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Reconnecting “Back in the Office”

I was listening to a presentation, on line, of course, in which people were discussing how they felt about getting back to the office. Some people were very happy about seeing everyone in person again while some were not so sure. Back to the office will mean different things for different personality types so managers will need to use the right strategies to get everyone reintegrated and working well as a team. Here are the top issues.

By Thomi Glover

Thomi Glover, MA, MDiv, CMC, PCC, Senior Consultant TMC, is an Executive Coach, Leadership and Organizational Development Consultant and facilitator of custom processes that build effective teams, enhance leadership and develop emotional intelligence.

Let’s consider the more personal side of returning to the office. What’s it really going to be like to “go back to work” in the old sense of sharing office space, chats over coffee or lunch? And for the people who may be challenged in this return to the old way, what will they do?

Introvert vs. Extrovert

In my field of work, I spend a lot of time helping people determine what they need to be, to do and to have in order to be effective and successful as well as “comfortable” and happy in their lives.

What we know for sure is that we are not all the same and so our needs are not the same either. Some people really want and need lots of interaction with other people. Others not so much or maybe not at all. This is largely driven by the extent to which we are introverted or extraverted.

For extraverted people, the opportunity to be with, talk with, and work side by side with others is a source of energy and satisfaction… and hence personal productivity. So many extraverted people really miss the live interaction which they don’t experience through ZOOM or other platforms. They need to “press the flesh” or “share air” – it’s like a spark that lights up their brains and creates enthusiasm for life in general.

For introverted people like me, the opportunity to work from home, to think and write quietly and facilitate electronically has been a real gift and they will be sad to lose the opportunity if and when things get back to normal.

Lead With Empathy

As good business relationships are built on trust, and we’re accustomed for centuries to creating trust through conversations, relationships, and physical contact, I hope that our prolonged “life at a distance” won’t be too difficult to reverse.

It’s important to assess the harm that might have been done over the past ten months. Has our distancing eroded our inclinations, our ability even, to reach out to other people in the flesh, to make ourselves vulnerable as we inevitably do in relationships? We may have lost a little of our ability to feel, to care about others, and to create effective teams. Cohesive teams are critical to success as they provide valuable interactions that spark new ideas.

So take stock and pay attention to the energy needs of your employees. Also address the anxieties that will emerge with the inevitable disappointment when “normal” doesn’t happen as quickly as we hoped.

If you are interested in exploring the significance of this “life below the surface”, please get in touch at . It’s one of my passions.

This article was published in the January 2021 edition of The TMC Advisor
- ISSN 2369-663X Volume:8 Issue:1

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