Introduction What defines a safe place to work? How to show up as managers Nurturing a culture of care Introduction What defines a safe place to work? How to show up as leaders How to show up as managers Nurturing a culture of care Purpose and planning for ▪ What were the challenges? WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND AS YOU PLAN future resilience Where did we stumble? ▪ In what ways did we emerge Examine organisational purpose to develop greater clarity. Purpose, As organisations reset and reim- stronger? Where are we still values and principles are powerful tools to provide clear decision-making agine themselves under new recovering? guidelines for yourself and your organisation. Had lacklustre employee assumptions, protocols and engagement in the past? Times of transition are a great opportunity to focus areas, leaders must seize ▪ What was the effect on our rebuild trust in and credibility for an organisation’s purpose. It can also the chance to learn from recent employee engagement? On be time to revisit your purpose and values altogether. Decide whether disruption to prepare for what our productivity? they are really serving you. Have they been meaningfully internalised, and lies ahead. Whether optimis- are they proving useful to people to articulate the way forward? If not, ing for sustainable operations, ▪ Do we have a new definition adapt them however necessary to help inspire and guide people now and standing up new business mod- of meaningful work? through the next disruptions. els or simply redefining normal, it is important to look closely at Next, using the insights from Ensure distributed authority to gain flexibility and strength. We must the effect of recent experiences this exploration, create three key design our organisations and teams for resilience. Recent disruptions have on your collective sense of pur- action plans that will propel you highlighted the value of a model of highly trained, experienced, distributed pose. Then put the planning in well into a future of adaptive teams—enabled and empowered by coordination and data. The most resil- place to support your renewed operations. ient, adaptive and high-performing companies are made up of leaders and or reaffirmed purpose beyond ▪ A role-based communications emerging leaders who know, respect and support each other, distributing your return to the workplace. plan that addresses commu- authority fast and making sure responsible owners have strong capabilities. First, hold lessons learned nicators and receivers Plan for the right talent to meet a future of change. This is the time sessions with leadership and ▪ An employee experience to revisit people management and organisational strategies. As the post- conduct qualitative and plan that focuses on building COVID-19 workforce converges with an increase in Gen Z, employees will quantitative research to explore: employee resilience become increasingly mobile and collaborative while expressing differing ▪ What did we learn about our ▪ A business continuity plan communication preferences. Mobile work tools and virtual reality confer- organisation, our people, our that outlines operational encing could become a prefered form of communication for many cus- leaders? protocols tomers over face-to-face meetings, and the future will require a new set of skills and capabilities for wielding those mediums for high-quality out- ▪ What went well that should comes. Leaders (not just in HR) will need to lean in, finding new talent and be protected? retaining already-identified top talent by developing the new career paths and flexibility in ways of working that attract and engage them. Leading the workforce 10