The story of an unlikely mediator
Our lives and behaviours have changed in recent months. No doubt about that. No use in lamenting it. But it's not all bad. Plenty of articles have emerged, discussing positive new patterns which we should retain when returning to our 'normal' lives. Much of it has been focused on remote working and better work-life balance for individuals.
What has struck me most - or rather the question I've been asking myself - is this: Is the technology forced onto us by lockdown making us more human? Better humans? Even prior to lockdown, many have been concerned about the dehumanising effects of technology and the walls it has been building up between us. Social media, in particular, has come under fire for its paradox effect of separating us from each other.
Since we were all forced to self-isolate and have been deprived of our excess of human contact, I have made a few observations pointing at the opposite: That as the wells of social contact and human exchange have dried up, we have begun to pay more attention to them, acting more deliberate and seeking them out more consciously and purposefully than before.
One example of this is the drive to reconnect with friends from our past and in different geographies. With Zoom calls being the new norm to interact with others, it no longer makes a difference where people are. As a result, I have noticed the number of exchanges with old friends living in different places go up dramatically. Most calls end with wondering: "Why did it take us three years to re-connect? Let's do this more often." In London, where travelling to meet a friend within the same city often takes more than one hour each way, Zoom calls may just be what strengthens friendships, even after we regain the option of travel.
Aside from videoconferencing, many - I would argue - positive behaviours have emerged. Looking after one’s neighbours, giving to charity, spending more time with family, cooking meals at home, flying less, showing understanding for others' circumstances (I've heard of landlords offering rent reductions and delays, for example), picking up more creative hobbies over watching films all day, and many more.
There are some signals that even in the commercial world human factors are becoming more (most) important. Customer Experience - in normal times seen as a non-essential luxury buy many executives - has turned into a main differentiator in times of crisis. Three out of the "Five jobs most in demand after COVID-19" in yesterday's Sunday Times Business Risk section are concerned with dealing with human factors in one way or another: Head of Customer Services/Experience, Head of Culture and Well-being, and Head of Communications. (The other two being Head of Technology and Head of Data Insights - both, amongst other things, to enable the scaling of better and closer customer experiences).
Another article in the same paper reads: "Brand matters more than ever.", as "The coronavirus pandemic has sharpened consumer attitudes towards poor corporate behaviour". When it is not possible to be wowed by a brick-and-mortar experience and to browse and touch products, to be badgered into buying by eager shop assistants, the words that are being put out - and their authenticity, sincerity, and subsequent follow-through - are critical.
The same is true for employers, their culture, and the new set of benefits required to attract talent (as alluded to above). Gone are the days when a bright office, a foosball table, and free lunches could woo staff. What employees might focus on most is how they are treated as people: Do flexible hours allow them to take care of their loved ones? Do they feel looked after even at home, and not forgotten? Are they provided with everything needed to do their job effectively? Is mental health considered? Do other colleagues show concern for them? Does the business provide transparency around decisions that will impact them? What will or won't need to change once offices re-open? Will some newly gained flexibility be retained?
The Five Stages of Grief have been amended to include a sixth stage: finding meaning. It may be that this is what I am doing here - to look for the silver lining in an otherwise dire situation. It could also be that crises show us what matters most and that the democratization of technology is playing a powerful enabling role in facilitating those mind shifts. When we are forced to change just about every aspect of our lives, it may help to spend some time considering which changes we want to keep. Not just in terms of office life, but in terms of our humanity.
