What can we learn from first graders and the school system to welcome back our colleagues into an in-person office environment? This episode considers the very practical ways of reentering an in-person office environment, drawing inspiration from the protocols schools have put in place, while acknowledging the social anxieties that both Jerome and Jules themselves have been feeling! Too often, we assume that things will go back to business as usual as soon as we can get back into an office environment, but we’re now seeing that’s not the case. Jules and Jerome discuss the structures (and rituals) that you can put in place to make your colleagues feel safe, productive and taken care of. narativ.com jryanpartners.comArticle: https://narativ.com/2021/09/30/create-authentic-team-connections/
Highlights of this episode:
- With employees returning to work, how do we welcome people back and what do we do about lingering fears that people feel about going back?
- What’s it like to re-enter the world and leave the comforts of our home-bound work experience?
- We look at the school system and their policies to bring students back for in person learning: What we can learn from the 1st graders and their teachers to understand how to bring colleagues back to the workplace in a safe, playful and productive way.
- Story time is a key component of a child’s learning and world view. Why not apply this idea to the business world?
- Acknowledging the realities of the struggles that people have had to endure when we welcome them back into the office, and taking the pulse of what people are thinking and feeling.
- What are we capable of at this moment when we go back into an in-person environment? Don’t assume it will be business as usual.
- What kind of ritual can you put in place to mark the occasion of welcoming people back into the office? Draw inspiration from how you celebrate birthdays for instance.
- Your company is made of distinct groups, each with their own stories that you can collect data from to understand the best ways to evolve work structures.
- Create a series of small events, so that people have a consistent way of being heard and sharing what’s going on.
- Find joy in every moment, especially when you’re feeling anxious about seeing others and working with them in person. Let’s remind ourselves of what we have to be grateful for.
