Luke Jamieson

I’ve been thinking about relationships a lot of late. Family, friends, and work. When my wife went away on a trip recently, I was reminded of how much she does for the family. I’m not just talking about the obvious household upkeep and logistics; I’m talking about everything. Emotional balance and support, mental load, and even the energy she brings. I’ve had similar evaluative thoughts about friends too.

A year ago, I organised a monthly catch-up of the dads from my daughter's school and one year on I have formed some good friendships with a few of the dads in the group. These closer relationships have formed off the back of mutual effort. Time, emotion, effort, common ground and maybe a few beers. When we hang out, we laugh, share stories of wins and challenges, and try to solve the world’s problems.

In both of these stories, the realisation I had was time, effort and connection.  Relationships are not defined and measured by a strict set of key performance indications (KPIs). Expectations yes but not highly measured metrics.

This got me wondering what relationships would be like if they were, so I came up with this little story.

Love By Numbers – a tale of quantifying relationships

Chapter 1.

In a gumtree-lined street in a middle-class East Coast town in Australia lived a couple named Noah and Poppy. To anyone who met them, they appeared the perfect couple, always polite, efficient, and well put together. Noah and Poppy had been together since high school and been married for just over a decade however, they had a curious way of communicating with each other. They never told each other "I love you" nor did they find it necessary to express any appreciation for each other, particularly regarding what made the other unique. Instead, they had a weekly routine where they sat down and evaluated and scored each other's ability to fulfil their husband-and-wife duties.

Their system was straightforward. One night a week they would sit down with their notes of observations and scores of tasks and moments that had taken place that week. These lists ranged from the mundane, like taking out the bins or doing the dishes, to the less tactile, like showing support for a project or the other's attitude around the home. Each item scored out of 10 and commented on with a start, stop or continue. Poppy would meticulously evaluate Noah's performance, and Noah would do the same for Poppy. There was no room for affection or deeper interest in the other's intimate and personal drivers. The only way they communicated their “feelings” was through this rating process. They lived by their scores, and their commitment to each other was measured in tasks completed and duties fulfilled. They never questioned why they never said they loved or appreciated one another. It was and had always been how they did things.

Friends and family who had experienced quite different and more engaging and personal relationships, couldn't help but be worried, even confused about the strange dynamic between Noah and Poppy. They would often raise their concerns, and question why Noah and Poppy never expressed their love to each other. Noah and Poppy would casually brush off these concerns with polite smiles, reassuring everyone that their system simply worked perfectly for them.

As the years continued to pass by their lives became increasingly routine. They woke up, carried out their daily duties, and scored each other's performances. Occasionally arguing over a low score, but these disputes were usually resolved with some compromise or a time-boxed performance plan. 

Chapter 1 Thoughts

Does any of this sound familiar? Hopefully not at home but at work?

We expect a lot from employees, but the relationship often does not go beyond a set of KPIs and then we wonder why we have high attrition rates, low engagement, poor buy-in and alignment to vision and culture.

Imagine we stripped away the 1:1 and regular cadence of clinical check-ins. What would work feel like and would it be more engaging? 

Chapter 2

One rather hot February summer night, when the sun did not set till late in the evening, Noah routinely sat down to rate Poppy's performance for the week, however unlike most weeks he realised that he was about to give her a perfect score for the third week in a row. Poppy had been uncharacteristically passionate, caring, and supportive. He’d never seen her this engaged in their relationship, and it struck him that this was resulting in his atypical run of perfect marks.

This got Noah wondering if he had taken Poppy's unwavering commitment for granted. He thought about all the times she had been there for him, consistently supporting him through thick and thin. He thought about how she was the cornerstone of their household, always ensuring that their lives ran smoothly.

Noah's eyes began to tear up as he realised his feelings for Poppy were real, they had depth and were not just a logistical convenience. He thought about how he had never once told her how much he loved and appreciated her. Why would he? Their system worked and did not require such complication and yet he still felt a deep longing to express his emotions and to break free from the constraints of their sterile rating system.

That night, as Poppy joined him for their weekly one-on-one review, instead of rating Poppy's performance, Noah turned to her, his gaze soft, filled with love, and said, "Poppy, there's something I need to tell you." She looked at him with a look that was partly surprised yet somewhat hopeful by the break in their routine.

"I've never told you this before, but I want you to know how much I love and appreciate you, not just what you do. You are incredible, and I don’t want to imagine my life without you." Poppy's eyes glistened with tears as she heard these words. Despite having a routine that worked and that was free of emotive complications, Poppy realised at that moment that she had longed to hear for many years.

Touched by Noah's candour and vulnerability, Poppy took a slow, deep breath and said with a quivering voice, "Noah, I feel the same way. I've always loved you maybe more than words can express which is maybe why I have never said it”.

There was no going back, from that day onward Noah and Poppy abandoned their routine rating system. They learned that expressions of love and appreciation were far more powerful than any score they could give. Their relationship deepened as did their commitment and engagement with each other. They realised that love was not about checking off tasks but about being present for each other and cherishing the moments they shared.

Chapter 2 Thoughts

I remember many years ago now, I was ideating a new service model called ‘Genuine Care’ and I had on the whiteboard in my office a whole heap of words that made up the ethos. One of those was emotional. I distinctly remember a senior leader reacting and having strong thoughts about removing it because we should not be emotional at work. 

At the time I was relatively early in my senior leadership career and thought that they might have been right in their thoughts. As the initiative took root it was clear that care without emotion is possible but clinical. Much like my relationship with my GP. I know he wants to recommend things to make me feel better when ill but I don’t feel much warmth or connection from him. It is a relationship of convenience. He has my records and history however if there was a more convenient GP would I switch… Probably.

What I wanted to create was not clinical. I wanted to create a genuine connection with our customers and each other. We had to be comfortable to be emotional.

It's the emotion that connects us on a deeper level because emotion requires vulnerability and trust.

When it comes to relationships, I want that connection. I don’t want clinical, and I think many employees want this too. Maybe not the eyes filled with emotional tears and declarations of love, but I believe that employees are seeking more than sterile one-on-ones. More than being benchmarked on KPIs and more than emotionless dialogue.

The Wrap Up

If this resonates but you’re wondering where to start, then I would recommend taking a baby step toward this by thinking about one thing you appreciate about a person and telling them. Genuine connections and relationships thrive in cultures of appreciation. And to be clear I’m not talking about recognition. The way I like to think about it is we recognise do and appreciate who.

Your thoughts on what I put out there are always welcomed and as always, until next time,

Hooroo.

G’day G’day,

If like me, you have attended a few conferences this year then you will know that regardless of the industry they have been dominated by AI discussion. It’s generally one of four topics:

1.  AI Ethics – This is always a good one and even better when held as a debate. Hearing the pros and cons or the scary and the smarts, however, I'm yet to validate any of the scary examples bandied from the stage. Most are internet ghost stories from fake news.
2. How to use AI – Honestly, please stop wasting our time. I’ve seen so many people demonstrate how to use ChatGPT or Mid-Journey. I can try it for myself or there’s this thing called YouTube if I want to learn about clever prompts. You’re not an A.I. expert because you can show me a product. If a vendor got up on stage and did a demo of their product, the audience would muster a collective sigh and would no doubt be annoyed at the sales pitch.
3. This is how we are using AI – Love it. Tell me more about how you are practically applying it. Tell me about the benefits and the pitfalls. Tell me about your learnings and how your employees and customers reacted to it. More of this, please.
4. AI is here to take our jobs – My favourite because it's not entirely true but I enjoy the one-sided nature of the pitch. That said, please stop fearmongering to get a headline. It’s this point though that I want to expand on in this article because I don't believe AI is here to take our jobs.

The stratospheric rise of AI

When ChatGPT fell out of space earlier this year, the rise of AI sparked both excitement and apprehension, particularly when it comes to its potential impact on our jobs. While some people incite fear that AI will replace employees and lead to widespread unemployment, I think a more realistic, exciting and pragmatic perspective is that AI is not here to take your job but to take your tasks. In this article, I want to clear up how I believe AI is reshaping roles by automating tasks, enhancing productivity, and actually creating new opportunities and job satisfaction for employees.

Let’s take a quick look at the history and evolution of work.

A while back I wrote an article called The Age of the Employee that explored the technological advancements that have transformed the nature of work. From the manufacturing era and industrial revolution to the digital era and the age of information, each wave of innovation has brought about changes in how tasks are performed. AI simply represents the next stage in this evolution, focusing on automating routine, repetitive, and data-intensive tasks.

AI excels at tasks that are rule-based, data-driven and involve recognisable patterns. This could be activities like data entry, image recognition, language translation, and transactional, fact-based customer support. AI simply enables employees to offload mundane and time-consuming activities, allowing them to focus on complex, emotive, creative, and strategic aspects of their roles. AI can act as a powerful tool that complements employee capabilities.

For instance, AI can analyse vast amounts of data to provide insights, which employees can use to make informed decisions. This cohesion between employees and AI harnesses the strengths of both, resulting in more efficient and accurate outcomes and allowing more space for empathy.

If you’re happy and you know it… let AI take your tasks

We should be happy about AI taking our tasks. For the most part, people don’t actually like tasks. I say this because when I was a people manager the first thing that would happen when a new task was set as part of a KPI (key performance indicator) was that people would try to game the tasks measurement.

We need to stop protecting our tasks as if they are our job and let AI take over routine tasks and allow it to open up opportunities for us to acquire new skills and adapt to changing industry demands. Rather than rendering certain jobs obsolete, use AI to enable employees to upskill and reskill in other areas. This continuous learning cycle increases employability, enhances a sense of mastery, and assists individuals to thrive in this evolving work landscape.

Veering slightly away from my point that AI is not here to take our jobs but I think worth mentioning. AI has also given rise to entirely new roles that cater to the development, implementation, and maintenance of AI systems. AI engineers, data scientists, machine learning specialists, and AI ethicists, among others. As AI becomes more integrated into various industries, these positions will continue to grow in demand, offering diverse career paths for those interested in shaping the future of technology.

The Wrap Up

AI is not here to take your job, it’s here to take your tasks. So, if your job is just a bunch of simple repetitive tasks should you be worried? Well, maybe. But is a reflection on you? No. This reflects poor job design. So, what should you do? Explore what parts of your role excite you and challenge you and start to look at how you can improve them and do more of them. Look at the parts of your role that are replaceable by AI and start looking at how much time would be freed up to do the things that you love and that interest you. Maybe even go a step further and see how you can help and learn to automate some of your tasks. Look for moments where human-to-human interaction is needed. Humans need humans. AI will spur on a renaissance of human connection and the arts. Find moments that lean towards what makes us human and find ways to make them your job. Explore the things that are valuable but hard to measure because what gets measured often gets automated.

This should also be a wake-up call to leaders and HR folk alike to design careers and complex roles, not task handler positions.  DON’T MAKE TASKS THE JOB.

The introduction of AI should lead to job transformation rather than elimination. AI is not a harbinger of job loss, no, it’s a catalyst for task automation and job/career enhancement. As AI continues to evolve, it will no doubt change the future of work, but the overarching impact will be on tasks rather than jobs. By allowing AI to take over repetitive and data-intensive tasks, employees should be freed up to focus on creativity, critical thinking, empathy-driven moments and innovation and this can only be a good thing for employee engagement and in turn, the customer experience.

Like with any of my articles, I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Until next time and as always,

Hooroo

I grew up in the 80s and 90s when parachute pants were cool, the most desired car in the world was not a Ferrari but a car named Kit, one of the best cartoons was already rocking pronouns, (He-Man) and the Masters of the Universe and my school had no fence around the oval.

Each recess (little lunch) and lunch groups of kids would walk out and hang out in the middle of the oval, but only the rebels sneaking off for a cigarette would go right to the edge of the oval boundary. However, as the years changed schools became more fenced in. When our oval got fenced in something quite interesting happened. All the kids that grouped together in the middle of the oval now spread right to the edges. Not as rebels but knowing they were allowed to. The boundary fence created a guideline that let the students make the most of the space. This boundary created freedom.

At work, the concept of freedom is often viewed as antithetical to productivity and organisational structure. However, it’s increasingly being realised that providing employees with the right balance of freedom within boundaries has a profound positive impact on their engagement and overall job satisfaction. By empowering employees to make decisions exercise creativity, and take ownership of their work within well-defined limits, organisations create a culture of innovation that is highly motivated and committed to the cause.

With that said, I thought I’d explore the notion of freedom within boundaries and its impact on employee engagement. So let’s start with understanding freedom within boundaries.

Freedom within Boundaries – Is a Strategy.

Freedom within boundaries is a strategic approach because you have to make a decision to allow employees to exercise autonomy and make choices while adhering to clearly communicated and accessible guidelines and objectives established by the organisation. It’s not a free-for-all work environment but rather, it is a framework that encourages responsible decision-making, creativity, and collaboration. These boundaries are designed to ensure alignment with the organisation's vision, mission, and values and safeguard against potential risks or negative outcomes i.e., rebels smoking at the oval's ambiguous edge.

Do like Elsa and Let It Go - Autonomy and Empowerment

By setting broad boundaries that give employees a degree of autonomy you are tapping into their intrinsic motivation and helping them define and find their own sense of purpose. When individuals have the freedom to choose how to approach their work, make decisions, and set their own goals within predetermined limits, they experience a heightened sense of ownership and accountability. This accountability creates a deeper commitment to achieving objectives. That sense of achievement is another intrinsic motivator that is key to sustainable employee engagement.

Boundaries are a Canvas – Innovation and Creativity

Freedom within boundaries is like a blank canvas with a set of brushes and paints in front of it. You have to paint on the canvas with these tools, but you can paint what you like. This freedom inspires innovation and creativity by removing the fear of failure and providing employees with a safe space to explore new ideas. When individuals experiment, take calculated risks, and learn from both successes and setbacks, they become more engaged and invested in their work. Encouraging diverse perspectives and solutions within the boundaries can lead to breakthrough innovations and continuous improvement. It also is great for the customer experience because conversations are not linear. Have you ever called a contact centre and felt like you were talking to a robot because the person is so hell-bent on following a process to the letter of the law verse listening to you and problem-solving? This is because the boundaries are so tight that there is no room for creativity, and they are forced to “follow the bouncing ball”. The flaw with this method is that there is a whole bunch of dead ends that should the ball not land on an answer then there is no room to problem solve. Boundaries should be used to create space, not shrink it.

Boundaries Create Space - Building Trust and Respect:

Freedom within boundaries can create a space not just for problem-solving and creativity but also for fostering a culture of trust and respect between employees and their managers to grow. When employees are given the freedom to work independently, it signals trust in their capabilities and expertise. In return, employees feel valued, respected, and trusted, which again are building blocks for sustainable employee engagement. This trust and respect then create a work environment that is safe to communicate openly and honestly as well as provide and receive constructive feedback.

So How Big is the Perimeter - Striking the Right Balance

To effectively implement a freedom within-boundaries strategy, organisations need to strike the right balance between providing autonomy and establishing necessary guidelines. Clear communication, well-defined objectives, and regular feedback mechanisms are essential for ensuring that employees understand the boundaries and can navigate within them. Periodic reassessment and maybe even an adjustment of boundaries (in or out) may be necessary to accommodate evolving business needs, desires and employee growth and engagement. Autonomy does not have to be an all-or-nothing approach. There is a middle ground between strict and absolute militant control and chaotic, no boundaries at all, let your undies fly kind of freedom.

The Wrap Up

I’ve seen first-hand the innovation, engagement and trust that comes from giving employees more space to roam. Freedom within boundaries is a powerful way to cultivate employee engagement and a positive work culture. By granting employees the freedom to make decisions, exercise creativity, and take ownership of their work within well-defined limits, organisations and employees tap into their full potential. Empowered employees are way more likely to be engaged, creative, and committed, leading to enhanced productivity, higher job satisfaction, lower attrition and more incredible business innovation. Letting go or even just loosening the grip should not be scary.

So, my closing advice to you is: Be like He-man. Be the “Master of your Universe” not a legend in your own lunchbox. See your domain as bigger and see where you can place an expanded boundary that provides some space for innovation, autonomy, trust empowerment and creativity.

Until next time and as always…

Hooroo.

G’day, G’day!

Extrinsic rewards have long been a popular tool to drive engagement, in part because of their simplicity, but if that is your strategy then you need to KISS it goodbye. Intrinsic employee engagement doesn’t have to be a complex strategy. It’s time to get back to basics with practical essentials that will enhance employee engagement without relying on extrinsic rewards. That’s right, Keep It Simple Stupid.

Most relationships don’t start with an engagement ring. Yet we often approach employee engagement by diving all in on with a huge investment, down on one knee. So, it’s understandable that some organisations get cold feet at the thought of such a big commitment and instead do nothing.

So, I thought I’d help you out with my peck-on-the-cheek list of things that will help you create amazing employee engagement without the need for a big budget or complex strategy.

• Communicate – Don’t be a wallflower.
• Let Go – Relationships require trust.
• Appreciate – Gratitude sweetens even the smallest moments.
• Progress – Together we grow.
• Culture – Positive behaviours repeated.

Communication – Don’t be a wallflower.

Let’s start with the first building block; communication. Clear, open, and honest communication serves as the foundation for fostering employee engagement. Organisations must prioritise open channels of communication, ensuring that employees are informed about company goals, initiatives, and updates. By providing this context and purpose it helps employees feel more connected to their work, leading to higher levels of engagement. So, without meaning to tell you to suck eggs, regular team meetings, one-on-ones, and feedback mechanisms are simple but beautiful ways to promote effective communication.

When it comes to feedback it should be regular, constructive, and two-way. Feedback is vital for employees to understand their performance so they can grow and improve. Providing timely, genuine, and meaningful feedback, both positive and developmental, enables individuals to make informed adjustments and progress in their roles. It is also important to provide ways for employees to provide feedback. This helps them feel heard and empowered and, on that note…

Let Go! – Relationships require trust.

As a leader, you are no doubt carrying a few monkeys on your back so by giving some empowerment and autonomy you are not just helping others you are helping yourself. Empowering employees to make decisions and giving them autonomy over their work will significantly boost engagement levels. Providing opportunities for individuals to take ownership of projects, express their creativity, and contribute their unique perspectives instils a sense of value and fulfilment. Offering autonomy within defined parameters (freedom within boundaries) and providing resources and support enables employees to become more invested in their roles, leading to increased engagement. So get that chimpanzee off your back and start empowering people. Both you and your employees will appreciate it. Speaking of appreciate…

Appreciation – Gratitude sweetens even the smallest moments.

Now that you have empowered employees it’s time to reduce the emphasis on the reward in R&R and shift the focus to recognition and appreciation or as the quote from Roy T. Bennett

goes – “Pursue what catches your heart, not what catches your eyes.” Genuine recognition and appreciation are crucial. A simple act of acknowledging employees' efforts and achievements can have a profound impact on their motivation and job satisfaction. A simple way to create a culture of appreciation is through peer-to-peer recognition, a humble thank-you note, or a public acknowledgment. All these actions can help foster a positive work environment where employees feel valued and supported.

Progress – Together we grow.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, employees need to have a sense of progress, and nothing helps them feel that more than professional or personal development opportunities. Investing in the growth and development of employees is a sure way to enhance engagement. Providing access to learning resources, training programs, and mentorship opportunities demonstrates a commitment to an employee's long-term success. By aligning employee career and life aspirations with organisational goals, organisations can create a sense of progress, increasing employee engagement. Some other ways to achieve this is by offering growth opportunities such as stretch assignments or cross-functional projects that can positively challenge employees and keep them engaged by broadening their skill sets. Like in life’s relationships, where we want to be with people who want to see us grow, the same applies to employees.

Culture – Positive behaviours repeated.

Creating a positive work environment is essential to employee engagement. Encouraging collaboration, trust, and respect among team members helps create a sense of belonging and satisfaction. Focus on work-life balance, flexibility, and employee well-being initiatives further contribute to a positive workplace sentiment. And small gestures like celebrating milestones, team-building activities, and social events can also play a significant role in fostering camaraderie and a sense of community. But the number one way to create a positive work culture is by doing the little things… over and over and over again. Culture is a set of behaviours repeated. It’s that simple. You want a positive culture? Then take some time to identify the little things that need to be repeated each day until they are habits.

The Wrap Up

Employee engagement can’t rely on or be sustained by extrinsic rewards but so many organisations go there because it seems uncomplicated and is easy to see. Employee engagement also doesn’t need to be complicated. There’s a misconception that employee engagement must be this big complex strategy. Sure, a solid stratagem, timeline and budget are going to help, but I hear from so many organisations who never get started because that big plan looks too colossal to take on when there is so much else in the pipeline. It doesn’t have to be massive. If you are wondering where employee engagement starts, then remember it starts with a little K.I.S.S. Get back to basics. Effective communication, empowerment, appreciation, professional and personal development, a positive work environment, and meaningful feedback are all essential components of a holistic approach to employee engagement. They are a solid blueprint that requires little to no budget. So what are you waiting for?

Found this helpful or know someone who should read this? Feel free to share, or have I missed any basics that are worth having a little smooch with? Let me know.

As always and until next time

Hooroo

G’day, G’day,

Well, the internet is abuzz ever since Apple announced the Vision Pro. With over 50 million views of the introduction video on YouTube in a week, this new tech is making waves – More than just an augmented or virtual reality headset Apple calls it a “spatial computer”.

I’m expecting a call from Apple any moment now to confirm my address (I know you have it Apple) as to where they can send me one to test drive so I can have a first-hand experience to share with you all. However, while I await said call, I thought I’d pose some thoughts about the potential social impacts of the everyday adoption of augmented reality (AR).

Despite the initial jaw-dropping price of $3,500 ($5,170 Aussie + GST) I still believe the Vision Pro is the first product that will inspire the mass adoption of AR. Apple has a great track record of propelling the masses forward and breaking moulds. Take the AirPods for example. Prior to the AirPod, anyone walking around with a wireless headset on was either a private chauffeur, a stockbroker, or a wanker. But then the AirPods come along and walking around looking like you’re talking to yourself or bopping along to the latest country song with no cord attached to a device was completely socially normal and acceptable if you had two white buds in your ear.

Augmented reality (AR) isn’t new, in fact, it has been around since 1968 when pioneer Ivan Sutherland developed the ‘Sword of Damocles’ at the University of Salt Lake City. It was a head-mounted device that allowed you to view images in 3D such as a wireframe cube overtop of your surroundings. AR sometimes referred to as XR (extended reality) overlays virtual elements on the real world, offering exciting possibilities in various domains. I’ve read a lot of articles since the launch of the Vision Pro and proponents argue that AR has the potential to revolutionise human interaction, while sceptics view it as a mere distraction from reality. I want to put to you both perspectives to get you thinking as to whether augmented reality is a deeper way to connect or a new way to disconnect and escape from everything around us.

Enhancing Human Interaction

Enhanced Social Experiences: AR has the potential to redefine social interactions. With AR, people can engage in immersive shared experiences, further breaking down physical barriers. For example, AR-powered video conferencing can enable virtual meetings where participants can feel as if they are in the same room, fostering deeper connections despite geographical distances. Something many have wrestled with thanks to working from home becoming a normal standard practice.

Imagine what contact centres could look like. Customer Service Representatives could greet you virtually face to face and sit down for a conversation, working with you on what feels like the same screen to help you navigate and solve your issue. More like a virtual branch than a contact centre.

Interactive Learning

Augmented reality offers a dynamic and interactive learning environment. Students can visualise complex concepts, engage in realistic simulations and even manipulate virtual objects. This immersive approach enhances understanding and retention, making education more engaging and meaningful.

Cultural Preservation

AR could provide a deeper connection to cultural heritage. By overlaying historical information, stories, and virtual artifacts onto physical spaces, AR applications can offer interactive and educational experiences at historical sites and museums, bridging the gap between the past and the present. Imagine for example conducting a welcome to country (an acknowledgment of the traditional owners of the land in Australia) where the environment around you has transformed from an office environment to a vision of what the land was like before the colonisation of Australia.

Collaboration and Teamwork

AR has the potential to transform collaborative work environments. With AR, team members can share real-time information, collaborate on virtual objects, and co-create in a more seamless manner. This fosters deeper connections and enables efficient teamwork, regardless of physical location. AR adds a tactile element to virtual meetings that screen sharing and video calls cannot compete with.

So, what about the flip side?

Potential Distraction

Escapism and Overindulgence: One of my concerns is that AR may encourage escapism, as people immerse themselves in virtual experiences rather than engaging with the real world. Overindulgence in AR could lead to social disconnection and a loss of human-to-human interaction, negating the potential for deeper connections. When I think about how addicted so many of us are to screens, I begin to wonder if this takes it to a whole new level. Right now, it’s easy to call someone out about looking at a screen whilst they should be present in the moment. With AR you will not know if someone is looking at you or if they have overlaid with you a T-Rex head.

Information Overload

With augmented reality, there is a risk of overwhelming users with excessive information and distractions. The human attention span is declining at a rapid rate. A study by Microsoft in Canada conducted in 2015 that since the mobile revolution in 2000, the average human attention span dropped from 12 seconds to 8 seconds. That’s a 0.266 reduction each year. If that trend continued it means that you are probably no longer reading this article and your attention span is about 5.87 seconds long. This explains why my short ‘n sweet videos get 5 times the views as articles like this. If AR applications bombard users with constant notifications, advertisements, and content, it will no doubt hinder genuine connections and hinder focus on the present moment. I can barely focus on a conversation if the radio is playing let alone transforming my loungeroom into the Serengeti whilst talking about the logistics of school drop-off.

While on the topic of overload, A study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that people who were high users of social media and technology felt more socially isolated. Right now, with a smartphone, there is a space between your hands and your eyes that requires purposeful movement. It’s subtle but it requires someone to be either looking at their device. You can’t be looking at two places at once. If someone is to avoid walking in front of a car they must look up from the phone. Sure, plenty of annoying people don’t but what I am getting at is when you look up you disconnect even if it is briefly.

AR is different. It’s like a heads-up display on car dashboards. You can focus on two things at once and that information is constant. One reason AR has not been widely adopted to date is because of a lag between our reality and what is digitally overlaid. That lag causes us to become nauseated making long sessions of AR unsustainable. The Vision Pro however is said to have overcome this thanks to not one but two chips. The powerful M2 chip and a new chip called the R1, which is responsible for real-time processing, eliminating the lag that often causes nausea.

This is an amazing feat however if we are now no longer even getting micro-breaks from our devices then that means we will be constantly processing multiple layers of information all the time. So, the question is: Will this ability to be always connected lead to us actually being more socially isolated?

Ethical Considerations

AR blurs the line between reality and virtuality, which raises some ethical concerns in my mind. Privacy, security, and consent become essential issues when digital overlays can intrude upon personal spaces or collect and exploit user data. It’s often said if you want to overcome your fear of speaking in public that you imagine everyone in their underwear. We say it light-heartedly knowing it’s unlikely someone is really doing that but how would you feel if someone was actually able to overlay your body with AR so that it looked like you were in your underwear? This could all be possible; I mean if a Snapchat filter can make me look like a unicorn that vomits rainbows, then is the idea of a “suffer in your jocks” filter that far-fetched? If not carefully managed, these concerns and many more such as people recording your private data unknowingly could overshadow the potential for mainstream use.

The Wrap Up

If I have any hope of Apple letting me test one of these puppies out, (highly unlikely) and for full disclosure to you as a reader I should say that I’m unashamedly an Apple fan and am pretty excited by their latest announcement. I’m by no means an expert on the Vision Pro and have only relayed here what I have read and watched online. That said, the Vision Pro (in my opinion) is likely to leapfrog AR into mainstream adoption and push the boundaries of what we thought was possible.

I believe augmented reality presents a unique blend of opportunities and challenges. While it has the potential to revolutionise human interaction, fostering deeper connections in some domains, caution must be exercised to avoid potential disconnection, distraction, and ethical pitfalls.

To harness the true potential of AR, developers, researchers, and us as users must strive to strike a balance between the virtual and the real. By leveraging augmented reality as a tool to enhance human experiences, promote collaboration and preserve (even enhance) culture, we can unlock its transformative power while mitigating the risk of distraction and disconnection.

Ultimately, the future of augmented reality lies in our ability to harness its potential responsibly and purposefully, ensuring that it serves as a bridge rather than a barrier in our quest for deeper human connections. That and our ability not to laugh at everyone wearing ski goggles down the street.

I would love to know your thoughts on this. Are you excited by this, what benefits or pitfalls could mass adoption of AR bring forth?

-

Until next time and as always

Hooroo

G’day G’day,

You might have heard me say before that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) SUCK!

At face value, you might think that I am anti-KPI or even anti-establishment but that is not the case. The gripe I have with KPIs, particularly in contact centres where you can basically measure every breath someone takes, is that the KPI I measure because it can be. Not because it should be. Many KPIs also are put in place with the individual being measured having no control or influence over the outcome. But my biggest gripe is that most KPIs I’ve seen have been “widgetised” down from an executive KPI to a point that the KPI has zero meaning and tangible impact on those trying to achieve it. Two things that actually help with employee engagement. 

KPIs have long been regarded as powerful tools for measuring and evaluating performance within organisations because they provide valuable insights into various aspects of business operations which can help in decision-making processes. However, in recent times (thanks to the pandemic), there has been growing concern about the overuse of KPIs, particularly those that don’t help the person being measured feel a sense of purpose, meaning and impact.

The 2023 Contact Centre Best Practice Report from Smaart Recruitment, sites that the number one reason people are joining an organisation is not pay but purpose! So, with that in mind, we need to rethink KPIs so they are linked to more intrinsic motivators. It is easy to say but perhaps hard to execute because one of the major drawbacks of KPIs is their limited scope. KPIs often focus on a narrow set of easily quantifiable and measurable metrics, neglecting the broader context and complexity of business operations. This causes organisations to be fixated on these metrics which in turn creates organisational tunnel vision, prioritising short-term gains over long-term sustainability and growth. This narrow focus can lead to overlooking critical factors that are difficult to quantify but crucial for success, such as employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and innovation.

KPIs need to evolve and become less tangible and become more purpose-driven, personally relevant and show clear meaning and impact. Not convinced? Let’s look at some other downsides to traditional KPIs.\

Gaming and Manipulation

KPIs that are extrinsically driven can create a fertile ground for gaming and manipulation. When employees or teams are evaluated solely based on KPIs, they may be motivated to engage in behaviours that boost those metrics, even if it means sacrificing the overall goals and values of the organisation as well as compromising their own values with is a sure way to create low employee morale and engagement. “Gaming the system," can also result in distorted data, misleading reports, and unethical practices. By fixating on KPIs without considering the underlying principles and values, organisations inadvertently encourage such behaviour, leading to a misalignment between stated objectives and actual outcomes. This behaviour is one of the biggest reasons organisations end up with two cultures. The one on the wall and the one lived and breathed on a daily basis.

Measuring the Intangible

KPIs are often designed to measure quantifiable data, revenue, profit margins, or productivity. While these metrics provide valuable insights, they fail to capture the intangible aspects of business performance. However, factors like employee engagement, organisational culture, and brand reputation play a vital role in long-term success but are challenging to quantify accurately. By exclusively focusing on easily quantifiable or tangible KPIs, organisations risk undervaluing these critical aspects, leading to a skewed understanding of their overall performance and missing opportunities for improvement.

KPI Snapbacks – A Disregard for Context and Complexity

KPIs in most organisations are treated like a snapback truckers hat. One size fits all with some adjustment… but that hat won’t keep me warm in winter like a beanie and it won’t get me into a ball like a dapper top hat will. Every organisation operates within a unique context influenced by its industry, market conditions, and internal dynamics. KPIs tend to be generic and standardised, making it difficult to capture the intricacies of each organisation’s environment. Take contact centres for example. Right across the Australian contact centre industry the accepted standard for Grade of Service (GOS), is 80% of calls within 30 seconds (80/30). Yet in my experience, this is not a one size fits all measure. Think about it. If you were calling 000 you would want a GOS of 100/0, right? Life or death situations deserve a contextual KPI, whereas calling your superannuation fund… what’s the rush? This KPI as an example should be customer driven i.e. How long is a customer willing to wait before it impacts negatively on their experience (per industry)?

Relying solely on KPIs without considering the specific context can lead to misguided decision-making. What works as a KPI in one industry or company may not be relevant or effective in another. Organisations must supplement KPIs with qualitative analysis, market research, and a deep understanding of their unique circumstances to avoid oversimplification and misinterpretation.

Creativity Killers

Overemphasis on KPIs can stifle creativity and innovation within organisations. Employees who are solely focused on meeting predefined metrics may shy away from taking risks or pursuing unconventional ideas. This stifling effect hampers adaptability (a growing desirable attribute in contact centre agents), limits experimentation, and handcuffs the development of ground-breaking solutions. By encouraging a culture that values KPIs above all else, organisations inadvertently discourage the very qualities needed to stay competitive in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

The Wrap Up

Key Performance Indicators are not the enemy, they are not the devil, and they are certainly not to be piffed out the office window. No doubt about it, KPIs offer valuable insights into organisational performance. However, the overuse and misuse of KPIs can lead to unintended consequences, some of which are starting to be realised in recent times. It’s crucial for organisations to strike a balance between quantitative metrics and qualitative analysis, considering the broader context and complexities of their operations which should absolutely include employee engagement. So, let’s take off the blinkers and move away from the tunnel vision induced by excessive reliance on narrow KPIs so we can foster a more holistic approach to performance.

Until next time and, as always

Hooroo

I believe the level of an employee's resilience can have a significant impact on their level of engagement. Resilience is essentially an individual's ability to recover quickly from setbacks, adapt to change, and overcome adversity. When employees are resilient, they are better equipped to handle the stresses and challenges of the workplace, which I believe can positively affect their engagement.

Because they are better able to manage their emotions and maintain a sense of control, even in challenging situations resilient employees are more likely to have a positive attitude towards their work and the organisation they work for. In my time managing people I also noted that those who were more resilient were able to better identify opportunities for improvement and take action to address issues. This proactive behaviour helps build an employee's sense of autonomy which is a key ingredient to engagement.

But how do you help build resilience in employees?

Training employees to be resilient involves providing them with the necessary tools, resources, time, space, and support to develop the skills and mindset needed to overcome challenges and adversity.

I suggest starting with educating employees on the importance of resilience, what it means, and how it can benefit them. Provide examples of how other people have demonstrated resilience in the workplace and the positive outcomes that resulted from it. Then ensure employees are provided with the time and space to reflect on their own levels of resilience and identify areas where they can improve. This could involve taking assessments or engaging in exercises to develop self-awareness and identify areas for growth.

Foster a positive workplace culture (easier said than done, I know) but in short what that looks like is an environment that promotes positive relationships, open communication, and mutual support. It encourages employees to share their experiences, offers support to each other, and recognises and celebrates achievements (a sense of achievement, again a building block for engagement).

Explore how you can provide resources for stress management and by offering training to help employees manage stress. This might include mindfulness techniques, breathing exercises, and time management strategies and if none of that is possible at a minimum encourage employees to take breaks and practice self-care.

Like confidence, resilience is a skill, not a trait and therefore needs coaching. I also feel that the two often go hand-in-hand. Therefore, provide opportunities for employees to develop new skills, acquire knowledge, and expand their professional networks. This can help employees build confidence and increase their ability to adapt to change and overcome challenges.

Finally, if you are a leader you have to model resilient behaviour. Show how to overcome challenges and setbacks and inspire employees to develop their own resilience skills.

How can I tell that the above has worked and how do I assess resilience in interviews?

Assessing the resilience of a person and evaluating their ability to cope with and overcome challenges and adversity is not always easy so here are some things I have found helpful.

There are various self-report questionnaires that can be used to assess an individual's resilience. These questionnaires often consist of a series of questions that ask about the person's ability to cope with stress, adapt to change, and recover from setbacks. (reach out to me if you want some specific tools).

Psychometric tests, such as the Resilience Scale, can be used to measure a person's level of resilience. These tests often consist of a series of scenarios that assess the person's ability to cope with stress, adapt to change, and bounce back from setbacks.

Interviews with the person may not give you the most accurate of answers to this so if you’re allowed/able to interview their colleagues, or manager can provide better insights into how they have responded to challenging situations in the past (think Johari’s window), as well as their coping strategies and what support networks they draw upon.

If however, the person is already in the business the best way by far is still through observing how a person responds to challenges and setbacks. For example, observing whether a person can maintain a positive attitude, remain motivated, and persevere in the face of obstacles can provide clues about their resilience.

The Wrap Up

The last few years have either broken or strengthened or at minimum tested our resilience. I for one know my resilience was tested like never before in my life. I realised that resilience is like a muscle. Without exercise, it loses its strength. So even if in the past (like me) it was something you were proud of and were good at, doesn't mean you still are. Moments that really challenge your resilience don’t come around every day so if you don’t continue to be mindful and self-aware of your resilience you may find when that challenge arises you have lost a little resilience strength.

I would love to hear how you practice mindfulness, and how you measure your own resilience.

Until next time and as always

Hooroo.

Here in lies the conundrum, because as I and many others have proclaimed there is such a direct correlation between great EX creating great CX it becomes super tempting to work out how to measure employee engagement and then motivate and reward leaders to manage it instead of teaching them how to foster it for the greater good.

Employee engagement is broadly described as an employee's level of enthusiasm and dedication to their role. It is also a widely accepted belief that engaged employees feel happier at work and more satisfied with the company, they feel that they make a difference and, are there for more than the money. They are more emotionally committed to the role, team, and company success.

That all sounds brilliant! Why wouldn’t we want engaged employees and in turn want to measure the level of said engagement? Particularly when leadership legends like Peter Drucker are quoted “what gets measured gets managed”.  Well, that’s all good in theory except sometimes things can be measured but shouldn’t be. Not because you don’t want the data but because it is too tempting to make it a key performance indicator (KPI). The challenge with managing something is that there is an expectation to have a metric and an expectation to be rewarded when you meet the quota. Sometimes things that are measured should not be rewarded, which In the case of employee engagement I am adamant about. More on that later though. For now, let’s explore why employee engagement is challenging to measure.

The challenge around measuring employee engagement

One of the challenges with employee engagement is that it is a measure of our ability to look past processes and procedures. Beyond revenue, performance, and ROI. Hell, past Glass Door reviews and being an employer of choice. Instead, I believe it is seeing the need to be humane and human.

Let me provide an example, recently there was a news story here in Australia of a 7-hour flight from Bangkok to Melbourne that got redirected to Alice springs due to a medical emergency. For some quick context for those who don’t know. Melbourne – a sizable international airport, Alice springs… not so much, in fact, and important to the story, not an international airport. The flight got rerouted to Alice Springs and the passengers of the flight were forced to stay on the plane on the tarmac for an additional 7 hours with no food offered! Passengers were subjected to this torture because they were not allowed to disembark, due to Alice Springs not having an international customs area. The failure in this story was not the rerouting of the plane to a non-international airport or the following electrical fault that grounded them for the additional 7 hours. No, it was the failure to be humane to the passengers who were stuck on a plane.

Now I know this is not a direct example of employee engagement, but I guarantee that the cabin crew were not feeling super engaged as empowered employees. It is however an example of when process and procedure outstrip the ability to be humane and see the human, the process has failed, and I see the same so often when it comes to employee engagement. Process, policy, procedure and KPIs fail to be human. Employee engagement is bigger than ones and zeros and requires more than tick boxes. 

Units of Measurement

For years companies like Aon Hewitt, Gallup and others have tried to measure the employee engagement of companies with their versions of surveys and for the most part, I think they are pretty good at doing that.

Over the past few years, I have developed my own set of employee engagement principles (or measures if you will) through real-world experience and study. Let’s call them Jamo’s 12 senses of Engagement (trademark pending) until I come up with a better name:

A sense of:

1. Purpose
2. Meaning
3. Impact
4. Progress
5. Achievement
6. Autonomy
7. Ownership
8. Trust
9. Community
10. Belonging
11. Self
12. Excitement

By the time I finally publish my first book there might be a couple more but for the moment this is how they stack up against two of the biggest global employee engagement surveys when I break them down:

You can see there are some gaps and overlaps between them, with Aon having broader coverage based on my breakdown.

So, for those looking to measure employee engagement more broadly, these are a pretty good baseline to start with. But let’s say you did/do all this, what do you do with the information? As CultureAmp say, “Don’t crunch the numbers – connect the dots. Engagement. Development. Performance. Retention. They're vital to business, but spreadsheets won't tell you the full story”. Use the data to gain a deeper understanding of what you need to focus on improving or fostering.

However, one important thing I have learned in my years of leading people is the one thing you should not do is reward employee engagement scores.

Why you shouldn’t reward employee engagement.

If you try to reward employee engagement scores you will end up on a slippery slope that will produce unwanted side effects like increased costs by paying people above what they are worth just to make them happier, underperforming staff because we would rather people feel like they have job security, rather than performance managing someone at the risk of it driving down engagement. Breaches of process, compliance and even law as we allow autonomy without boundaries and leaders who are too afraid to take any action, keep people accountable or put pressure on people to perform out of fear of upsetting the status quo and ruining employee engagement scores.

The wrap-up

Employee engagement remains one of the biggest focuses in business right now and companies are spending more than ever in this space and for a good reason, actually for 450 Billion reasons. $400B-550B. This is the cost US businesses alone spent in 2022 to attract, hire, and train new talent last year. So, any spending under that towards retention, improved culture and improved employee well-being and engagement is well worth it.

As you turn your attention toward spending and ROI on employee engagement stop and ask yourself why. Then consider looking at employee engagement in a way that should be measured to be understood and not a measure that should be managed.

As always your comments and thoughts are always welcomed.

Until next time

Hooroo.

The new year brings with it new resolutions, new prospects and a sense of new beginnings. January is typically the month that the market sees a lot of movement. Often this mobility is driven by many companies distributing bonuses and such in December. However, the economic downturn in late 2022 first impacted many Venture Capital (VC) funded start-ups which saw a flood of talent enter the job market and the rest of the market might be catching up.

2022 also saw massive burnout at all levels

So, how does this impact the current market and what are people looking for in 2023 when it comes to work? Let’s take a look at the trends and rumours that emerged in 2022 and their likely impact this year.

1.   The 4-day week

2022 was the year the 4-day week actually gained real traction. For the past decade, it was a fringe topic in board rooms, offsites and team building and ideation days, but in 2022 it became a reality for some companies. And not just small businesses, big players like Unilever, Telstra, Medibank, RMIT and RMIT all trialled the 4-day week.

CNN named the 4-day week as one of the nine most important new ideas in business. Why? Well as people continue to continue to recover from the pandemic, long hours, workplace stress, zoom fatigue, hustle culture and remote working combined with the mounting pressures of daily life have emerged as urgent problems.

So, in response, the proposal for a shorter workweek is an obvious one. The reduction of working hours has prompted many a debate which has highlighted the possible benefits such as the reduced negative impact on our environment, economic growth, and more time to spend focused on social issues.

The momentum toward a 4-day week has been steadily growing and there is even an organisation called 4 Day Week Global whose mission is to help companies implement a 32-hour week with no pay reduction. Thanks to some progressive thinking companies that worked with 4 Day Week Global, research was able to be conducted in partnership with Cambridge University, Boston College, and independent local researchers and the results of the study are positively staggering.

Companies provided resoundingly positive outcomes with higher employee productivity and employee satisfaction.

My prediction is that the 4-day-week is likely to continue to gain favour and likely to be widely adopted particularly if unions decide to champion this. I say unions because they have a history of influencing governments around working weeks. Unions in Australia are responsible for the 888 day. 8 hours of work, 8 hours of sleep and 8 hours of play. If they do get on board then they may need to weld a 4 on the monument in Melbourne.

2.   The Anti-work Movement

As the pandemic stretched into 2 years, workers began to re-evaluate what they got out of work and the work they were doing. Some however questioned the purpose of work entirely with many questioning the need for many roles at all, arguing that roles, particularly low/no skilled roles devalue humans, drive wage slavery, and exist purely for political power and excess capitalism. This anti-work movement has seen significant growth in the last 3 years with one Reddit feed (r/antiwork) growing to a whopping 2.5 million community members. It is a movement primarily focused towards entry-level workers however they are not the only ones looking at ditching the hustle culture. According to a Deloitte study in mid-2022, 70% of C-suite executives are looking to quit their roles in favour of jobs that support better well-being.

The Anti-work movement isn’t suggesting that there should be no work at all, instead that work should be only required when needed instead of working to create excess goods that sit in docks and warehouses and that work should be self-organising.

So, will the Anti-work movement continue to gain momentum? With the current Australian unemployment rate at 3.7%, it’s easy to see how many entry-level or low/no skill roles are becoming filled again, lending to the rise in employees feeling unfulfilled in their work, however, it also suggests people are not simply willing to walk away from much-needed wages. In fact, 64,000 people gained new full and part-time employment last month taking the number of Australians working to 9,601,500 people.

The last few years saw many workplaces short-staffed, causing burnout in the workplace, which helped give rise to the 2022 trend of 'quiet quitting' where staff were ditching “hustle culture” and only putting in the minimum required hour and doing the bare minimum to remain employed.

I believe that we will see, not a rise in an anti-work movement or quiet quitting but a shift of focus by employers to measurable goals that align with business outcomes and not time-based input. This is the equation that I believe will be solved in 2023.

3.   The Tech Industry Talent Loss Will Be Other Industries Gain.

The tech industry (particularly VC-funded start-ups) laid off an inordinate number of employees in the back half of 2022. Many start-ups applied a tactic called blitz scaling where they would scale at rapid rates with personnel (particularly in sales, support, and marketing) in the belief that more rounds of funding were just around the corner. Venture Capital prior to 2022 seemed to be an unlimited pool of funds that with nothing more than a fancy PowerPoint presentation could be obtained at will. I’ve read of many start-ups that thought they were going to get additional funding in 2022 and spent up accordingly to find out that Venture Capitalists were all applying this weird concept of due diligence and caution.

What seemed like an overnight shift, layoffs commenced in droves which, from a quick look around LinkedIn is still evident. Contemporaneously share prices took a huge hit and the sexy allure of start-up life was marred.  

Is this the end of the start-up boom? On the contrary, many a start-up is born in times of trouble and adversity, and I believe that start-ups solving for workplace flexibility, self-organising workforces, AI integration and hybrid work solutions will be winners in 2023.

But what about all that talent in the marketplace? Many of the roles cut by the tech industry were sales, marketing and customer service, all transferable skills that other industries need right now, including retail, healthcare, and finance. These industries will welcome not only the skills but the newfound knowledge, ideas and skills learned in the start-up and tech world.

4. The Global Rise of The Digital Nomad

There is no talk of returning to previous ways of working and companies are realising that debating who should be in the office is a huge waste of time and resources. Work is a thing you do, not a place you go. 

Talent demand is still likely to outstrip talent supply in 2023 so it will be a company culture of embracing flexible and remote work that will attract and retain talent. It’s for this reason that I believe that the Digital Nomad will be a common phrase we all use by the end of 2023.

Many governments already have digital nomad visas and if not are working to implement them at pace. To date, there are over 50 countries with digital nomad visa programs already in place. As a Digital Nomad, you are entitled to work in another country for a set time without the need for a company sponsorship which historically is not easy to get a hold of.

As people continue to look at work in a new light, valuing life experience over having work define them, where you work will play a huge role. Acceptance of the Digital Nomad will allow employees to work anywhere and not miss out on career progression. It is no longer either-or. This movement will also weigh heavily on the war for talent in 2023.

5. The A.I. Battle

A.I. is quickly becoming widely available with things like ChatGPT. But will it become widely accepted by employees and employers when it affects who is doing the work? Let me explain, my prediction is that there will be a battle over when A.I. is used. Employers will undoubtedly look to A.I. to replace certain functions and roles, entry-level analyst roles and some customer service functions like web chat. Employees will look to A.I. to make their jobs easier, and more efficient and improve the quality of their work. Some employers will intervene in this and ban the use of A.I. assisted work. Maybe even introduce A.I. to detect A.I. A good use case for this is the detection of A.I. written résumés.

The debate will rise over when it is ok to replace roles with A.I. - Lawyers will argue both sides, debating over the ethics and over the precedence set in other industries such as automotive.

Some employers will embrace employees using A.I. with conditions, such as ensuring there is a level of human peer review to ensure accuracy and non-bias. This acceptance may also strengthen the argument for a 4-day week as employees' output is increased.

The Wrap-up

This by no means is a conclusive list. To cover all industries, countries, economies and my gut feelings, would take way more resources than just my reading and research. So, I am curious as to your thoughts. What is the futurist inside you saying will be the biggest trend for work and employee engagement in 2023?

 Until next time and as always

Hooroo!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been making waves in the tech industry and is changing the way we live and work. One of the most significant applications of AI is in the field of content creation. AI-driven content refers to the use of AI algorithms and tools to create, curate, and manage various forms of digital content.

One of the most common forms of AI-driven content is automated text generation. This involves using AI algorithms to analyze and understand existing text, and then generate new text based on that understanding. For example, news agencies use AI to write brief news summaries, financial reports, and sports updates. AI algorithms can write articles in seconds that are free of errors, saving time and reducing the workload of human writers.

OK STOP, ENOUGH!!!

Thank you for enduring and hopefully, I did not lose you in the first two paragraphs which were actually generated by ChatGPT. This is not an admission but the catalyst for this article. ChatGPT has been mentioned in 90% of my conversations this week. I feel like everyone is talking about it and rightfully so. It really is quite impressive. You can bash out a 2000-character article in seconds. Seriously seconds. But… as demonstrated above it is vanilla, academic and lacks any personality (and the Aussie spelling). There is no “me” in it. For me writing content is not for content's sake. Not to trick some algorithm to improve my SEO, likes, shares and comments. No, I write to get the ideas out of my head and to learn as I research points for and against the thoughts. I also always hope to inspire, entertain and challenge my readers. ChatGPT in my humble maybe naïve opinion is not going to do this.

So, what’s the problem with ChatGPT?

Well, nothing, it's what we choose to do with it that could be the problem.

If everyone turns around and thinks “cool, now I can build my online thought leadership profile with generic articles in seconds” or “sweet! ChatGPT can do my university essay for me while I go to the pub” then all that’s going to happen is the internet will be full of bland articles that nobody reads because it lacks the creativity, nuance, and human touch that is essential in engaging content and content that whilst may be free of grammatical errors may perpetuate biases and stereotypes because the AI learns from existing content that may contain such biases (that and a possible future generation of lazy, ill-informed, ignorant beer-belly buffoons).  

Purpose and Meaning.

Yes, I’m going there yet again. We need and desire purpose and meaning in our lives, purpose-driven work, lives and hobbies, meaningful relationships, experiences, content, and more.

Sure, ChatGPT might be able to bash out some SEO-optimised content but does it help fulfil your purpose or is the content meaningful and memorable to you? Probably not.

We have the choice to use (and consume) AI, how and when we like it.

So how does this relate to employee engagement?

Let me first dive into a couple of examples of AI and then I’ll explain.

AI-driven personalised content - AI can analyse data on an individual's preferences and behaviour, then generate content tailored to their interests for example how Netflix has "suggested for you” and Spotify wrapped. On that, all well and good if it’s just for you but, if you for example, have 3 daughters (like me) who hijack it regularly it’s not so great… “I” did not listen to Taylor Swift more than anything else in 2022. OK back to my point. AI can recommend products, songs, movies etc. based on your previous purchases, and streaming service viewing history.

AI content management - AI can automatically categorise and tag content, making it easier for organisations and people to manage and access their digital assets. For example, if you search words in your Photos app, like “car” it will find all the photos with a car in them. It’s great for when you are in a conversation, and you remember a photo that you want to show someone. Nothing worse than killing a conversation because you spent too long looking for a photo 3 years ago kissing an amphibian in Cairns after winning the Cain Toad race (true story).

AI-powered content management systems can also detect duplicates, flag irrelevant or low-quality content and help you stay on top of your content library.

All this relates to employee engagement in that we love personalisation because it builds a sense of relationship, ownership and self.

Historically employee inductions and onboarding has been generic and caters for the group, not the individual, making those early first impressions of a workplace sterile, inflexible, bland and perhaps cold. AI can help personalise the content and delivery so that it feels like the company already knows you and cares for you. This is a vital building block in trust and having a sense of self in a workplace that often asks you to be like everybody else.

I saw a cool post this week from Amanda Ciccatelli. HLTH, the company she works for does something pretty cool. It provides its employees with their own unique caricatures that have little nods to what makes each employee unique. I absolutely love this but not every employer will have the time or budget for this so again this is where AI could help. I recently came across Mid-journey which is AI-generated images. READER WARNING: it is super addictive. With it, you could have employees generate their own fully personalised and unique avatars in seconds. Below is an example of some images it generated when I asked it to create a cute 3d purple and orange mail-delivering DJ (long story).

Now, what about finding the right information quickly? Having worked in contact centres for years I know the value of feeling confident in an answer when speaking to a customer and being able to do that quickly. It usually makes the call more efficient and reduces the likelihood of a customer calling back (which as we know is the biggest detractor in customer satisfaction). Having recently started at livepro, I've been impressed by the AI that helps deliver the right answer at the right time to the end user so they can provide customers what they need in a timely manner. This is a far cry from the paper folders and rubbish intranets search functions I used when I first started in call centres.

AI can also help eliminate some of the work that does not feel purposeful, instead making an employee feel like a widget-producing robot. Here is an example of what ChatGPT produced when I asked it to “build me a sales plan with 3 points, each with 3 sub-points”

So although not perfect (as it admits) it is a great base that could speed up parts of a job so employees can focus on doing what they find meaningful.

Finally, and by no means is this a conclusive list if you are interested in what other AI is out there and what it does then check out:

• Jasper AI (writes anything)
• Jenni.ai (writes essays)
• Do not pay (AI Lawyer)
• Tome (3d modeling)
• Dall-E-2 (creates art from text)
• Synthesia (creates a talking avatar)

The Wrap Up

AI-driven content is a rapidly growing field that offers many benefits, including increased efficiency, personalised content, and improved content and knowledge management etc. However, it is crucial to ensure that AI algorithms are used responsibly so that they don't perpetuate biases, undermine the quality of the content they generate and ruin all of us from bothering to read or write anything engaging.

As AI continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how it will shape the future of content creation, employee engagement and work as a whole.

One thing ChatGPT has changed for me is that I intend to add more of myself into each article (despite what Grammarly is suggesting) so you will never be in doubt that it’s me writing. These articles take me time that I could be spending elsewhere, so as I sit here writing this with my 6-year-old asking to play hide and seek for the 3rd time today, I want to make this worth your read and my time.

As always and until next time

Hooroo

Employee experience (EX) might be the biggest buzzword along with AI in the last year. What I have noticed is that if someone (individual or company) was considered a customer experience expert two years ago they are now also an employee experience expert. That’s not me saying that some aren’t because I know and respect many of them personally and can attest to their passion and expertise for employee engagement and in fairness a few years ago there was no big EX category to stake a claim to. Regardless, there continues to be a noticeable shift in the content toward EX over CX. Even the big research companies have jumped on the wagon. This is in part because the pandemic created a gap and where there is a gap there is a way to monetise it, which bothers me as it muddies why employee engagement became a top-of-mind topic, to begin with.

Now I'll admit there may be a bit of “I liked that band before they were popular” or “I was a fan before they won the playoffs” vibe coming from me here… yes I hate it when someone says that too but, there is something about showing what colour you bleed that binds us to our convictions and fires up our passions. I'm reminded of that video “how to start a movement” (google it if you don’t know it) where one guy starts dancing and then another joins in and then a whole crowd gets in on the action and it raises the question of who is more important, the out-there leader or the first follower. Many would say "who cares, as long as everyone is dancing and having a good time".

Fair enough, but why are we dancing?

Having directly led thousands of people in my career I have always been passionate about employee engagement and experience and bore witness to its importance… but again, why?

Well in case you haven't seen the million or so other articles saying this, great employee engagement and experience do equal great customer experience. But is that why EX and employee engagement are important? Heck no! EX and engagement are important because they are the right thing to do. It’s like saying tie up your shoelaces because you might trip over them or because they look better in a bow. No, you tie up your shoelaces because they are meant to be tied and then naturally the shoe functions as it should. The aim shouldn’t be, to create a great employee experience and engagement strategy because it’s good for the bottom line and good for customers. The aim should be to create an employee experience and engagement strategy because as human beings we are not built to be mindless widget-producing clones. We are social creatures who work better when we have purpose-driven goals and are seen being seen as a human, an individual and valuable contributor that has goals beyond climbing a corporate ladder, with a life outside of work that involves hobbies, family, friends and dreams.

Cash is no longer king; remuneration is being viewed more as a means to fulfil and support the things in our lives where we find purpose. It is no longer a primary driving force to work harder, longer and without question. Purpose-driven work, now more than ever is what employees are seeking first and foremost from employers and, in my experience, it's the first and most important step toward achieving employee engagement.

The social contract is replacing the employment contract

Let’s be honest, the pandemic changed us, neurologically and behaviourally which generally are not that easily changed. It takes something big to break a habit or lifestyle. It's why you often hear how someone only made a significant or dramatic change after a "life-changing moment". The pandemic was that moment for so much of the population and because these massive life-altering moments that force us to reflect do not happen often it is unlikely that we will revert to what used to motivate us any time soon. Let me reiterate... it took a freaking pandemic to change us and to get this topic to be a priority. Beforehand it was merely an HR issue, focus or KPI.

The pandemic was a giant mirror that opened our eyes to see things that we wanted perhaps needed to change and would no longer accept, for many that was work. It forced people to reflect on how they would spend their time and energy. Companies now need to catch up and provide a clear purpose that shows why the work exists and how it (and the company) benefit employees and society for good.

The need to have a purpose in our lives (which includes work) is innate. Companies that clearly define and align their purpose at all levels of the organisation create a win-win scenario for everyone - employees, employers, shareholders and customers but this win-win should not be the motivator.

I‘m not saying “customers be damned, you’ve been replaced by the employee”. Both hold equal importance, as do profits, and social, environmental and ethical responsibility (I feel a Venn diagram coming on). I’m simply saying employee engagement and experience should not be put in place because it is good for customers, profits, shareholders, brand and talent acquisition. It should be foundational in how and why we work.

All that said, I find myself in a quandary. If the path of least resistance toward achieving true employee engagement is only by showing how it benefits everyone else before the employee then does it matter?

I lean toward the prospect that it might. If profits slow and customer ratings dip and we start to push back on and ignore some of the positives we learned from the pandemic, employee engagement runs the risk of taking a back seat yet again. I don't want to be one of the few people left dancing some wacky dance because everyone forgot why we were dancing or because that trend was soooo 2022.

Would love to know your thoughts on this.

Until next time, hooroo!

My ideal recipe for fun usually goes something like this; 2 parts running around, 1½ parts competition, a handful of creativity and sprinkled with an element of risk.

To others, like my 16-year-old daughter, that may sound downright horrifying. Fun, just like art is subjective, I often cringe when workplaces include fun in their values or worse have a fun committee. Now before you go labelling me as the fun police hear me out. It’s not because I think you shouldn’t be able to have fun at work, but the fact that fun is not always inclusive. There will always be someone who thinks the activity that the “fun committee” just organised is childish, lame, scary, intimidating or just simply an awful idea. Basically, the opposite of its purpose. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to have fun at work, and if you are part of a fun committee don’t give up, just remember that fun, like this article is a matter of opinion.

Play on the other hand might be one worth considering.

Play, (not to be confused with games) is an amazing thing. Play is an innate behaviour that even in our youngest years we start to experience. Playing with objects, feeling their texture, tasting them, shaking and squeezing them to see if they make a sound or throwing them to see what happens. At first, you might argue that is just curiosity, but then if that was the case why would babies then repeat the process? It’s not repeated out of curiosity but because of joy. This does not stop at babies. Young children love going to parks, going on swings, slides, and sea-saws, which are not games and once you have been on them there is no mystery for curiosity to solve. And even without things like parks, play is witnessed in the simple act of spinning around to experience the sensation of dizziness. As adults, we exchange the humble playground for amusement parks. The rides are not games, there is no winning or losing and there are no rules other than empty your pockets of loose change and try not to vomit. Play is the act of engaging with the intent of experiencing joy in the present moment.

The noun is the verb, the verb is the noun.

Play helps us learn

Ok so we’ve established that play and curiosity are not the same things but, there is some crossover. Curiosity may drive us to initiate learning, but play is the teacher. Even in animals, we see play. Watch young cubs, lambs, kittens, and puppies. They play. They wrestle, play tug-o-war and tag. They are playing and learning life skills that will help them survive.

In children, it’s things like building blocks, colouring in and songs. The actions help build muscle function and memory. Play and physical activity are synonymous which is why it is so great for learning. Our bodies develop faster when we combine physical action with mental growth.

The homunculus man, an ugly statue that represents how we sense things. It has giant hands, lips, ears, and eyes. When we use all these senses, we rapidly absorb more information. It's why babies put everything in their mouths. They are using as many senses as they can.

Adult academic learning has relied on only a couple of these senses for a long time. Seeing and hearing. Is this why apprenticeships are shorter than a master's degree? Because you could argue that the content and skills are equally as challenging and complex, so is it because people learn faster when there is a hands-on element. Without engaging all our senses, we do not learn as fast, and play is great at getting all the senses involved.

Play and Psychological Safety.

Play is a great leveller. Play does not require a winner so therefore there are no losers. Let’s take Lego for example. You may not be the next Brickman but you can’t be “bad” at Lego which is why the use of Lego is so effective in problem-solving and innovation workshops. As a Lego Serious Play (LSP) facilitator, I enjoy seeing how using Lego helps solve problems and addresses the elephant in the room whilst also creating an environment that allows both executives and front-line staff to openly communicate with no judgement. With LSP your hands often do the thinking so the battle of brains and ego fades into the background and hierarchy has no bearing on the outcome. This helps increase the feeling of psychological safety because you can’t do Lego wrong. When you ask someone to build a tower with you in it the options are limitless. They could build a tower that has a figurine in it that represents themselves or they could build a tower where the tower itself represents the person. There is no right or wrong and that is a beautiful thing.

Play vs Fun

I was recently watching an episode of Bluey with my 5-year-old daughter and to be honest, I am not sure who likes the show more. In this particular episode, Bluey makes a friend whilst camping by the name of Jean-Luc who is French. The language barrier is quickly overcome through play which ultimately helps them capture the wild boar (Bluey’s dad Bandit.) Play is a vehicle that can break down all sorts of barriers, language, cultural, hierarchical, and more. Play, unlike fun, is not subjective. Play can be applied to attitude (playful) and play can be used as a tool to solve many challenges.

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So, if you are thinking about a values revamp or feel you need a fun committee. Perhaps consider play as a value and maybe a play committee instead. Play might not have winners or losers but, play itself wins over fun every time when it comes to serious business.    

So, what’s next?

Let’s play and find out.

Ah, the age-old question: What comes first? The CXicken or the EXg?

Yes, I know that’s not quite right.

But today I’m talking about Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX), so you’ll have to forgive me for fitting it into this analogy.

Because just like the chicken and the egg, there’s no clear answer here to what comes first. We know that every good customer experience starts with a good employee experience because happy employees do a better job! But without customers, there would be no employees. So, what comes first?

The reality is that the employee-customer relationship is symbiotic—one cannot exist without the other. But when we put it in a workplace context, understanding what comes first and what’s most important gives employers a direction and focus.

So, let’s take a squizz.

The Case for the CXicken

Customer is King. Or, at least, “the customer is always right.”

This has been the dominant idea for the last few decades, with companies taking a customer-first approach to their operations and decisions.

If the customer is the king, then employees are serving the monarch. Laurell K. Hamilton once said, “Power makes you a monarch, and all the fancy robes in the world won’t do the job without it.” To contextualise it, companies may have great employees and a great product, but with no buyer, the kingdom will crumble.

So, customers matter. There is significant evidence that customer experience is a fundamental business driver, as demonstrated in Harley Manning and Kerry Bodine’s book Outside In. In it, they highlight case studies of companies that saved millions of dollars through simple fixes that supported the customer experience.

But the catch is that customers don’t always know what they want until they know what they don’t have. It’s the employees as an extension of the company who create a product or service that shows customers what they need or want to solve specific solutions.

The Case for the EXg

If it’s the employees driving the solutions, then they come first. They’re the ones showing customers what they need and want—they’re the chicken laying the egg.

In a recent podcast interview, Annette Franz put it this way: “Employees need to come more first.” Her case for putting employees first in a company’s priorities is that employee engagement will lead to increased retention, happiness, and fulfilment. All these things will help them excel in their role and provide better customer service.

Strong EX begets strong CX.

Companies that want to take a customer-centric approach need to look inward and maximise the EX.

Final Verdict: Employee's First

The debate about chicken vs. egg, and EX vs. CX can continue. But I’m putting my answer down here so as not to be seen as sitting on the fence: EX must come first. Employees are the priority for management because they will naturally impact everything else in the company!

So, how can companies build strong EX? I’ve talked about it a few times before (here and here), but it ultimately comes down to six key areas:

• Having a sense of purpose
• Providing meaning and impact
• Celebrating achievements
• Giving a sense of progress
• Giving space for autonomy
• Handing over ownership

These are key factors that determine employee engagement in the workplace. Managers and leaders need to work these things into their company culture which, according to 56% of respondents in one study, is more important than salary.  

A strong employee-first culture will naturally lead to high-quality customer service, increased sales, and other business goals. A strong customer experience depends on a company’s ability to nurture and support employees.

That’s my two cents on this. What do you think comes first, the CXicken or the EXg? My inbox is always open to discuss more topics like employee engagement, EX, and CX.

Till next time, hooroo.

I recently came across this joke from James Franco that’s been circling around (for a while):

My wife asked me why I spoke so softly in the house...

I said I was afraid Mark Zuckerberg was listening.

She laughed, I laughed, Alexa laughed, Siri too.

I had to laugh, and if you haven’t heard that one already, I hope it gave you a laugh too. Artificial intelligence (AI) is commonplace enough today that we can laugh about it, but that’s not always been the case. There was a point in time when people were afraid that robots would start taking away everyone’s jobs. And while this fear was augmented by futuristic Sci-Fi movies, it was a real concern for many people. What value do you offer if technology can do everything you once did?

Today, AI is taking people’s jobs… and we kind of like it that way. AI helps make our lives easier in so many ways. This comprehensive list of AI in our daily lives shows just how prevalent it is!

There is no longer an assumption that AI and automation are man-made evils leading us to judgment day. Instead, we understand that it’s a complex thing—sometimes working out well, sometimes not so much.

So, when it comes to AI in the workplace, can we leverage it to boost the employee experience? Is it something that will ultimately bring positive benefits to the workplace, or do we still need to fear robots ruining things that are important to us?

Let’s explore.

Examples of AI in the Workplace

AI is very common today. So common that we might not even think about it as AI! When you contact a customer service department online, you’re quite likely to be speaking with an AI-driven chatbot to help figure out your problems.

The most common purpose of AI is to offload jobs that people don’t want to do, freeing up time to focus on things that you do want to do. Here are two examples I’ve seen in recent times:

• The first - Practical tasks: I was in a Woolworths recently and saw a robot going around detecting spills on the floor whilst actively avoiding running into customers (see link below). This task is something that we don’t need humans to do. This robot was freeing up people to be focused on helping with much more value-adding activities like serving customers.
• The second - Data collection and analytics: For a long time, this has rested on the shoulders of managers, taking them away from doing what they do best which is coaching and developing staff. However now thanks to AI this can be done faster and more accurately, allowing managers to turn their focus away from Excel and BI tools and back on the people they lead. I see this in action daily with Centrical’s Augmented coaching, which takes thousands of data points and delivers coaching insights that allow managers to deliver the right coaching approach with the right content for the right person at the right time.

Is AI Good Enough?

I think that using AI to free employees up to do more important work is a wonderful use of it. But that’s what it does—AI takes aways work from people. So, the question becomes: is AI good enough to replace people in all circumstances?

The answer highly depends on what we’re trying to use AI for. To clean floors at Woolworths? Yeah, our technology is good enough to replace a person.

But human-to-human contact? I’m not so sure about that. I’ve rarely interacted with a chatbot that has the same understanding as a human. Typically, it just lengthens the time of my interaction before I can get in touch with a real person. That said, data shows that chatbots actually have a pretty high success rate: 87.2% of consumers have a neutral or positive experience and 68.9% of chats are handled by a bot start-to-finish.

But while my frustrations with chatbots might not be shared universally, there is still a lot of room for error in using AI technology to replace a real person. Chatbots do not understand social constructs and need to be constantly monitored so as not to be manipulated. Microsoft’s Tay project is the perfect example of this: they released a Twitter bot that was supposed to impersonate human-like interactions. Instead, Tay started making racist and derogatory remarks to other Twitter users!

So, we need to be careful about quickly jumping to use AI. We need to ask: what’s the purpose of using AI right now? If it’s to take shortcuts and circumvent human-to-human interaction, we’re likely not using it right. But if it’s to free up time to focus on those human interactions, it can be a powerful tool.

Harnessing AI for Employee Engagement

For AI to positively impact employee engagement, it must be used strategically.

AI-driven data, logistics, and statistics that can make targeted suggestions and track progress, so managers know how to best coach and lead their teams effectively make a lot of sense. Instead of wasting time exploring, analysing or wondering what’s working and what’s not, they can just focus on the relationships.

Similarly, AI can be used to empower employees in their customer interactions. If AI can lessen their workload and remove some easy, routine tasks (i.e., filling out a report or summarising data), they can get back to what is most impactful.

AI has the potential to improve both the employee and customer experience. But it can only do that if we get our heads out of the spreadsheet and go back to what’s truly important—better human interactions. AI for the sake of AI is not going to do us any good. Let’s be strategic, know its limitations, and use it to free up time to strengthen and build solid human interactions. Because it’s person-to-person contact that truly makes the difference for employee engagement and customer experience.

Those are my thoughts—I want to hear from you! What’s been your experience with AI in the workplace? Do you share my frustrations with chatbots? What are the biggest AI “wins” that you’ve seen?

Those four little letters… you know the ones L.O.V.E. Sometimes they can be hard to say, even to your nearest and dearest, so you‘ll have to forgive the audacity when I say we need to love our jobs. However, it may be the antidote to soaring attrition in the workplace. A 2022 report conducted by Smaart Recruitment found that 45% of employees are considering leaving their jobs because they’re dissatisfied with - wait for it... the work they do. Yes, you read that right, their work!

Right now, I can hear all the collective sighs of relief from managers, who for decades have been blamed (and in many cases responsible) for being the top driver for people to leaving their jobs. But what was once a matter of ‘changing the manager’ or ‘changing the manager’ now is a seemingly much bigger challenge. Employees it seems, are leaving because of a lack of purpose and meaning. This requires organisational changes and a redesign of how roles are developed and sold to prospective employees.

Why it Matters

You might be thinking, “I don’t love my job, but it pays the bills and has good benefits. Isn’t that good enough?” For seasons of your life, it may be—there are times when you might be in a pinch and need to take a job for pure financial reasons.

But if we’re talking about optimising employee engagement and reducing burnout, then yes, it does matter if you love your job.

Now I’m not talking about loving every single aspect of it. Even the best jobs (travel writer, food critic, or chocolate taste tester all come to mind…) have parts that you wouldn’t like. We have to accept that no job is perfect, but it is possible to find something that you genuinely enjoy, plays to your strengths, and provides purpose and meaning.

The less you like your job, the less likely you are to stay—that’s obvious. The question, then, becomes: how do you find or create a role to love? Both employees and employers have a part in it.

What Employees Can Do

Each of us are responsible for finding or building a job we love. There’s a lot that a manager or employer can do to help build an excellent workplace—more on that later—but everyone is responsible for their own happiness and have the human agency when it comes to work.

Here are some things employees should do when trying to find or build a job they love:

• Play to your strengths. For each job you consider, look carefully at the job description, and analyse if it allows you to utilise your strengths. Tools like the CliftonStrengths Assessment will help you determine what those strengths are and how you should incorporate them into your roles.
• Focus on the company and approaches, not just the role. I see examples like this all the time - two customer service jobs have the same job description, but one company fosters a sense of autonomy, ownership, and purpose, while the other gives the employee a script to read. Focusing on the company and their values often helps with understanding their approaches to tasks. If that is unclear, then ask about how they approach situations. Interviews are a two-way street, so hit them with a STAR question (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
• Seek inclusive workplaces. Look for companies that want to employ you and all you bring to the organisation, rather than just the work you can do. Company websites and Glassdoor reviews are good starting places. And should you get an interview, the questions should include a genuine interest in getting to know you, not just how you respond to situations.  
• Choose role design over title. Take it from experience, happiness does not just come from a title, but from job design. I’ve had great titles with horrible job design and some… ok titles with amazing job design. I was always happier in the latter. The lesson I learned was - Don’t let your ego get in the way of your happiness.
• Do what you enjoy. Ask yourself what percentage of the job is doing what you enjoy. When you’re doing something you love that aligns with your strengths, you are more likely to have fun, feel good, and laugh—all of which give you a dopamine hit and endorphin boost. These “feel-good” chemicals help with learning, problem solving, and coping skills.

What Managers Should Do

While it’s up to each individual to choose and stay in a job they love, there’s also some responsibility on the employer. If they care about retention and hiring top talent, employee engagement must be top-of-mind!

However, you can’t make someone love a job or anything or anyone for that matter. Love cannot be pushed onto someone. Love works in the entirely opposite way. Love pulls people towards. So how do you create roles and environments that pull people towards you? Here’s some suggestions on what to focus on:

• Design roles based on skills. Managers need the right people for the job, which involves aligning strengths not just skills anyone can learn and apply to day-to-day tasks. Design jobs around those strengths so that they attract the right employees. The strengths that work best in the role should be clearly communicated in the job ads and role descriptions.
• Regular check-ins. Short, purposeful, and authentic check-in meetings are a valuable piece when it comes to employee engagement. Check-ins allow employees to express their challenges and needs, and it gives the employer a chance to address them. Or, as this article puts it: “Check-in meetings reinforce key drivers of employee engagement.”
• Provide learning and development. Opportunities for growth, knowledge, and development shows employees that they are valued. It also instils a sense of purpose and meaning into the work. Studies back this up, too—74% of workers in one study felt they were not achieving their full potential due to a lackof development opportunities.
• Just ask. One of my favourite sayings is “closed mouths don’t get fed”. So much of employee engagement comes down to simple, genuine conversation. Ask employees what percentage of the job they enjoy, and then focus on designing the work to increase that percentage.

I’m passionate about all-things employee engagement, the future of work, and job design because I want more people to be able to say, “I love my job.” If we can focus not ONLY on each individuals’ skills but also their strengths, and passions, and then purposefully design roles to meet that, we will be well on our way to getting there.

When we prioritise employee engagement and the love of the work, retention will increase, and burnout will decrease. And I think that’s a good reason to keep talking about this.

Understanding the Value of Happiness at Work 

If you’re happy and you know it… fake a smile? Not quite how the childhood song goes, but it is something that many of us do each day. Especially for those who work in client and customer-facing roles, the expectation to ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ and put on a happy face is high. And yet, a genuine smile cannot be faked, and authentic happiness can’t be forced.

There is no replacement for a real, authentic, honest smile that comes from a place of true contentment. And, as it turns out, genuine happiness is also good for business outcomes. Happy employees are more productive and engaged in their work, which is a win-win for employees and their employers.

Let’s look a bit more about why ‘fake it ‘till you make it’ doesn’t apply to happiness and why leaders need to understand the value of happiness at work.

Emotional Labour of Faking Happiness

Anyone who has worked a customer service job knows how to put on a happy face at work. There’s an expectation a lot of the time to smile, laugh, and generally appear to be happy when interacting with customers in that type of role.

Faking happiness comes at a cost—it takes emotional labour, which is defined as “managing emotions during interactions to achieve professional goals and conform to work role requirements.” Here are some symptoms of the emotional labour of faking happiness:

• Exhaustion. It is honestly just tiring to put on a happy face when you are not feeling it.
• Inauthenticity. There is a lack of authenticity that will come across in interactions between employees and customers, leading to a worse customer experience (CX).
• Low resilience. Fake happiness is just an act, not a deep truth. Resilience comes from the inside out—how people feel internally and not just what they put on for show.

ROI on Employee Happiness

So, happiness matters. There are several studies to suggest that happy employees have a massive ROI in the workplace. One study found that happy workers are 13% more productive. The study was able to demonstrate a tangible link between reported happiness levels and productivity as measured by metrics like calls per hour and sales conversions.

This increase in productivity will, obviously, increase the positive business outcomes like higher revenue or increased client acquisition. But it also has benefits beyond just productivity and revenue generation. Increasing happiness amongst employees has other positive outcomes, including:

• Reduced turnover and healthcare costs.
• Positive decision-making abilities.
• Better overall job performance.
• Ambition to develop skills and reach goals.

I mean, it all makes sense, right? Being happy and content makes it easy to work hard and do your absolute best—it’s the natural outcome. So, employees who are happy in their role will bring massive ROI back to the workplace through increased motivation, engagement, and productivity in their work.

A Manager’s Role in the Workplace

Happiness matters, we can see that. So how do we get there? I believe that managers have a huge role to play because they are the ones who directly interact with employees and are setting up the conditions under which people are happy at work.

An important caveat is that, ultimately, each person is responsible for their own happiness. We should all exercise our agency to leave unhealthy environments, have difficult conversations about things that need to change, or work on our mindset so that we can experience gratitude and positivity. So, this is not to say that managers are 100% responsible to make employees happy. Rather, they have influence and authority to make positive changes that naturally improve the happiness of their employees.

This Forbes article outlines a few great ways that managers can increase happiness in their team:

• Be attentive to employee needs and demonstrate care and understanding. Managers need to value emotional and mental health as well as physical health and performance outcomes.
• Provide autonomy and decision-making. Nobody likes being micromanaged! Managers should trust their team enough to make decisions on their own.
• Encourage challenge and development so employees feel like their skills and abilities are valued and needed.
• Create an inclusive environment where people know they matter to the team and the company.

There’s a cost to fake smiles and inauthentic happiness—the emotional burden for employees leads to exhaustion and lack of engagement. But true happiness can have a dramatic and positive impact on a personal and professional level. Managers need to be aware of this and take steps to start creating a positive work environment that fosters employee happiness. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to see happiness become a KPI for success in the future! It’s simply too important to forget about.

Till next time,

Hooroo

G'day!

This weeks article was inspired by a quote I saw recently from the amazing Sarah (Stealey) Reed that said: “What you originally set out to do, and what you love to do, don’t have to be the same”.

It got me thinking how much we change physically in our lives. Firstly, by choice, just check out my hair and beard styles in the last 18 months – Man-bun to shaved head to beard to the marvellous moustache.

And secondly by nature. Did you know that all the cells in your body are replaced every 7-10 years? You become a new person every decade! So, if your body can change into something new, why not your career and life?

We are constantly changing, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, as are our passions, experiences, and life circumstances. But sometimes we need to take a radical leap in our careers and lives and reinvent ourselves. This can be triggered by:

• Life-changing moments, especially losing a loved one, relationship, or dream job.
• Challenging circumstances like financial distress or a global pandemic.
• Feelings of stagnation, boredom, or just being stuck.
• Exciting ideas or creative flares to build or develop something new.

The last two years of the pandemic have driven many people to reassess their lives, jobs, and roles. In fact, in the last year, 1 in 5 Australians have changed jobs and another quarter are planning to leave their current job!

But whatever your reason is for change, it’s helpful to have a reinvention roadmap to guide you through:

1.   Take Stock

Before diving head-first into a radical life change, take stock of where you are, how you feel, and why you want to reinvent yourself. Consider these ways to do it:

• Talk with trusted friends and family about your options.
• Seek professional advice from a career counsellor.
• Tune into your emotions through mediation and journaling.

By taking stock of how you are pre-change, you’ll be better equipped to handle the challenges and changes to come, as well as setting a marker for you to look back on when you get to the future you.

2.   Be Courageous

Change is never easy, even if it’s something you really want. And I know courage isn’t just a light switch you can turn on or off, but I do believe courage is a muscle to be exercised. The great philosopher Aristotle believed that building courage comes by doing courageous acts. You can work on being courageous by taking small, consistent steps towards your goal.

And if you need a boost, look back on your life to all the other times you were courageous: applying for a dream job, traveling abroad, handling conflict, dealing with trauma, asking “that” person on a date or going skydiving! Look back on this evidence of courage in your life and bring it forward into a new season.

3.   Experiment

Nothing is permanent in this world if you don’t want it to be, but some things can stick around longer than you planned… like that bicycle tattoo! That’s why experimentation is so important. Try something out and see if it works before jumping all-in. Here are some ideas:

• Rent a short-term Airbnb to see if you like living in an area before moving.
• Start a part-time side hustle before quitting your 9-5 job.
• Buy one new outfit and wear it out before throwing out your entire wardrobe!

Innovation is directly tied to experimentation; to achieve something new, exciting, and different, you have to try things out!

4.   Find Support

This is obvious, but you need people in your corner! Find mentors and coaches to give you encouragement, honest feedback, and practical advice through your reinvention.

And, even more importantly, hold close to the friends in your life who love you unconditionally. “Agape” is the Greek term for “unconditional love”—they’re the people who will stay by your side and pick you up when you can’t pick yourself up.

5.   Accept Failure

When you set out to do something new, you’re not always going to nail it right away. Failing is not inevitable, but it’s possible. You need to have a mindset of accepting whatever happens.

If you fail a new project or idea, see what you can learn from it. And if it does really knock you to the ground, let your support system help pick you back up (#4).

6.   Be Open to Criticism

Most of us don’t like criticism! It can be hard to hear what we’re doing wrong or ways to improve. But constructive criticism can be beneficial to your growth and development.

The Johari Window Model is a communication model to improve self-awareness between individuals in a group setting. It points to the different ways that conveying and accepting feedback can improve relationships. When used appropriately, both sharing and receiving criticism or feedback can help you uncover blind spots or things you did not see yourself.

7.   Go Back to #1

Once you’ve arrived at your “reinvention point,” go back to point number one and take stock again. Compare your starting and ending point by asking questions such as:

• Have my feelings changed (i.e., more peaceful, excited, motivated)?
• How has my schedule changed? Are my priorities different?
• Do I feel engaged in my work and career?

8.   Love Yourself

We already talked about how change is hard and requires courage. So, love yourself and be kind to yourself! It can be easy to talk down to ourselves or negatively compare what we’re doing to what we see around us.

I love LinkedIn, but it can sometimes be a space for comparison, with each person trying to level up in relation to others. Instead of comparison, choose compassion. Compassion for yourself, because we all need to practice a little self-love and kindness.

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Just remember: You’re not the same as yesterday. You’re learning something new and reinventing yourself everyday, whether you choose to do so or not! And, say you do choose to reinvent yourself, then take a deep, inspirational breath, and know, it takes time, courage, and self-compassion.

So, with all that said, here’s to you-2.0 or whatever version you are up to.

Till next time, hooroo.

The question now is where do you get your coffee?

This week’s EX Rated article has two very special guest contributors! I recently had two great conversations with Elliot Debinski and Tim Buzza around working from home (WFH) and returning to the office.

To WFH or Not WFH – that was the question.

They both had very different views which reinforced my belief that the future of work is hybrid.

Tim, CCO of Attune, avid flexible work advocate and thought leader caught up virtually over a coffee. Tim, with a freshly brewed Turkish style coffee from his home office in Istanbul. Me, with a less than average instant coffee from my kitchen table in Melbourne. After a brief chat about why I haven’t purchased a coffee machine yet, Tim enthusiastically (maybe it was his high-quality caffeine) explained to me why he loved working from home. 

Here’s what Tim had to say:

WFH is AWESOME and I will never go back to an office.

I have five reasons as to why: 

1.  Time with my loved ones. The last 2 years have taught me that my happiness is intrinsically linked to the quality (not quantity) of the relationships in my life. That is, the small number of deep and meaningful relationships in my life are the ones matter most. Being able to spend more time with my family is main reason I choose to WFH. The rest of this list is just gravy.

2.  Working the hours that work for me. Chronobiology is a fancy term that describes the fact some of us are morning people and some of us are not. In his book ‘Deep Work’ Cal Newport introduced monk mode as the ultimate productivity hack.  Monk mode is the ability to focus on highly demanding cognitive tasks without distraction. For most people early mornings is the best time of day to access monk mode. WFH has allowed me to experiment and design a non-standard workday that maximises my productivity and be present for my family.

3.   Healthy Downtime. When I first started WFH I was not switching off during the day. Back-to-back Zoom meetings had taken over my life. I soon realised that managing downtime was critical. With a little discipline what started out as a challenge turned into an opportunity. I experimented with different reset practices and developed some wonderfully addictive hacks e.g., playing with the dogs, walking bare foot on the grass, watering the vegetable garden and even power napping. These reset hacks have made a huge difference to my workday – improving my productivity, wellbeing, and job satisfaction.

4.   Healthy Food Choices. This does not require a lot of explanation. Preparing and cooking all my meals at home has really helped me optimise my health.  Just avoid the temptation to snack ;)

5.  Cost of living. WFH is cheaper.

Of course, WFH is not perfect for everyone. Everybody’s circumstance is unique, and their needs will change throughout their lifetime. Employers that empower workers to personalise their way of working will be the winners in the post-pandemic world. 

Tim provided a pretty compelling case, and I was ready to tell my team I would no longer be coming to the office. That was until I had a real coffee with Elliot – Business Development Manager at Centrical and all-round energising and hypnotic human.

Aside from the fact that Nescafe Blend 43 cannot compete with a Melbourne Magic (best coffee in the world), Elliot quipped that the pains of the pandemic are like a tattoo. It leaves a permanent mark that really hurts at the time however the pain is quickly forgotten, and we often go back for more for some reason.

Here’s what Elliot had to say:

After joining Centrical from my Kitchen table and spending a year isolated on my own without the physical presence of my colleagues around me – it was clear that ‘return to the office’ was for me. The benefits of working on site (in the city) for me are not necessarily being about more productive or efficient. One could even argue that I am actually more productive at home as I’m not wasting time trying to find the best Bahn Mi in town or having water-cooler chats about who is the best sportsman of all time (it’s MJ).

The last couple of years have been a digital overload for me. I’m a total social creature and thrive off the human touch and so that fuel tank ran on empty for way too long. What I like about being in the office is having the physical presence of my colleagues to be able to collaborate and share anything in real-time. It’s less of a headache [for me] not having to send a message on teams or having to jump on a zoom call, just to review something that could easily be done by swivelling the chair around. More on that – even just seeing people in the city affirms with me we are on the return to some normality after such an abnormal two years. I feel way more energised seeing cafes bustling again and sidewalks jam packed during rush hour – the commute to work also gives me a nice opportunity to mentally prepare for the day. Compare that with walking around the corner from home in my filthy dressing gown, still half asleep after conveniently rolling out of bed 10 minutes before the first of many zoom calls. Even that feeling of deliverance when you’ve clocked off for the day is more special when you the step out the office, ride down the elevator listening to your favourite tunes, processing what is next for the evening – perhaps even a little excited about a dinner conveniently planned around the corner from the office with some mates. For me, simply closing my laptop at the day’s end doesn’t feel the same. Oh, and I’ve also fallen in love with the café at the bottom of my building :)

Elliot reminded me that we are social creature by design. It’s how we survived when we emerged from caves, and it seems for some, (like Elliot) we are emerging from caves yet again.

What is Hybrid?

As I said at the beginning, both conversations reaffirmed for me that the future of work is hybrid. But what exactly is hybrid? For me it’s not defined simply by the number of days you work from home and the office. Instead, I believe hybrid working is defined by two simple things. Space and flexibility.

Space

The creation of inviting, warm, collaborative and psychologically safe spaces – regardless of whether it is online space or a physical space. My prediction is that we will see a new role create within organisations, something along the lines of Chief Space Maker.

 Flexibility

True flexibility – the ability to choose to work anywhere at a time that suits both the individual and the business contemporaneously. This however requires 3 things: the first (and obvious one), infrastructure both digital and physical, the second, Flexibility from both the employee and the employer and the third and final, communication.

I’m always grateful for the real-life stories people share with me around how they engage with work. If you have your own views and experiences that you want to share, then please feel free to reach out to me and we too can grab a coffee, face-to-face or virtually.

The choice truly is yours.

To find out more about what both Tim and Elliot do and how they do it, then you can check out their profiles here: 

Tim - https://www.linkedin.com/in/timbuzza/

Elliot -https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-debinski-464097192/

Looking at the Negative Impacts of Overwork and What to Do About it

How common is this scenario: you ask someone how they’re doing, and they respond, “busy.” And many of us are busy because we overwork and log more time at the office (wherever that is) than we should.

But in an era where we are finally recognising output (results, achievements) as more valuable than input (hours worked), why are we still overworking?

There is significant data and increasing awareness about employee engagement and job satisfaction—we know that overworking and burnout are not good. Despite this, employees are reporting some of the highest levels of burnout on record, with Australia and the US leading the charge.

Let’s look at why this all matters and what we can do about it.

Why it Matters: Overworking and its Impacts

The data is clear: employees feel more engaged in their work when they are encouraged, mentored, and offered flexibility. When workplaces encourage work-life balance, employees can dedicate their time to increase the output in the organisation and work to meet the goals, objectives, and vision of the company.

But this utopia of employee engagement cannot be reached if we continue to overwork.

It’s hard to put an exact number on the situation—ABS data shows that Australians may have worked less hours during the pandemic. But when looking globally, and particularly in certain industries like healthcare, there are record-high levels of stress and burnout.

Other data shows that people tended to work more because of the pandemic, with a 2.5-hour increase in the average workday in countries surveyed. And though the pandemic has exacerbated the problem, overwork has been a longstanding problem, as explored in this article regarding a WHO study.

All of this wouldn’t matter if overworking was benign. But it’s not. There are many negative impacts, perhaps most provocatively documented in this BBC article that claims “overwork is literally killing us.” The article documents symptoms of overwork that are detrimental to health, such as elevated blood pressure and cholesterol, and unhealthy behavioural changes (i.e., little exercise, drinking).

Pros of Rest

With such negative impacts of overwork, rest becomes particularly important. Rest is necessary for physical health and your professional wellbeing. Here are the reasons why rest needs to be prioritised:

• Better concentration and productivity: Our bodies need sleep, it’s as simple as that. Adequate rest each night results in better productivity and concentration throughout the day.
• Helps to reduce the symptoms of burnout: Sustained overworking can lead to burnout. Rest can help reduce burnout symptoms like low morale, poor productivity, inability to focus, or depression.
• Clarifies priorities. Rest is more than sleep, and includes spending time with family, pursuing hobbies, or engaging in something you love. Focusing on what you love will help with work-life balance.

Cons of Overworking

To fully understand why we need to stop overworking, let’s look at the cons. Here are the worst consequences of overwork:

• Negatively impacts physical health: Overworking can negatively impact you physically through elevated heart rate (stress), sitting for extended periods of time, or intense physical labour.
• Detrimental to mental health: Intense strain at work could lead to fatigue, overeating, insomnia, drinking too much alcohol, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
• Creates job dissatisfaction: There are diminishing returns to overwork and employee engagement suffers. Employees become more disengaged, lack motivation to work, and decrease in productivity.
• Cuts into your personal time: Working overtime takes away from our personal and social life. More work means less time for hobbies, less sleep, and less socialising.

The Way Forward

Employees need to communicate their feelings and concerns about burnout, fatigue, and dissatisfaction to employers or managers, who should then work to provide solutions. Here are some ways they can reduce overwork:

• Encouraging time off
• Re-delegating tasks to team members
• Extending deadlines
• Breaking shifts into smaller time blocks
• Compressed weeks or fortnights to allow longer periods of downtime

Employees need to assess why they are overworking:

• Is it to project a perception to others?
• Is the workload just too high?
• Is it to satisfy a personal need, hang up or to avoid other life activities?
• Is it a habit that has crept in over time?
• Ego?

Whatever strategies are chosen or reasons for overworking, managing it needs to be a priority—overwork is a serious issue. With all the knowledge we have, it’s more important than ever to stop overworking and prioritise health and wellbeing. It matters for employee engagement and it matters for our health; it’s too important to ignore any longer.

Employee engagement, workplace culture, employee experience… these are popular captions that show up frequently in conversations about the current and future state of work. Especially given how the pandemic has radically shifted our work world, they’re important topics to talk about.

We hear these words a lot (I mean, I write about them all the time!), but what do they really mean? What’s the difference between them? And why the heck does it even matter?

I’m going to breakdown the differences between employee engagement and employee experience. While connected, these concepts are different. If you are a leader or manager who cares about results, growth, or retention—you need to pay attention. And if you are an employee, you also need to understand these concepts to know what to look out for in a workplace.

We’re going to look at the two concepts in further detail, but I’ll start with the simple definition: Employee experience happens to you; Engagement is within you. Experience is the journey and engagement is the destination.

Employee experience: What it’s all about

Employee experience (EX): the journey. It captures all the things an employer can do to create a workplace that attracts and retains talents. It’s a broad category that includes all the touch points between employee and employer. Here are some areas that impact EX:

• Pre-hiring phase: Researching a company and the application process.
• Hiring, pre-onboarding, and onboarding process.
• The workplace, colleagues, technology, and resources.
• Work, projects, and responsibilities.
• Training opportunities and communication.
• Recognition, incentives, and awards.

The employee experience can be broken down into smaller areas, like those listed. However, the primary reason to look at them individually is to see where leadership should invest time, energy, and resources to improve. To do this, leaders may want to:

• Collect feedback from employees to determine areas for change and growth.
• Invest in professional development or training.
• Implement mentorship programs to develop employees.
• Complete market research to learn what other high-performing companies are doing.

Like any project, the best way to approach it is to break in down into smaller focus areas. This report by McKinsey organises EX into three broad categories: Social Experience (people, teamwork, socialisation), Work Experience (organisation, control, flexibility, growth), and Organization experience (purpose, technology, environment). By breaking it down like this, companies can take a systematic approach to improving EX.

While it’s helpful to look at different areas, the overall employee experience is most important. A company that is very good at, say, onboarding, but lacks in other areas, is unlikely to retain good employees. Thus, leadership should be concerned with overall employee experience and how it’s impacting each person they employ.

Employee engagement: What it means

If EX is about what the employer does, then employee engagement is about how an employee feels. Do they like their job? Are they productive, focused, and energized with work? What about relationships between colleagues—strong or room for improvement?

Some characteristics of an engaged employee include:

• Connected to the company, culture, and purpose.
• Strong relationships with colleagues and general sense of teamwork and collaboration.
• Intrinsically driven with a desire to grow and learn.
• Focused, motivated, and interested in their work.

An engaged employee, quite simply, likes their job. They’re engaged in the work and engaged in the workplace. It’s somewhere they want to be and has a sense of belonging and the best part… Engaged employees find meaning in the work they do and they connect it to their own sense of purpose.

Employee engagement is, of course, desirable for all workers. But beyond the personal benefits, employee engagement is highly valuable for company success and performance. Engaged employees tend to perform better, stay longer in a company, and be more creative and driven in their work.

Putting it together: Why it matters

A good employee experience is a step toward employee engagement. Bad experiences drive employees away cutting short the time it takes for them to connect to the purpose of the work. A string of good employee experiences shared by all employees is the core ingredient to a good culture — So things like branding, values, processes, policies, norms and strategies from leadership matter— Done with purpose and coordination will help foster employee engagement. And employee engagement is the end goal.

Studies show that employee engagement has massive benefits for companies. High employee engagement is connected to:

• Decreased turnover and higher employee retention. Gallup’s study found that there was up to 43% lower turnover in companies where employees reported being engaged.
• Better customer satisfaction. Engaged employees care about their jobs and will, therefore, provide better service. Glassdoor research indicates that a 1-point increase in the Glassdoor company rating (measuring employee engagement) equals a 1.3-point increase in customer satisfaction.
• Improved safety and security. The Harvard Business Review reported that businesses that had high engagement scores had 48% fewer safety incidents and 41% fewer quality incidents.
• Higher profitability. Engaged employees will earn more money for their company; there is a 21% increase in profitability correlated to highly engaged business units, as reported by Gallup.

These reasons are the “business case” for why employee engagement is important. But there’s also a “personal case”: we all deserve to work somewhere we are engaged in our work (regardless of the work) and valued for our contributions.

Employees are waking up to this fact. Given the rise of remote work during the pandemic, employees are realising that they have options. They are no longer location-dependent and can seek out workplaces that give them the employee experience they’re looking for. This is one of the driving factors of the Great Resignation and a reason leaders need to wake up and pay attention to employee engagement.

To sum it all up: Employee experience is made up of actions and environmental factors, controlled by the employer. A good overall EX will Set the stage to produce employee engagement, which is when staff enjoy their work and feel valued at the workplace. This all matters because strong employee engagement is better for people and better for businesses and customers. In a time of great uncertainty, the need for strong employee engagement remains constant and important.

As we (yet again), emerge from our Zoom cocoons and various degrees of lockdown, organisations are taking stock of their return-to-office (RTO) plans. Employers should be conscious that employees could experience different and new forms of stress. There may be for some, a certain amount of anxiety around the concept of returning to previous, and or new ways of working, engaging with people face-to-face.

Introducing FORO (Fear of Returning to the Office)

Businesses are gearing up to welcome employees back to offices as vaccination rates increase and social distancing restrictions ease in many parts of the globe. Some employees are enthusiastic about returning to the routine of office life to escape “disturbances” at home and see colleagues in real life. However, some are less eager to leave remote working behind.

For many of us, our resilience and mental health have taken a blow throughout the past two years, thanks to numerous and lengthy lockdowns, the cacophony of media attention on COVID and often limited healthy outlets, such as socialising and gyms etc. to deal with the enormity of change that was thrust upon us.

So, it’s no wonder that there is some FORO. It’s unlikely that things will go back to the way they were pre-pandemic and for the most part we should view this as positive change. Covid catapulted businesses forward on the work from home (WFH) front and for many employees this was a blessing. I.T. departments were forced to make it work and now that employees have had a taste of WFH some are reluctant to go back, because they like it and the work life balance it offers, whilst others will be reluctant to return due to fears and concern.

Now I have never been overly germaphobic and I’ll admit that the 3 second rule of food falling on the floor, has on occasion blown out to 30… ok 45 seconds, depending on how tasty the dropped treat was and how many people were watching. But even I have found myself worried about the hygiene of those around me, at shops, or of late, on public transport. I have caught myself getting a tad anxious when someone steps inside my 1.5 metre (5 feet) bubble when queuing for a coffee or when seeing someone not wearing a mask when they perhaps should.

So how do businesses quell the fears of their employees and provide them with a smooth and supported RTO and how do employees best prepare themselves?

It may be obvious, but this will be about getting back to basics. Frequent and clear communication is going to be key, setting out an RTO plan at both an organisational and individual level is a good start. Keeping everyone informed before, during and after the transition will go a very long way toward minimising stress around the unknown.

How About We Just Get On With It?

According to Alicia Walf, a neuroscientist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, one of the most effective ways to overcome FORO may simply be to get back into it, pointing out that “positive human connections are the most powerful tools for minimising stress”.

To improve health of our brains and control anxiety, she suggests that a return to normalcy after a long period of continuous stress can be a crucial step forward for brain health.

Of course, the message “just get on with it” won’t sit well with you, many internal comms teams or employees for that matter. So, let’s add some science and a personal story behind the positive power of human connection.

Happy Brain Chemicals

Almost three years ago, before all of this pandemic palaver, I made the bold and scary step of leaving the (what I now consider) the comfort of corporate life and started my own business. I went from having loads of colleagues to bounce ideas off, team mates with strengths to compliment my weaknesses and a bunch of amazing humans to lead, to just me, myself and an idea.

It was exciting, daunting, and bloody tough. I had worked hard on branding, a business plan and a website, but, what I had not planned for was the drain on my mental health. I was for the first time in my working career confronted by a sense of loneliness, a sudden loss of a sense of belonging and an ever-increasing amount of self-doubt. Couple all that with an emerging bug from Wuhan and it was a perfect recipe for a trip to a psychologist (another first for me). After learning some handy techniques on how to cope with all these newfound challenges I was also recommended by my trusted local GP to start with some anti-depressants.

At first, the thought of this was terrifying and embarrassing, however when the Doctor explained that it was just an extra boost of serotonin, it made it a much easier pill to swallow… literally. I still wonder why marketeers haven't got onto this one and called them mood boosters instead of anti-depressants... I digress.

Back to the point of the story, serotonin is a chemical our bodies naturally produced when we feel admired, respected and when we feel trust of others. It helps boost your confidence, happiness and so much more.

It's a chemical that can be boosted when we socialise with others and when we exercise, so when you’re isolated (or locked down) and not interacting with others, it makes sense that your serotonin levels could drop.

The other chemical that released into our body through face-to-face interactions is oxytocin. Oxytocin is released into our body when we create emotional bonds with others and also, through physical touch. When oxytocin is released we get the warm and fuzzies, it happens when we spend time with people we enjoy being around and through physical touch. Yes even at work, through something as simple as a humble handshake or well-executed high five!

So when you or your colleagues are feeling a little FORO remember, there are scientific benefits to being back in the office.

Ok, so maybe by now you’re thinking that you might give the office life a nudge again, but are not sure how to start. Here’s some tips I found helpful which may help you and your organisation too:

Self-care and routine

Start getting into the rhythm of a regular workday week before you RTO to help with a smoother transition. Follow a healthy routine with consistent sleep timings, timely meals, enough physical activity, and even some scheduled relaxation time. You could even start doing what I did by building in some fake travel time, taking a walk around the block before you open the laptop which can get your body and brain familiar with the travel time again.

Start setting your expectations

Look into the COVID safety policy of your office to what’s changed with regards to the physical environment, hygiene and processes so you know what to expect. Ensure you feel protected and comfortable while in the office, and if not communicate your concerns. Being familiar with the policies helped me with lowering my FORO, knowing cleaning practices are being applied along with other COVID safe practices.

Acknowledge the discomfort

You're not a rubber band that can immediately bounce back to your previous way of working. Try to be patient with yourself and with whatever exhaustion, distress, or confusion may come. Give yourself space to process it all. Remember it’s okay to take time to get it right.

Even though returning to the office and wearing masks are big changes in many routines and may be producing feelings of anxiety, it’s worth thinking ahead to the benefits the social engagement will have, such as potentially lowering long-lasting negative impacts of stress.

Adaptability is a crucial part of resiliency to stress, and a practical skill to work on as we adjust to the changing world.

A Note to Organisations – Slow Your Roll

Some companies like Google have asked their employees back to the office, which in my humble opinion, is fair enough. Let’s not forget the investment organisations have put into state-of-the-art workplaces. It sure beats the laptop on the ironing board right? So, you might understand why they want to ensure the investment is being used. Let’s also consider some of the small businesses that stake their survival on office foot traffic. City window fronts have become ghost towns and it's a grim reminder of some of the impacts the pandemic has had on small business. However, organisations that refuse to think the world has moved on or changed is in for a big shock. Forcing employees back to the office full time will quickly see the organisation on the wrong end of the great resignation. Employees will vote with their feet and migrate to companies that get the hybrid model right. So, if you are reading this and are in a position to influence the RTO and are thinking, “great now that we’re open we can just jump backwards a few years”, then let me echo the words of the great Barry White – “slow your roll”. The office is not going anywhere. There will be employees who are chomping at the bit to get back and others with genuine FORO. Breath… The future is hybrid and you will find a way to make it work for you, your employees and the physical space of your workplace.

The Future of Work is Kind

We are in a unique time in history where we can shape how we work, where we work and when we work. This will require immense human change which, requires kindness. Bob Kerry said it best – “Unexpected Kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change”. So with a blank canvas of possibility in front of us where the future of work could be anything – let it first be kind.

I talk a lot about employee experience (EX), employee engagement, and how I think gamification, when implemented correctly, can help with both. 

However, if you’ve been around this EX-world for a bit and have ever googled gamification, you may have stumbled across this article by Ian Bogost who has a different opinion: Gamification is Bullshit.

And, well, I kind of agree. 

Gamification can absolutely be bullshit when it’s implemented for the wrong reasons and with the wrong methodology. 

But with the right reasons and the right methodology? Gamification can change everything for a company.

1. Gamification is reassuring. 

In his article, Ian states that ‘it gives Vice Presidents and Brand Managers comfort: they’re doing everything right, and they can do even better by adding “a games strategy” to their existing products, slathering on “gaminess” like aioli on ciabatta at the consultant’s indulgent sales lunch.’

I agree with this statement, but only because the intent is all wrong. Unfortunately, some VPs and Brand Managers act this way, thinking that by checking the gamification checkbox, they are doing the right thing.

Instead of using gamification as a checkbox or a kudos to the leadership team, it needs to be implemented to engage the team. Gamification should be used to

• Engage people and enhance interactions.
• Drive collaboration and teamwork.
• Tap into intrinsic motivators. 

It is ultimately about improving the employee experience, learning, personal growth and enhancing engagement. The intent of leadership and why they are using gamification matters. It’s not about slathering on too much “aioli,” but carefully introducing gamification to meet desired goals. 

There are a number of large and popular companies that regularly use gamification, such as FitBit for exercise motivation or Kahoot for classroom engagement. The intent behind these companies, and others (yes like Centrical), is to use gamification to meet their intended goals—not to just check some boxes to say they did it.

2. Gamification is easy.

Again, Ian’s words: “Gamification is easy. It offers simple, repeatable approaches in which benefit, honor, and aesthetics are less important than facility. For the consultants and the startups, that means selling the same bullshit in book, workshop, platform, or API form over and over again, at limited incremental cost."

And, again, this is a misinterpretation of the intent behind gamification. If you consider it to be only checking a box, then gamification might be seen as easy. 

But in reality, when applied correctly, gamification is not easy. It draws from the fields of behavioural psychology, sustainable game design, and intrinsic motivation—all complex areas of knowledge that cannot just be thrown together with badges and points. 

Gamification is a science and needs to be treated as such. It’s “easy” to provide a badge to some kind of menial task, but that certainly will not motivate an employee to do better. It can actually be condescending to their intelligence and motivations. 

Instead, use gamification to enhance the innate driving motivations amongst employees. Consider these factors when introducing gamification:

• What are the goals of both the employee and the company? 
• Include tasks and responsibilities that provide purpose and meaning, not ones that are simple or menial.
• Make engagement between employees and with the work the end goal, not the levels, points, or badges. 

If used only as a gimmick or quick fix then yes, gamification is bullshit. It all comes down to both the intent and the application of it. If leaders see it as a hot and trendy thing to do and slap on some flimsy point or badge system, then it only serves to check a box. 

But if employers can use gamification for what it is—a science-based system to increase intrinsic motivation and employee engagement—that’s when the real impact can be made!

What Will Win in 2022?

How much of communication is what’s left unsaid? A lot of our daily conversations and discussions centre around norms, assumptions, and ideas—it’s not always just based on what is explicitly said.

This plays into the term 'social contract,' an idea that’s been floating around in the workplace and future of work conversations for the last decade or more. It’s a term for the unspoken agreement between two people, in this case, an employer and an employee.

A social contract might be the reason you answer your emails after work hours or wear one outfit to work over another. There are behaviours that each employee does—outside of any formal employee contract—that are determined by a social contract and workplace norms.

But as we move into an after-COVID (AC) era, are employees still okay with this? Will a social contract hold its weight against a formal employee contract?

Defining Social Contract

I'm talking about a social contract within the workplace, but it goes much deeper than that. The Modern Social Contract Theory comes from some of the great philosophers, including Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

The main point of the social contract theory is best understood as a relationship between individuals and the community that they live in. This can be the community as a country, a workplace, or general humanity.

The social contract theory is most often applied when discussing the authorities and powers of the state. It is defined as: 'an actual or hypothetical agreement among the members of an organised society or between a community and its ruler that defines and limits the rights and duties of each.'

Will Cairns discussed the social contract theory in his recent article, exploring the relation between it and the current pandemic. With all the discussions surrounding vaccinations, wearing masks, and other pandemic 'new norms,' there are questions around the balance of individual rights and community responsibility. He poses two questions:

1. What individual personal sacrifice do we owe to the state (that is comprised of us)?
2. What does the state (that exists only as lots of us) owe to each of us?

Now, I’m not here to fill your feed with more talk about COVID-19. But the reality is that it's exactly because of this pandemic that we are, collectively, exploring these ideas. And I can’t help but wonder—are these questions ones we also need to ask of our workplace?

Consider replacing 'the state' with 'the employer.’ Let’s ask the questions again:

1. What individual personal sacrifice do we owe to the employer?
2. What does the employer owe to each of us?

These are the questions on many employees’ minds. After nearly two years of constant pivoting, working from home, dealing with pandemic restrictions… It’s been a lot. And employees are wondering: what am I doing this for? Am I willing to sacrifice my freedom, time, and values for my employer?

After-COVID Workplace Changes

The pandemic has prompted many employees to consider what they are willing to give up for their employer. There are a few reasons for that:

• Employees who work from home have grown accustomed to more freedom and flexibility and don’t want to give it up.
• Employees who were laid off, temporarily or permanently, have realised how fragile work arrangements can be, even with a permanent employment contract in place.
• Employees have been asked to divulge personal information such as health status and follow corresponding company policies, which may or may not align with their personal values.
• Employees are disappointed by the lack of perks or benefits such as childcare and sick days that would have been useful during the pandemic.

All of these factors—along with others such as the labour shortage—are wrapped up in the big conversation around the Great Resignation. I wrote about the Great Resignation before, questioning whether it was a real phenomenon or a bit hyped-up. However, in any case, the conversations and concerns around it are very much real.

Many employees are leaving their jobs to pursue side hustles and the gig economy.

Many employees are switching industries after losing their long-held positions.

And many employees are questioning what they are willing to sacrifice for the sake of their employer.

And like never before, employees are actually interested in the fine print of their employment contracts. They want to know: what am I entitled to, what does my employer stand for and what will be asked of me outside of the formal contract?

The Future of Work: What Will Win?

So what does all of this mean? The social contract—unspoken norms and rules of a workplace—is back on the lips and minds of many people. Just as the pandemic has shifted many things about our daily lives, it’s also shifted the idea that workplaces can demand certain things, 'just because,' and expect their employees to adhere to it.

The social contract will impact our workplaces through three avenues:

1. Leaders, employers, and managers will need to consider the social contract in relation to employee engagement when attracting top talent. They need to be realistic about what they are asking and how clear that is to their potential recruits. Leaders should expect increased push-back against vague or unclear expectations, and perhaps even outright refusal to complete certain tasks.
2. Employees will start to read the fine print and re-negotiate employment contracts. Things that are ambiguous, such as vague contract language like 'the employer may from time to time ask you to perform duties outside of your normal hours,' may be challenged.
3. Governing bodies, whether that be government or industry groups, will need to stay on top of the conversations and concerns around the social contract and expectations placed on each individual. Regulations and requirements will need to strike the balance of personal autonomy and community responsibility when it comes to the workplace and employee experience.

There are other possible outcomes too. Some may simply quit their jobs in pursuit of another opportunity, including self-employed options.

And then there are those who will stay put. The social contract is unlikely to completely disappear and may have a stronghold over some people. We’ve seen this in action over the pandemic: people have a renewed sense of what it means to belong to a community of individuals, and how certain things can be expected from the power-that-be to be part of said community. Some rebel against the very idea, but others thrive under community expectations.

There’s no singular answer or outcome that I can give about what might happen in the coming months and years. I can’t say, either, what will 'win' in a contest between social and employment contracts.

But one thing is certain: the AC era is going to look dramatically different than anything we’ve seen before and the social contract needs to be re-evaluated to build a strong employee experience and attract top talent.

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