"Urgency makes it difficult to take time to be inclusive, encourage democratic and/or thoughtful decision-making, to think long-term, to consider consequences."
|
|
This week at Setser Group - and for the first time in 16 months - we were greeted with the first signs of a shift forward, gathering together in community and partnership as our team traveled to Washington, DC, and Philadelphia. It was an incredible feeling to connect with peers and colleagues, and yet it did not feel like a return to what once was. Instead, the conversations centered around a complex narrative - including how to get started and how to ensure a healthy way forward in terms of our pace and space.
|
|
In a January interview with NPR, Ken Burns talks about the realities of living amidst three pandemics - "a year-old COVID-19 virus, but also a 402-year-old virus of white supremacy, of racial injustice… and we've got an age-old human virus of misinformation, of paranoia, of conspiracies." He’s right. And attempting to capture the entirety of the effects - what it's done to the people we love in our lives physically, spiritually, emotionally - feels euphemistic and dismissive, at best. “No one,” says Philadelphia Psychologist Robin Smith, “has gotten through this without being impacted in some way by a life-altering pandemic, which is a trauma. We are a traumatized nation.”
So what do we do with this reality as employees, colleagues, and friends begin their return to work? It starts with listening.
- 74% of Gen Z prefer a job that offers both remote and in-person opportunities
- 86% felt confident they will be just as productive working remotely
- In 2019, 51% of Gen Z considered location a very important factor in their job search. Mid-pandemic, that number dropped to 39%
|
|
|
As we step out of pandemic isolation, we must reflect on the lessons we learned, the technologies we innovated, and the practices we adopted. We will need them as we build a new normal that, this time, is prepared for anything.
Richer Remote Human Interaction
-
Telework technologies like Zoom and Microsoft Teams changed how we operate in schools, and likewise, we changed how Zoom and MS Teams operate. Both platforms retooled their software and terms of service to meet their astronomical demands during the pandemic. Zoom is inexpensive and easy to use. It’s not leaving education. Colleges and universities have expanded their programs' reach, and K12 has found a way to retire snow days and enable flex and remote scheduling.
-
Creative real-world events found a way to mix virtual and real-world experiences during the pandemic. The annual Climb for Nature fundraiser was originally scheduled to take place in Toronto. Organizers challenged supporters to climb 1,776 steps (the number of steps at the CN Tower in Toronto) at their own locations. Supporters were encouraged to share their fitness tracker stats on social media with the event’s hashtags.
Operational Development
-
Virtual kitchens like CloudKitchens and Virtuant have changed the way we dine. Cloud or “ghost” kitchens were on the rise before the pandemic as owners struggled with automation, staff, and the take-over of millennial dining preferences.
|
|
|
We are continually impressed with the leaders and teams who are able to pivot from the tyranny of either/or and move to the genius of both/and (Grenny). These are the Crucial Conversations we all should be having right now - how to move forward in terms of pace, space, and place.
The University of Kentucky’s leadership stands out during the pandemic. The university quickly assembled a task force of 500 people from 19 departments that delivered the 187-page Playbook for Reinvented Operations. The playbook detailed the operational changes and made COVID-19 testing the centerpiece of its strategy, which allowed students to return safely in the fall, receive high-level instruction, and experience a semblance of college life. Amazing work by President Eli Capilouto and his team.
Setser Group took flight during the three pandemics. We’ve worked with clients both small and large, in K12, higher ed., and the workforce. From organizations like Oakwood City Schools and Rutgers University to Kelly Education and the Los Angeles Children's Hospital. During the pandemic, we assembled teams of experts for each project, employing more than 20+ cloud-based workers. We also awarded paid internships to expand opportunities for high school and college students. Learn more about other approaches and tactics here.
|
|
|
Want to share Setser Group on social media? Use the sample post below!
What is your playbook or recipe for returning forward? Learn more about our approaches at Setser Group.
#FutureOfWork #FutureOfLearning #Healing #WorkWisdom #SetserGroup
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
