When in the history of our working lives have we experienced an event that has forced everything to a grinding halt and asked us to question everything?
For those who have lived through a war, that experience may be closest to what the global community has faced in 2020, especially when it comes to navigating how to be productive, safe, generous, adaptable and innovative during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
However, in the decade in which we find ourselves, with the ever-increasing reliance on technology in the workforce, time is the only factor that will provide answers. In the meantime, we can choose to practice resilience by facing challenges head-on and finding a more human approach to business and life.
We asked some trusted real estate industry leaders working in design, construction and development about how they’ve adapted to a force of change, when the safety of our population is at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
Amidst uncertainty and challenges, with the right mindset and resources one can discover opportunities where not previously thought possible.
Companies are expanding service offerings into different verticals and building on their processes, people and portfolio. For example, by switching from the conversation normally focused on your product/service and its benefits, we’ve learned that a human-centric sales approach will focus on asking what your customers truly need help with in the moment. How can we relieve someone else’s burden, especially if we are working in an industry that hasn’t suffered from lockdowns and restrictions?
When financially feasible, we have seen bursts of strategic hiring to provide deeper experience, relationships and insights to enhance an existing product or service offering and bolster a sense of leadership and teamwork among organizational culture.
On the health side, new safety measures are being put in place that support workers on the ground, such as digital check-in tools for health screening, which invite a sense of ease and confidence and eliminates the potential for human error while avoiding fines.
If we didn’t talk about mental health, we would be avoiding the most important aspect that, prior to the pandemic, has been positioned low on most individuals’ and employers’ radars. While many have had to shift to a Work-From-Home lifestyle, the resources for supporting this, such as a stipend for a home office setup, are only recently becoming available for professionals now a year into the pandemic.
Our experts prefer maintaining a digital connection to their teams with weekly check-in socials where peers can connect, without agenda or mandatory attendance, free to socialize with familiar faces. During meetings, having a company wide ritual like “shout-outs” at the start of every team meeting can go a long way to recognize the efforts of your colleagues across all departments. This demonstrates healthy organizational culture and support, and is especially motivating when they’re tied to company-wide Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Take it one step further and these shout-outs by merit might earn you gift cards, free memberships, or credits to your company’s or a partner’s e-store.
We’re also seeing the emergence of either new or improved Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that prioritize mental health and stress. Virtual stress management and self care workshops, as well as virtually guided meditation and yoga are some simple and low-cost ways to implement mental health support. We recommend having a social worker or other certified mental health practitioner available during work hours and, if possible, subsidized counseling services for all employees. Team Challenges are also a great way to boost morale and motivation during an isolating time, especially when there’s a collective goal that’s determined by a community at-large. Weight loss or exercise challenges with tiered goals and various prizes at each level can incentivize teams without alienating them.
We talk about adapting to the WFH culture in our post about Inclusivity, and it’s worth mentioning that different people need a variety of spaces to thrive, no matter what kind of work they’re doing. Giving people opportunities to move and change space throughout the day, like working from different locations in their home - think quiet focus and energetic communal gathering space - and taking physical breaks including walking meetings, stretch breaks and doodle walls, can stimulate the mind and body to be more productive at home.
Lastly, we invited our thought leaders to speak about shifts in operations and mindset within their workplace and organizational culture, and while their advice is focused on real estate processes it can be applied to any professional setting. With fewer workers onsite everywhere, meaning fewer resources to draw from, timelines for deliverables have slowed greatly, and as a result, expectations for response and delivery timelines need to adapt, without halting payment schedules, as outlined by recent legislation, such as the new Construction Act.
In other words, we need to put more faith in the work being done, understanding the odds that may be working against it, and compensate accordingly. Many companies are financially stretched, so we do not want to be the ones to add more financial stress or burden for our peers and partners. And those who are thriving in this uncertain time may have room to accept delayed payments or may be willing to donate funds, resources or time. Finally, understanding that not everyone has the option to work from home must be a prerequisite for ensuring onsite safety as well as the allowance of adjusted schedules and immediate needs to be dealt with, such as family life. We ask that everyone appreciate the work that is being done to the best of each their own ability. You can never say enough thank yous.
When we look back at 2020, it will be defined by the pandemic. But do we let it define us, the actions we took and how we responded to the challenges? Looking beyond, 2021 will be about rebirth, transformation and a wider perspective from all we’ve learned in 2020.
