A lot of “stuff” has happened during the Covid Pandemic that we are living through right now. There have been new constraints on our behaviors like masks or no masks, 6 ft. space distancing, vaccines, and, and, and. We have adopted, adapted and we’ve “accommodated”.
The workplace is now an “uncertain” place where people are making decisions influenced by the turmoil and uncertainty. Workers have been quarantined, laid-off, downsized in large numbers. And now, the businesses are adding back. Or at least they are trying to add staff. In many situations, there is a hesitancy on the part of the unemployed to return to the same job. And many of the “never laid-off worker groups are questioning “continuing to keep doing what they’ve been doing”. The reality is that workers are re-thinking and thinking what they are doing vs what they “think” they want to do. “Do I even like my job? Do I like how I’m treated? Do I want to do something different?”
It's becoming all too common, like the common cold. Hence the title of this newsletter.
“Chicken Soup” is the age-old remedy for the common cold. Could there be a recipe for dealing with “employee post-pandemic” turnover symptoms and with new hires?
Supervisor to Subordinate Social Contract
(A Social contract suggests “not binding on either party; but rather a statement of intent”.)
· As your Supervisor, I will set you up to be successful.
· Out of respect for you, I will have high expectations of your capabilities and
competencies and challenge you to perform to those levels.
· I will expect you to be a “contributing” member of the department.
· I will look for opportunities to positively reinforce and acknowledge GOOD performance.
· Also out of respect for you and your coworkers, I will address any undesirable performance and behaviors in a timely manner.
Could this become a part of your candidate selection process? Could this be communicated when a New Hire joins your team? If bosses, current staff, and new hires had this understanding could it make a difference?