The Work-From-Home Whiplash: Why Management Must Learn, Not Dictate, in the Post-COVID Era
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the world of work has been in the form of chaos. Employers scrambled to adapt, and the work-from-home (WFH) movement gained unprecedented momentum. Now that we're in the so-called "Post-COVID age," there's a concerning trend causing a sense of whiplash and widespread uncertainty among employees: the battle between management determining what they think is right and learning what their employees are capable of.
Management Knows Best? Not Always
Some organizations have taken a top-down approach, dictating remote work terms without genuine consultation. Policies implemented overnight: "Everyone back in the office on Mondays and Tuesdays," or "Remote work is no longer permissible." The assumption is that management knows what's best for productivity, teamwork, and corporate culture. While these aspects are essential, they're only sometimes solved by herding everyone back into office cubicles.
Ass in the seat should not be the mandate.
The glaring issue is that these sweeping decisions rarely consider their employees' lived experiences and proven capabilities during the pandemic. We've seen that many roles can function perfectly well — if not better — outside a traditional office setup. Ignoring this undermines employee autonomy and wastes the golden learning opportunity the WFH experiment has provided.
The Untapped Potential of Employee-Driven Models
Conversely, some companies have successfully embraced a more democratic approach. They engage their staff in dialogues, surveys, or voting systems to understand how remote work can be optimized for everyone's benefit. And guess what? These organizations often find that productivity remains stable, and employee morale and work-life balance improve.
In these models, management shifts from dictating terms to facilitating a system where employees can work to their highest potential. The keyword is adaptability, a cornerstone of any business hoping to thrive in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world. And let's be honest—what's more VUCA than the post-COVID landscape we're navigating now?
The Whiplash of Inconsistency
When management swings like a pendulum between remote work and in-person work, it generates uncertainty that manifests in various ways—decreased morale, reduced productivity, and increased turnover. Employees no longer feel like they're part of the decision-making process; instead, they feel subjected to the whims of upper management. If left unchecked, this sentiment can turn into a toxic environment where employees no longer feel a sense of ownership or commitment to their jobs.
Many large companies are also property-holding companies. Let's face it: company shareholders have a multi-level shell game to maximize profits, and people are an expense. Not filling the property portfolio is a double hit to the bottom line.
The Bottom Line:
As we traverse the post-COVID age, management must transition from a dictatorial style to one of engagement and collaboration. Through resilience and adaptability, your employees have shown you they can handle more than you've ever given them credit. It's high time to harness that potential and work together to find a sustainable model for the future.
The whiplash and uncertainty many feel are symptoms of a changing world and a corporate culture unwilling to change. And in an increasingly unpredictable world, adaptability isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a must-have.