New Online Course
How To Create and Innovate At The Speed of Change
See all Future of Work Online Courses
How To Create and Innovate At The Speed of Change
See all Future of Work Online Courses
Welcome to the Future of Work blog – this is where you will find posts on all things related to the future of work.
We have guest bloggers that include CIO’s, Behavioral Scientists, CEO’s, Data Scientists including posts by our founder Cheryl Cran.
April 21, 2020
Yesterday I was asked how leaders are rising to lead in the Covid-19 disruption.
The answer in two words: QUITE WELL (given the massive change that leaders and their teams are living through) AND there is room for improvement for leaders to rise to providing the support, structures and vision for the future.
According to Gallup lots has changed during the Coronavirus pandemic in a short period of time. Gallup conducted comparative surveys between March 13-16 and then again between March 27-29.
In addition to the above stats daily worry among the full-time working population has increased from 37% to 60% and daily stress from 48% to 65%.
Workers are depending on leaders to provide a sense of stability and a future focus. According to further stats many leaders are doing a great job of leading through disruption while others are still struggling to be able to provide the strength, nurturing and resources to support their workers through these tough times.
Clearly this statistic shows that how leaders are rising to lead in the Covid-19 disruption needs greater focus and attention. Many workers feel that leaders are failing at helping them to their jobs better. Workers feel lack of support, lack of empathy and lack of direction is causing increased stress.
45% of workers feel that they are not fully prepared to do their job as effectively as they feel they could. In addition 46% of workers do not feel that their supervisor/leader keeps them informed.
In times of crisis and uncertainty there is a heightened need for empathy and caring. Leaders who show compassion for workers challenges as well as support have higher levels of worker resiliency in times of intense stress.
49% of workers surveyed feel that their company and their leaders care about the workers wellbeing. This means that 41% of leaders are NOT demonstrating care and empathy towards their workers. One of the outcomes post pandemic is that workers will be seeking to work for companies where their leaders care, provide strong support for remote work and remote workers and who led by inspiration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is an opportunity for leaders to ‘be the leader’ who inspires and increases engagement – here are some ‘hows’ for leaders to lead during this disruption and in future disruptions:
Now more than ever leaders have the continued opportunity to increase the ‘human factor’ of being a leader. So how are leaders rising to lead in the COVID 19 disruption? Day by day and with focused intention on leading with vision and inspiration.