In 2020 the world stopped and forced everyone to work from home. To say it was a shock to our collective system would be an understatement!
A year and a half later, I think most would agree that the pandemic has dramatically shifted the way we work. The forced work-from-home policies–and the more recent shift to options to work either at home or from the office—have fundamentally changed the way we not only do our work, but how we think about it. We used to have the mindset that the most important work we did was during the 9-5 workday and everything we did in the wee hours of the morning or late at night, just to keep up, didn’t “count”. We struggled to show up to the office, juggle our kids, spouses, friends, homes, and health. We had to justify being out of the office for personal reasons and often had to take time off for doctor’s visits, home repairs, or a parent-teacher conference, even though we had worked far above the 40 hours a week required of us.
At Significance, we built the company around the idea of true work-life balance. Our founder is a mother of 3, all of whom were school age when the company was founded. Making all the aspects of our lives manageable was not optional!
Working Hard (or Looking Like It) is The American Way
I have lived and worked in two different cultures (The U.S. and England). The motto among my bosses in the UK was always ‘you work to live not live to work’. They were always encouraging employees to take leave and go on ‘holiday’. Travel and personal enrichment were always encouraged. In the U.S, I found it to be quite the opposite. It was a shock to my system to find that the culture here was working long hours and NOT taking leave. I’ve even worked in organizations here where it was nearly impossible to get leave approved. And, although I was working 10-12 hour days, I’d still need to take personal time for things like doctor’s appointments. Studies consistently show that Americans work the most hours and take the fewest days off, so I know this is not an uncommon problem.
Have We Entered a New Era in the American Workplace?
Many companies say they feel much more confident that staff can be just as productive at home as they were in the office. This is a huge change for these companies and their CEOs, who were often very much against at-home work. It was frowned upon and the time at home was considered a step below time spent in the office. Participating in meetings versus being in the office was often perceived as being an indication of a lower commitment to the job.
COVID has shown us that we can do a great job from home. We can have the flexibility to handle ALL aspects of our lives, while being just as valuable and perhaps even more so. The hours recognized are not just 9-5. They are whenever the work is being done. And this time is finally valued. This is incredibly freeing and reflects a cultural shift that I hope will be permanent!
What’s Next?
In my role as Chief People and Culture Officer at Significance Inc., I love being part of this shifting recognition that our value to our organizations is in the value of the work we do and what we accomplish—not how many hours we log in the office. Our commitment is measured by the impact we make, not our physical presence or willingness to drop everything in our personal lives to have a successful career. I’m looking forward to finding new ways to help our employees truly “work to live” while contributing their talents to our continued growth. With such tragedy coming from the pandemic, this is one positive outcome that I hope remains.