My colleague Deb Zawisza recently published a report on CIO foundational capabilities. Leadership capabilities have never been more important than during the COVID-19 pandemic. Carriers and IT have responded quickly to the challenge and created sustainable remote/virtual employee operations.
As we approach and possible new normal, CIOs should review the tenants of leadership and evaluate them for their durability in a new world. CIOs should acknowledge that the leadership practices that worked in informal or direct contact operations may come under stress when most of the workforce is remote.
CIO foundations are for the whole leadership team
This rapid move to remote work has not allowed organizations to reflect on what it will require to shift leadership practices that have largely been informal and reliant on physical proximity. Stepping back as the dust settles and anticipating a protracted or long-term strategy of remote work will provide opportunities to strengthen leadership foundations.
CIOs cannot be everywhere. They need strong staff to manage and lead their organizations. CIOs who have allowed marginal managers to survive in their organizations will have a challenge under a work-from-home environment. The leadership team has to have a strong sense of personal relationship skills. They must be able to perceive, anticipate, and resolve employee discontent while relying on less face-to-face contact. Those that value technical competency over managerial competency are less successful in leadership roles; it will only be more difficult going forward.
We are in the same storm (but not in the same boat)
Employees who enjoy remote work will often choose this option. However, when organizations mandate remote work, they are asking employees to perform under circumstances they did not choose. The values that workers hold that supported the corporate atmosphere may not translate to remote work, which creates anxiety. In elective and mandated remote work, employees and management gain better communication and expectations by having clear policies and tightening practices that previously relied on informal or direct contact.
The leadership team needs to be attuned to the individuals in the team. Knowing individual work preferences is important. Extroverts in the Myer-Briggs model are not just outgoing; they get their energy from interaction and collaboration. Introverts prefer to work through problems on their own. Individuals can fall anywhere along this scale. The challenge is to create opportunities for both personality types, not just a one-size-fits-all solution. Leaders should be aware of high-performing employees who are now struggling. It may not be a sign that they aren’t taking remote work seriously, but rather that they lack the energy that they got from being in the office.
At the same time, there is new research on “Zoom Fatigue,” i.e., video conference participant anxiety and exhaustion from having to be “on.” Put another way: Your tv doesn’t look back at you, so you expend far more energy in a video meeting as you “perform” for the video conference. Imagine the position in which this puts the more introverted employee. CIO leadership teams need to be sensitive without the benefit of direct contact. An inadvertent outcome of attempting to have everyone participate in a meeting is that some may feel put on the spot. Leadership teams should exercise care to determine the right time to gain input.
Recruiting and retention are hand-in-glove
If remote work becomes a long-term practice, it will create the opportunity for a broader and more diverse labor market. However, expect the competition for talent to be as fierce as it was in the local environment. Several carriers, many high-tech companies, and consulting firms have been operating in a more virtual remote world for years. In a world more accepting of remote work, any current employee also has more choices.
Novarica research indicates that younger workers prioritize support and development, learning transferrable skills, having access to innovative technology, and transparent communication around goals. Carrier CIOs, their teams, and HR will fair better with clear programs and communication regarding the support of employee development. Policies that effectively target employee retention will send a positive message to potential recruits.
Remote employees and recruits will have simple questions about development and recognition that were not of concern when they had more direct contact with supervisors.
- How will I be recognized now that I am not in the office?
- How will this impact opportunities for promotion?
- How does the organization identify, value, and reward team collaboration?
- How will organizations make available and support rotational opportunities?
These questions may appear to have the same answers as they did before COVID-19. However, some employees have conscientiously avoided remote work due to “out of sight, out of mind” fears. Visible adjustments to organizational practices are of value, even if the policies are the same.
One-on-one mentoring and pairing of individuals can play a larger role in organizations—from peer-to-peer arrangements to senior-to-junior mentoring—to create a greater sense of community. Mentoring and pairings can also be across teams and departments to support rotational experiences.
Leadership should take detailed notes in meetings and during conversations with employees to support frequent public recognition. Notetaking is likely a new behavior for many in management.
Close adherence to timeframes for performance reviews is even more important—as is having reviews more frequently and paying additional attention to the developmental aspects that support employee goals.
Offering more flexibility for online learning provides opportunities for employees to explore additional development and training. Review any policies that limit training to certain career paths or job responsibilities; offer more cross-training opportunities. Have employees provide online “Lunch and Learn” sessions to provide opportunities for development and recognition. Travel budgets are not strained at this time; redirecting those dollars toward training is a good long-term expenditure.
It will never be the same, why try?
The goal of leadership support of remote work is not to recreate the conditions that existed before the pandemic. Rather, the focus could be to allow creative thinking and create a new foundation that supports a new culture and operating circumstances. Careful reflection and strong dialogue have always been part of leadership; this is no different as we move into a new world.
The best overall approach is to create the space to allow the leadership team and employees to experiment, fail, and try again to redefine how leadership will work for the organization. The pandemic has altered attitudes, values, and capabilities—perhaps permanently. Now is the time for leadership teams to provide venues to create cultures and norms that reflect the new reality.
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