Who wants to return - Post Pandemic

Now that the powers that be have signalled the ‘end to the pandemic’ and everything is going back to normal, I have been on a rollercoaster of emotions about what this really means.

The pandemic spotlighted some of the best and worst of humanity. We have seen kindness, selflessness and compassion, but we have also seen and acknowledged, social inequalities, discrimination, duplicity and hypocrisy. 

We have all (well, most of us who observed the rules) had to adapt to a different way of living and working. 

 Without doubt, the pandemic has been, to varying degrees, traumatic for everyone. People have been forced to stay away from family members when they most needed to be there for each other. People have lost loved ones without the ‘normal’ process of saying goodbye or observing cultural traditions. People were unable to socialise and engage with their communities or participate in physical activities, leading to isolation, loneliness and ill health. It seems strange that we are now expected to ‘brush off’ the impact of these life-changing events and return to how we were before. 

Emerging evidence is however, demonstrating that perspectives have dramatically changed – normal is no longer normal. The so called ‘great resignation’ has been a global phenonium, where millions of people are leaving their jobs and employers are struggling to fill vacancies. It would appear that ‘lock down’ has been a period of reflection for many. People want something different in their lives. 

No doubt the full ‘fallout’ from the pandemic is yet to be revealed but I would hazard a guess that mental health is going to be a significant and ongoing concern which will severely impact on the health services, employment and fiscal capability.

Working from home was one of the biggest changes to our routine. Some people loved it, others couldn’t wait to get back to social interaction with colleagues, whilst others would have preferred a more flexible approach. Employers are now rethinking their business structure, technology, workspace, people management and working practices. 

Emerging research is indicating there are clear divisions between those who want to return to the workplace and those who don’t. Despite Covid-19 and its long-term effects now being swept under the carpet of mainstream media, people are still being infected and affected. Some people have genuine anxieties about commuting safely to and from work. There are also concerns about the employer’s liability should an employee become infected and of course, that sick pay is adequate for the sickness absence period. 

This research has indicated that specific groups, mostly those from marginalised communities, are less inclined to want to return to work. 

In a recent survey undertaken by the Chamber of Commerce, only 3% of Black employees look forward to coming back to the office.  Conversantly, 21% of white employees yearned for an in-person work setting. Based on the blogs below, this is not isolated to the UK. 

Whilst there is limited research on other marginalised groups such as those with disabilities, women and those from LGBTQIA+ communities, it is highly likely they would also be less enthusiastic about returning to work. 

So what is this telling us?

I would suggest that people who are not considered the ‘norm’ within society are more likely to struggle to thrive within their workplace. The solitude and safety provided when working from home is a welcome respite from daily exposure to microaggression, exclusion and direct or indirect discrimination. 

To ‘fit’ in the norm, and through fear of repercussions, some people are forced to ‘code-switch - changing their appearance, toning down their voice, changing their accent, moderate their opinions and contributions, or worst-case scenarios, denying who they are. 

Essentially the workplace reflects wider society and only serves to perpetuate the trauma of being/living in a hostile environment, where members of some groups are not valued, heard or welcomed. No one can argue that working in such an environment is harmful to your mental health and over-all wellbeing.

In recent years there has been a lot of conversation about ‘Teal ‘organisations where there is collective management and intelligence and where people are able to bring their whole selves to work. This, of course, is based on the utopia of an equal and fair society. It clearly does not acknowledge that we still live in an unequal society and that the psychological trauma of historical and ongoing inequalities will inevitably impact on an individual’s confidence, self-esteem, performance, level of engagement and trust. 

Perhaps the pandemic has presented us with an opportunity to dismantle this concept of the ‘normal’ and think about the fragility of our existence in an uncertain future. We need to take a long, hard and honest look at the reality of the workplace. Is it what we want it to be, or is it what we would like it to be? 

Admittedly, the preference to continue to work from home has other benefits for work life balance but it is also a measure of protection for those who have been excluded. However, this may come with its own risk to mental health. We are social creatures by nature. Are we therefore going to ignore the glaring evidence that some people would prefer to isolate and deny themselves natural connections of other fellow human beings because of existing workplace cultures? 

Owning up to our failings/oversights is a demonstration of cultural maturity and willingness to grab this opportunity to make meaningful change. It’s time to reset the dial and avoid jumping into the next new fad. People are unique, so let’s start designing our organisations to accommodate the uniqueness of the individual