Return to Work Post-Covid

The past 18 months wreaked havoc on the industry. First there was the decline in business as many of us were forced to quarantine. Eventually, the economy started to pick back up, people began to start driving again, and the industry started to return those of us who were furloughed or laid off. For those who were recalled did you have to think twice about  your response? Do I go back to the office?  If you are like many of us returning to work you know that feeling. The feeling of loss, almost like a mourning process as we returned to work. Many of our friends and co-workers did not return. Many made different life choices, many middle managers had their positions eliminated and where not returning, some had reductions in staffing or maybe not able to find replacement staff. A sense of overwhelming loss just swept across you.

You begin to take a mental stock of your new and very different work environment. Your equipment has sat dormant for months and need repairs, your short staffed and have to come up with a plan to attract new employees whilst trying to hang onto your current team. It can be an emotional rollercoaster for many of us, but you are not alone. It is important to stay focused and prioritize your organizations needs as well as remember your own needs. Things have changed, some for the better, some maybe not what we expected. I know I encountered some bitterness from several co-workers due to the stress and anxiety of returning to work after over a year of time spent with family, children or maybe parents. Being short staffed and now enduring long hours in the office and still needing to work from home. You ask yourself, “Did I really sign up for all this”? The work environment has changed because the way we perceive things have changed.

I recently took a ride around the parking lots at my place of employment. Weeds had sprouted up in nearly every nook and cranny or crack in the pavement. They had time to grow and blossom, undisturbed for many months. Without an open mind and a positive attitude, one may look at them as an intrusion of our space, just weeds and an annoyance. Stopping for a moment and glancing out over the expansive lot the first thing that came to mind was the Will Smith movie “I am Legend”. Doom and gloom started to set in. What had become of the beautifully landscaped park like settings we left behind? I had to quickly check myself, I have people depending on me to lead them through this new landscape, new beginnings, fresh starts. I told myself, get back on track. I glanced again to the corner and saw a single dandelion. It had found its own space, undisturbed, happily flourishing in this concrete jungle it has called home for the past several months. It was beautiful in its own way, perfectly symmetrical, glistening in the morning sunlight. If it had been two years earlier, it would not have had a chance for survival with the hustle and bustle of vehicle traffic flowing in and out and the thousands of pedestrians running from buildings to vehicles crushing any previous opportunity this “weed” would have had. But for today, it is not a weed, it is not just a “dandelion” it is a magnificent reminder of how we have all changed, how our work environments have evolved, and how the tiniest of things can bring a sense of peace to our souls if we just stop for a moment, take notice, and embrace it. Change can be good.