Some things from the last 24 months stand out and how we cope with dramatic change and preparing ourselves for what the future ways for work hold for us requires some key life skills.
What does resilience mean to you?
Eye-opening research
Working on the next phase of the Future Work Design program with Hull University – Centre for Human Factors & the 4 local councils has been an eye-opening experience for me.
This phase is to understand the impact to our colleagues in local authorities and understanding how they have coped with this change. Building & practicing our resilience intrinsically ties into wellbeing which is the key focus.
Having been a ‘remote’ worker for my entire 10 years at Microsoft UK the change in work style the pandemic has demanded has had little impact on my day-to-day routine over last 20 months, with the exception of course, no face-to-face meetings with my customers & colleagues. What for me has become common place for many years for others has been dramatic change for others to how they live & work.
Resilience – learning & applying the skill
In my conversations with customers conversations shift to return to work & ‘hybrid’ work what does that mean as everyone goes through another ‘shift’ in the meaning of the working day?
The World Economic Forum call out resilience as one of the top skills needed as part of their 2020 Future of Jobs research. Across media channels, analysts and commentators are referring to resilience & adapting to change. Is this something you innately better at? Is it a skill you can develop? What does it mean to you?
Certainly, as I reflect on challenges & changes in my life, I have had to display resilience. One personal example is immigrating to the UK with no job to go to, the grand total of £2000 in my bank account, my whole life distilled into 2 large suitcases and a dream of a new life. Relying on friends, to whom I am forever grateful, allowing me to sofa surf until I could find my feet. The difference to the pandemic? Well, that was a choice not an imposed change, I hear you say. Did I display resilience? Most certainly.
Help is out there!
In a business context the changes may not be as obvious as moving halfway across the world but there is certainly a need for all of us to have resilience and as we move forward practice this skill.
There are some amazing assets out there to help, some examples from LinkedIn include:
What, why, and how to become resilient (linkedin.com)
The reality of change (linkedin.com)
Above all, we need to respect everyone has different ways of coping with change.
Can’t wait for the results of the Future Word Design research due later this year, the assets this will provide and here’s to moving forward positively together!
About the author
Michelle Mulder
Local Government Account Director – Future Work Design Program Lead
Michelle is passionate about how technology can support local authorities, fire services, housing associations in the north of England in inclusive and sustainable service provision. She helps them discover the opportunities available from digital skills to economic growth, embracing smart place technology through to understanding data to improve service delivery and automation designed to help increase capacity in these challenging times.
