The way in which we work changed dramatically for everyone just over a year ago, and in doing so, reshaped our future at the same time.
Cobham Mission Systems mobilised the majority of our colleagues to work remotely, while they were also balancing child care or home schooling. Other colleagues, where personal or business need precluded them from working from home, experienced rapid changes in working practices.
Throughout it all, we saw people displaying the best characteristics possible. We have seen agility, resilience, compassion, innovation, teamwork, flexibility, humility and, most importantly, care. Care for our customers, care for delivery, care for each other, care for continuing to get things done.
Together, we have learnt and we have listened. In focusing on health and safety, we heard countless ideas about changes on-site employees envisioned to keep everyone as safe as possible while still delivering for customers.
We learnt to use technology to support whole teams working in a virtual way. We all increased skills for remote management, remote working. We became even more aware of the impact of wellbeing and how people have managed. We followed through on our desire to check-in with people, provide support for people whose lives were seriously disrupted, for those who were anxious and concerned. We re-learnt the importance of keeping the channels of communication open to everyone. A diligent rhythm that never stopped.
Our last engagement survey tells us almost 90% of our colleagues feel positive about our response to the pandemic. Which means we need to do more for the 10%. To once again listen and learn. In just one year, we have undone a lifetime of working practices designed for a normal day, in a normal environment.
This is now our chance to do things better, with greater pace, through better people engagement, to a future with more efficient ways of working. While retaining the absolute best of being in the same place at the right times.
Because the workplace is still our community – a social environment that allows face-to-face engagement, casual discussions that make things work, a place to connect. Some aspects of work will always be done in shared physical space – negotiations, critical business decisions, creative and informal meetings, providing sensitive feedback, and essential physical work that involves assembly and build.
What this disruptive year created is an opportunity to reimagine the future of work. A future that is a better, more productive, happier place to be. A future where everyone is able to work in a way where they can deliver their very best. One with greater alignment, teamwork, empowerment and trust. Best for them, best for the team, best for customers.
It changes what we need from (and for) our managers. Managers will need to have stronger emotional intelligence and social skills, alongside the technical skills required. We will be managing people more remotely. The talent pool available to us has just got much larger. We will need to identify when people are facing challenges. And we will need to build teams where innovation and ideas will come from absolutely everywhere. We will need to work even harder to ensure people feel valued, recognised and connected.
These ‘next generation’ management skills will be in demand across and beyond our industry; there will be great demand on the pipeline for future talent. For STEM careers, organisations will see the need for people to create new practices, new technologies, new processes and structures to evolve the way we all work in a new future.
This is a time to really inspire and excite people by creating new expectations about workplace agility, the working environment and practices that will see people and organisations thrive for years to come.
