You Don't Need "Pandemic Permission"

Time to read: 1.36 minutes

During a recent group workshop, a leader worried about all the things she'll feel obligated to do as things open up. She observed, "the pandemic gave me a good excuse to say no to lots of things."

Try on a few examples:

• You could say no to online cocktails with that group of friends, because you were "all Zoomed out."
• You could decide not to attend the expensive and far-away family vacation you don't enjoy much anyway because you're "not ready to travel yet."
• You could skip the online after hours work happy hour, because your kids "need help with online school."
• You could have a holiday with just your family because "it didn't feel safe yet" to host other people.

Of course, safety and exhaustion were real. And, if you make an honest assessment, you made time for the people and activities you care about the most. You just didn't make space for all the people and activities you did pre-pandemic.

Here's the truth: You don't need the cover of the pandemic to say no to those friends or that vacation or after hours happy hour. You can simply say no.

I recommended to the leader that she consider giving up obligation as a pandemic gift to herself.

Of course, you sometimes have to visit people you don't want to visit and do things you don't want to do. Instead of dragging yourself through those things with resentment and resistance, anchor yourself to your values (like love, connection, family) and keep those in mind as you delight in coffee with a boring relative.

And, be honest with yourself. If you avoided it or them during the pandemic and those activities and relationships don't nourish you now, let them go.

Drop obligation. Obligation is sooo 2019.

Making decisions about how to smoothly and effectively return to life and work is daunting. Make the process easier by downloading your free copy of The Corporate Rebel's Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work).

I hope this helps.

On My Soapbox: What's Going On with Employment?

Time to read: This is a long one. Maybe 2 minutes? I'm on my soapbox after a conversation with some clients.

I nerd out on employment data. I'm not so interested in numbers like unemployment rates, but rather I love to hear what's going on for people in the workplace - what they're thinking, what they care about, and how trends change over time.

Right now, I'm seeing help wanted signs everywhere. Friends report they are having trouble hiring for all kinds of jobs, including things like paralegals, servers, and carpet cleaners. Clients are pissed because their CEOs announced everyone will return to the office in September, no ifs, ands, or buts. The tide is turning, and power is shifting to employees. (If you want to nerd out, too, read this article in the New York Times.)

What is happening and what does this mean for you?

• Demographic and employment trends have been shifting for years. Even before the pandemic, record low unemployment meant that employers had to make workplaces more attractive and competitive.
• Post-pandemic, we're seeing a surge in demand as people make up for lost time (eat out! buy clothes!) and supply chains are a wreck. (Have you noticed that there is no food in the case at Starbucks?)
• Many people used the pandemic for professional development. Online classes. Training. Career changes. They now have options beyond restaurant work.
• Some people saw how vulnerable and expendable they were when the s@*&% hit the fan. They found themselves laid off with no options. Others had to continue to work in unsafe environments for fear of losing their livelihoods. They are pushing back.
• I've heard a lot of people wondering if they still want to be on the path they are on after 15 months of staring their mortality in the face.
• The pandemic exposed the weaknesses in our systems around childcare, other kinds of caregiving, wages, and forced many people (mostly women) to choose between work and kids.

The bottom line: People realized the value of their labor. They realized they are not expendable and deserve an equal energy exchange (money, respect, benefits) for their time and effort.

What does this mean for you?

As an employee, this is a great time to negotiate! What do you want? More flexibility? Work from home? A part time schedule? A pay raise? Training? A career change? A new city?

As an employer or manager, you have a unique opportunity to demonstrate how much you value your employees, what they mean to your organization and show that value by getting creative about what work will look like now. If you think it's just about money and bonuses, think again. Consider training. Growth opportunities. Flexibility.

These issues are complicated and experts do and will disagree. I'm an optimist. These changes are exciting, both for employees who will be valued and fairly compensated for their labor and employers who are ready to create the workplace of the future.

The Corporate Rebel Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work) is chock full of guidance on returning smoothly and effectively. Download your free ebook here.

Please email me and let me know what you think and what you're seeing. I always love to hear from you.

Be well.

Your Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work)

Time to read: 43 seconds.
Time to download The Corporate Rebel's Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work): 10 seconds

My kids are cleaning their rooms. This seemed appropriate for today.

I ran into an old friend at the airport on my way to celebrate my college roommate's wedding. He talked about a year of difficulties hiring on Zoom and the awkward online team meetings devoid of casual side conversations and eating lunch together. He admitted he is both looking forward to and dreading the awkward return to in-person work in the fall.

Then he said: "There's no playbook for this stuff."

A lightbulb went off in my brain, and I thought: "Yes there is. I'm going to write it."

I spent the flight creating The Corporate Rebel's Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work) for you, your colleagues, bosses, workplaces, volunteer organizations and anyone and anyplace that is struggling with "re-entry anxiety" and uncertainty about how to return.

You can download a copy of this short ebook here. (e-pamphlet? e-whitepaper? e-essay? How many pages make something an ebook anyway? I digress.)

Please pass the link around to your friends and colleagues. They will also find the link to The Corporate Rebel's Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work) on my website at thecorporaterebel.com

I hope this helps.