If I just say ‘past five months’, I know exactly what each one of you would think. The lockdown! I do not even need to elaborate on the challenges that came along. Everyone in the world has a story to tell about their experiences.
It started with a lot of excitement about getting to spend more time with loved ones. Work from home was a distant dream for many, and the pandemic turned it into a reality overnight. IT and HR teams were in the war room of offices, struggling to handle the problem of enabling everyone to work from home. Many large firms placed orders for thousands of laptops to the extent that there was an acute shortage; some even asked employees to take their desktops home. But as the three-week lockdown extended, the real challenges started rearing their ugly head. Many of us, who are not lucky enough to have a dedicated work space at home, managed work in the middle of chaos— juggling domestic chores and office work for extended hours. Children attending virtual sessions added to the problem.
The situation has been worse for those in managerial roles. As research has shown, managers at all levels are under tremendous pressure and are not being optimally effective. Managerial or leadership ‘effectiveness’ has been a top priority for CEOs over the past decade. They have struggled to manage teams effectively even in better times; and now, they have to manage the curveball of doing so virtually. Imagine the variables they have to manage— employee motivation, safety, performance, revenue generation, navigating supply chain issues that have come to a standstill, and much more. Also, multiple teams are looking up to them for direction. Sadly, the picture that emerges in most organisations is that of an army in the battlefield with a stressed and clueless general.
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