I don't even know where to begin.
I called in on Sunday night, 15 March to file for sick leave for Monday, 16 March because I was so scared to leave home. I've acquired asthma around 4 years ago so I am being extra careful. Thankfully, mid-Monday, management called for total work from home. Just before the government announced a total lockdown.
My husband and I were both home and we were at a loss for a moment. What. is. happening. We tried to be productive but amidst government announcements, emergency trips to the grocery store for essentials, and apocalyptic-like news from left and right— we just couldn't get any work done. Neither can everyone else.
As of that afternoon, the Department of Health confirms the number of COVID-19 national cases was at 142, and with a total of 12 who've passed and 3 recoveries.
It was a week of wondering daily whether I actually had the virus, whether I've been in contact with someone who had, or touched a surface the virus had landed on. We would constantly receive death tolls and survival rates all throughout the day, whilst getting an influx of information and messages from everyone in the organization regarding this 'new world'. How do we cope? How do we help? Is trying to keep a sense of normalcy ethical at this time? It was indeed business unusual.
Throughout the week, the word most used to describe this experience of everyone working from home was "overwhelmed". Understandably so, because it was a sudden shift for everyone. In an instant, each one was forced to deviate from the comfort of systems they have always been used to. Which really led me to ask, if this level of urgency did not happen, how much longer would humans be holding on to processes, practices, or behaviours that are (quite possibly) outdated, costly (to ourselves, to our time, and to nature), or just simply (and sometimes mindlessly) convenient?
It was at this moment that I understood more what "agile" meant. Maybe still not in its entirety but I think this is "pivoting" in its very essence. Digital transformation, innovative thinking, empathy— these weren't just buzzwords. They exist, as it is now very clear to me, because THIS is the language of the "new world" we are in today.
What I've come to realize is that, contrary to popular belief, these words are actually very human in its essence more than it is about technology. Technology serves as an essential tool to make innovation happen— but the actual progress starts with habits, mindsets, and behaviours. The past few days have revealed to me correlations between humans' mindset and reactions towards the sudden changes that got workplaces shookt to the highest level.
Resistance to change is a big factor in causing a feeling of panic when change suddenly happens. Ignoring new ways of working plays a big role in feeling overwhelmed by all the things you suddenly have to learn. The decision to wait for "things to go back to normal" before pursuing an action may just be the difference between you and those that didn't think twice to start challenging this "new normal".
If you slice all the features of different apps and collaboration platforms, you will start to understand why it's there. You set status messages to let your teammates know that you will be unavailable at a certain time because working from home for you means having to balance work and childcare. You use the send later option when sending emails because you don't want to bother your colleagues at odd hours at night just to get your laundry list done. The notification settings get more and more customisable not only for volume's sake but because distraction and focus are very real scenarios that neuroscientists are studying to help bring more clarity to workers' physical, cognitive, and emotional wellbeing.
On the Remote Collaboration guide via Office 365 (which I entitled the Human Side of Work) that I quickly put together for my organization, I wrote this in one of the breakers:
Ironically, it’s during times like these that we are reminded of being HUMAN. It is a most difficult time for all of us so it is understandable that emotions may be high and patience might be low. The silver lining here when it comes to remote collaboration is that despite (or because of) everything, we have become more mindful. More mindful of tasks, more mindful of the other people’s ways of working, more mindful of time and process— probably also because everything is new to us. May it be the kind of “new” that will bring us back to our more human side– to our innate sense of empathy towards others, mindfulness towards our behaviours, and having the spirit of celebrating small wins and good news.
The past few days have taught me how to be human at work, more than ever. And this week was also when I really got to know the other humans at work.
March 20: COVID-19 positive: 230, with a total of 18 who've passed and 8 recoveries
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