Thanks for this post. I predicted a form of PTSD about 6 months into COVID19. At the time I was working as a Team Leader for the national COVID Close Contact group in New Zealand. It was already becoming obvious that the whole country was getting stressed out. Then as an Area Manager for Census 2023, there was not only a lot of distrust of government, but also some pretty aggressive responses to our field teams. Increases in crime, distrust of government, over the top responses to situations, more people not wanting to return to working in an office, dramatically less people wanting to use public transport, to name a few. This is not something you just bounce back from. It is almost like coming out after a war in an occupied country. I feel this situation is not given enough attention and we do so at our own peril.
Thanks for sharing your experiences Luigi. The responses from people now are so different from 2020 aren't they? It is hard to believe in some countries we needed permission from the police to simply walk the dog. With little knowledge of the virus, or vaccines, people were fairly compliant with government regulations. Now, not only are people tired, with many sick too, attitudes have changed as you point out. There will be similar forces at play in the workforce too I imagine. You are right we can't just bounce back from this quickly, but we need to plot a more optimistic and healthy path...
Yes, the workforce too, although we don't have it that bad. We have 3.6% unemployment, gender pay parity improving. Many companies now supporting WFH to some degree. But times are tough, especially for those in low income jobs, with inflation, especially food going through the roof, at least the healthy foods. We do need to plot a more optimistic and healthy plan. Little steps...
Thanks for sharing this Andy. The issue is very real. I've been writing about my own burnout experiences stemming from the pandemic for a while now and my path to recovery. Many people around me are also facing serious burnout that is leaving them unable to work for weeks/months or longer. The tricky part is that while companies can help combat burnout, those that are already burned out want nothing to do with their employers -- a good amount of rest and distance from their jobs is critical to the first stage of recovery. The idea you mentioned of reintegrating people in the workforce is a very important one, as it might require employees to be a lot more flexible and patient in terms of their expectations. There is a gap between the typical growth targets and expectations of a company and the reality of the current workforce that is jaded at best and burned out/ unable to work at worst.
Thanks for the comment Misha, and also for sharing your candid experiences on your own Newsletter on the subject of burnout. This is becoming an issue for many employers - first there was crisis management and rapid implementation of hybrid-working arrangements (where we work). Now there is attrition, rising sickness absence, lower productivity and challenges hiring new workers. In competitive industries and labour markets, employers will need a new set of tactics to manage this.
Thanks for this post. I predicted a form of PTSD about 6 months into COVID19. At the time I was working as a Team Leader for the national COVID Close Contact group in New Zealand. It was already becoming obvious that the whole country was getting stressed out. Then as an Area Manager for Census 2023, there was not only a lot of distrust of government, but also some pretty aggressive responses to our field teams. Increases in crime, distrust of government, over the top responses to situations, more people not wanting to return to working in an office, dramatically less people wanting to use public transport, to name a few. This is not something you just bounce back from. It is almost like coming out after a war in an occupied country. I feel this situation is not given enough attention and we do so at our own peril.
Thanks for sharing your experiences Luigi. The responses from people now are so different from 2020 aren't they? It is hard to believe in some countries we needed permission from the police to simply walk the dog. With little knowledge of the virus, or vaccines, people were fairly compliant with government regulations. Now, not only are people tired, with many sick too, attitudes have changed as you point out. There will be similar forces at play in the workforce too I imagine. You are right we can't just bounce back from this quickly, but we need to plot a more optimistic and healthy path...
Yes, the workforce too, although we don't have it that bad. We have 3.6% unemployment, gender pay parity improving. Many companies now supporting WFH to some degree. But times are tough, especially for those in low income jobs, with inflation, especially food going through the roof, at least the healthy foods. We do need to plot a more optimistic and healthy plan. Little steps...
Thanks for sharing this Andy. The issue is very real. I've been writing about my own burnout experiences stemming from the pandemic for a while now and my path to recovery. Many people around me are also facing serious burnout that is leaving them unable to work for weeks/months or longer. The tricky part is that while companies can help combat burnout, those that are already burned out want nothing to do with their employers -- a good amount of rest and distance from their jobs is critical to the first stage of recovery. The idea you mentioned of reintegrating people in the workforce is a very important one, as it might require employees to be a lot more flexible and patient in terms of their expectations. There is a gap between the typical growth targets and expectations of a company and the reality of the current workforce that is jaded at best and burned out/ unable to work at worst.
Thanks for the comment Misha, and also for sharing your candid experiences on your own Newsletter on the subject of burnout. This is becoming an issue for many employers - first there was crisis management and rapid implementation of hybrid-working arrangements (where we work). Now there is attrition, rising sickness absence, lower productivity and challenges hiring new workers. In competitive industries and labour markets, employers will need a new set of tactics to manage this.