A very positive impact of not attending work is the improvement for some people in their health, both physical and mental.

It seems that because the Government said we could only walk/ run once a day, lots of us interpreted it as being mandatory! Certainly, it was our one chance to get out of the house. Those of us who walk our dog daily found many more walkers to pass in a socially distant manner.

Perhaps more significantly has been the effects on mental wellbeing; no commute, less micro-management, fewer specious targets, less office politics and gossiping, more time at home, greater connection with the family and a great working environment. How many lessons are in this one sentence?

Of course, there are many stories which show it has been very difficult for some people. Again, we can learn from them and adapt the ways we work, and the what a great workplace looks and feels like.

‘The people when rightly and fully trusted will return the trust’ – Abraham Lincoln

Everything in business is based on relationships and all relationships are based on trust. Most managers demand their staff trust them, even there is no evidence it is founded, or even there is proof that they can’t be. Authority and trust are not always happy bedfellows.

These same ‘leaders’ then micro-manage because of the obsession people will only perform when they are being watched.

If one thing has been demonstrated during lockdown, it is those working from home were, generally, at least as productive as when they are at the workplace. There are a number of pieces of research, but it seems there is an average of 13% increase in personal productivity for these people:

• No commute
• Fewer distractions (we know many kids have been home schooling)
• Fewer meetings and phone calls
• ‘Zoom’ meetings are crisper
• Comfortable surroundings
• Choice of background music

And yet, managers are keen to get them back to the office.

There are very good reasons to get the team together. Steve Jobs didn’t want people to work from home generally because more ideas emerge when people spark off one another. Some staff unfortunately become lonely, passing beyond a sense of isolation. Extreme extroverts struggle without human interaction, without the constant connectivity.

But consider this; all teamwork is predicated on a high level of trust, not just confidence but vulnerability trust. As we Reboot the team, re-establishing trust is critical.

Can we identify any positives to come out of the Covid-19 lockdown?

For many of us this has been a time of reflection:

• What do we want from work?
• Does our organisation have great values?
• Does the organisation meet its values or are they ‘optional’, depending upon circumstances and the immediate needs?
• Do we really need to spend as much money on stuff?
• How has the company treated us whilst we have been off?
• Have we been more productive working from home?
• Are there better ways of working?
• Can we avoid ‘rush hour’?

These, and so many other questions, are not just for members of staff. Company managers and owners are questioning their roles and the ways to live life, whether the organisation is focused on broader issues rather than just making money, and if the transition back to work will be a good experience for everyone?

For many of us, any issue with a computer means switching if off and back on, hoping it then works as we assume it always will. This simple process is called rebooting. It is analogous for getting our organisations up and running again; to have kit that functions, processes which are effective and staff who are productive.

It doesn’t just happen! This is a time, more than ever before for leadership. To support leaders with these challenges, we have created a programme entitled REBOOT:

• Reflect and learn from the experiences
• Examine Emotions. The key motivator is how people feel and how you have made them feel during lockdown
• Behaviours; do they reflect the organisations values?
• Objectify the Future, what is the intelligence and how are we going to react?
• Overcome Obstacles, whether real or perceived
• Teamwork is THE differentiator

The words are easy. Delivery is complex and difficult.

Are you prepared? Have you done the thinking? Can you create the space to make the most of the situation or are the ‘alligators biting’? Do you have the in-house capability to see and grab the opportunities?

The perceived wisdom is we cannot have a second chance to make a first impression and, of course, this is literally true. However, whilst the slate can’t be wiped clean, we can reassure and even inspire our people as they return from lockdown.

Many have been sat at home feeling frustrated, worried, unsure, bored, and thinking about the future.

Some have been at home, working but with a new freedom and sense of autonomy.

Some have just had a great time with the family and pursuing their hobbies.

Many from all groups are dreading the return to the commute, the constraints of highly specified start and finish times, the effects of old-style micro-management and the endless ‘catch-up’ meetings.

The two-dimensional manager may think that unemployment is going to be very high, so people will accept any conditions and put up with all management behaviour. This might be true, but will they still be with you in the medium-term future? And more importantly, will the staff be motivated and engaged to deliver in these hyper-competitive times.

What has been the feedback you have been receiving or giving to people at home and retained at work? Do you know how they are feeling? How are you capturing all of the learning?

A few weeks’ ago, Work Horizons produced two checklists to help organisations identify the issues to be faced as they emerged from lockdown and brought people back to the workplace.

There might be an assumption from management that people will be delighted to be back at work, or that they should be grateful to have the opportunity, or they must knuckle down because the business needs total commitment. Some might have been communicating throughout the lockdown but there will be others which have allowed a void to appear. Some will have had people at work and others furloughed; how will those relationships develop?

In short, this is a time for leadership.