This fall, employees around the world will return to offices and desks they may not have seen for 18+ months. Not only will they face a physical transition—trading familiar work-from-home routines for workspaces that will either look like time capsules or be redesigned to accommodate distancing—but many will face mental and emotional barriers. Returning to offices and the human-to-human interactions they enable will be a reminder of just how much has changed since the pandemic started.
It’s important that employers get this transition right, and purpose will play an important role. To talk about the realities of returning to in-office work, and the critical need for empathy and humanity in the process, we welcomed to the show Jonathan Atwood, a former global communications head at Unilever, provocateur, and champion for the voice of employees.
Listen to this special two-part episode for Jon’s insights on:
- How his personal journey led him to be radically vulnerable with colleagues, in turn providing them with the space to have honest conversations at work
- How employers can navigate the return-to-office period with humility and transparency, and how purpose can act as a compass for decision-making
- The watch-outs surrounding this transition, including the reality that millions of front line employees never left their essential roles
- Why and how creating space for open communication and sharing can empower employees to bring their personal purpose to work, for the benefit of the entire organization
Links & Notes
- (00:00) – Welcome to Purpose 360
- (01:09) – Intro to Part II – The New Normal
- (02:50) – Returning to the Office
- (08:15) – Insights Regarding Human Resources
- (11:34) – Storytelling to Reshape the Work Culture
- (14:14) – Design the Future Together
- (16:53) – Changing Corporate Culture and Strategy
- (17:53) – Companies Doing It Well
- (19:52) – The Outcome Reveals Itself
- (22:07) – Exodus of Talent
- (24:31) – Nurturing Talent in a Post-Covid World
- (25:22) – Individual & Team
- (28:03) – Team Purpose
- (30:40) – Making an A Team
- (31:36) – Finding Time
- (34:08) – Opportunity to Be Creative
- (36:40) – Having the Conversation
- (39:01) – Wrapping Up
