The Chilliwack School Board, located in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, had a controversial scene where a school board trustee was seen lighting a cigarette and sipping from a wine glass during a zoom meeting. This incident on January 12th has sparked an immediate response from British Columbia’s Minister of Education, who has been calling for Barry Neufeld’s resignation. This brings into question if zoom etiquette and professional standards have been declining since the beginning of COVID-19. Some employees state that it’s difficult to have a high sense of professionalism in the workplace when work-life balance is slowly diminishing. Offices can act like a physical buffer between our professional and non-professional life, leaving it up for debate if that buffer can be made from a virtual setting. Atlassian, an Australian software developer, created a report showing that employees around the world were working on average an extra half hour each day. With burnout and job insecurity as an ongoing issue, the importance of networking is also highlighted in this virtual climate. I reached out to Paula Lipnick, a Program Manager that drives continuous improvement and technology programs that increase long term business value. Also, Paula has a MBA with a concentration in Business Intelligence and Accounting.
Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix, has spoken on the topic of remote working after this pandemic and stated “not being able to get together in person, particularly internationally, is a pure negative.” Warren Buffett, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, said the adaptation will ultimately lead to less in-office staff. What is your stance on the capabilities of staff remote working post-covid and what percentage of the fortune-500 do you think will have remote adaptations?
It is important to remember that a primarily remote working environment is new for many companies, so there needs to be an increased focus on communication and collaboration. Also, it is valuable to gain frequent feedback from teams in order to gain insights on how to work better remotely. After the current situation ends, I see many companies creating customized flexible plans that combine remote working and coming to the office. They will create their individualized plans based on the feedback that they are currently collecting, so they can provide the best environments for their teams. Also, I see the value of face to face interactions, because I believe it creates momentum during workshops and meetings. The current remote work environment has shown me that teams focused on collaboration and communication adapt quickly during times of rapid and unexpected change.
A LinkedIn News report showed that 55% of the 13,000 members surveyed were trying their hardest to keep a professional image. The remaining users stated that they either didn’t care of their overall appearance, left their camera off, or their company simply didn’t do video calls. Do you see any issues appearing in an environment where employees are becoming less business-formal?
I feel different situations can call for different approaches, and there are some meetings that call for more formality. Also, I know that I am more productive when I stay true myself. If keep that in mind, then it allows me to deliver the best results for our clients and the company. Also, I believe that remote work has allowed some new joyful experiences to be brought into meetings. For example, a colleague’s background that is a picture from a memorable vacation, or a dog jumping into the camera. Great moments like that can help increase morale.
NordVPN, a New York-based VPN provider, looked at data via servers and noticed that the average work day was being extended by 2.5 hours in certain countries. Have you noticed employees enjoying the ability to spread their work out or do they prefer the strict 9-5? Is there a reason why some employees might have more work during this pandemic compared to before COVID-19?
If a company changed from a primarily in-person work environment to a remote work environment, then that is a large process change. At the beginning of any process change, work hours typically increase due to the learning and adaptation that is required. It is another great reason to request frequent feedback from teams to optimize the process change, and this will also help increase work-life balance. There are several reasons that flexible work hours are used at different companies. For example, meetings can occur in different time zones. This was occurring at many companies prior to the current environment, but now I believe that there is a higher focus on gaining feedback from teams. It is my opinion that this will allow for increased innovation as companies implement their customized strategies for returning to the office.
This pandemic and looming recession has highlighted the importance of regularly networking. A novel called “Social Chemistry: Decoding the Patterns of Human Connection” discovers that professional networks have shrunk 17% compared to the year before COVID-19. How have you been able to maintain strong relationships during a time of virtual conferencing and social distancing?
I feel that the remote environment has increased my communication, because I am utilizing more collaboration tools in addition to virtual conferencing and emails. Also, I have gotten in the habit of joining at least 1 virtual event a week. I have had the opportunity to attend more amazing events, because I am not limited to my immediate area. You can attend virtual events with speakers from all over the globe, so I make it a priority in my weekly activities. Also, I regularly congratulate colleagues on their work anniversaries. We had the ability to do this in the office, and it is important to celebrate important milestones during the current remote environment.
During a strong job market, MBA programs were seeing large declines in their enrollments. Now, University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School is reporting a 35% increase in their MBA program enrollments. What has the MBA program met for you and do you foresee any changes in your environment when more employees are in business schools?
The MBA program that I graduated from at the University of Texas at Dallas was a great experience, and I am grateful for the education that I received. Also, it gave me the mindset to continuously learn and collaborate, and that has helped me add more value at work. If an MBA aligns with someone’s careers goals, then they are pursing something they will always find beneficial. Everyone’s journey is different, but I always encourage everyone to follow their dreams. I believe that creates a stronger work environment.
