Two weeks have passed since the critical state of this pandemic was announced. The federal government recently announced a $107 billion emergency plan to help the national economy. Several provincial measures have also been adopted to support the most vulnerable. Business leaders remain on high alert and must constantly make heartbreaking decisions, some of which they were not prepared for. Activities are slowing down, and public spaces are restricting their accessibility. Being able to continue working remotely has almost become a privilege. Leaders find themselves facing this chaotic situation, and managerial practices are completely disrupted. There are still many mysteries and questions to be clarified in the healthcare system, regarding legal aspects and supporting the economy. One feeling remains unanimous: loss of control and stress. Isolation, job loss, remote management, are all factors that can put a person at risk.
Management in the era of a pandemic
Anxiety is typically experienced when an individual feels a loss of control caused by a situation lacking structure. The crisis arrived so suddenly that no one was truly prepared for the sudden disruption. Managers had to implement remote management methods, with which they were not all entirely familiar. The legal rights of both employees and managers in this context of force majeure become ambiguous.
The CRHA took the brilliant initiative of broadcasting a webinar on HR management in this pandemic context. Maude Grenier , member of the CRHA and partner at Norton Rose Fullbright emphasizes that it is our responsibility as an employer to ensure the health of all and that if certain people experience symptoms, we have the right to recommend quarantine. It is also everyone's civic duty to share with their employer if they feel any effects of the virus. Regarding the right of refusal, an employee who fears for their health also has the right not to come to work and to conduct their own investigation process to determine whether this refusal is reasonable or not. Although there are specific and clearly explicit laws, each case must still be analyzed taking into account the individual's specific context. A leader must adopt a behavior of understanding, empathy, and flexibility to ensure support for their team. The watchword is to listen to their team and be as transparent as possible.
Communication
Marie-France Nolet, founder of Wantedyesterday , firmly believes that this situation is an incredible opportunity for employers to reinvent their working practices.
According to her, "three important things must be kept in mind: first, transparency, which is fundamental, to stay in contact with your team and share the issues with them. They will be able to contribute in turn to offer solutions. Then, have a continuity plan that is clear and visible to everyone. Implement a new project management tool if you are not yet using one. Finally, establish meetings at the start of the day to update people on what is happening and set objectives to achieve. It can be difficult not knowing where to go from here and this helps motivate the whole team together."
Every day is a new challenge and we must expect to have to change our behaviors on a daily basis. Humans are highly adaptable beings and we must trust them according to Ghislaine Labelle , member of the CRHA and psychologist. "Everyone reacts at a different speed and in different forms. We must be ready to receive a variety of emotions." It is legitimate for a person in isolation to feel anxious, frozen or excessively proactive. We must know how to combine these reactions, all equally useful, to make them positive results. "It is good news that a person feels stress, they are worried about risks that may arise. They can therefore anticipate and share it with those who, on the contrary, are in a situation of denial." She suggests using the 3 Cs as tools: communication, calm and clarity. Support cells are a great tool to apply while remaining open to all kinds of possible reactions. Listening should be the first reflex in this situation.
Asking your team for updates can never be overused. You need to actively embrace your role and build support teams. "Plan your meetings for the next 6 to 8 weeks, put them on your calendar, and create rituals and points of contact to foster conviviality," suggests Jean-Pierre Brun , associate expert at Empreinte Humaine and retired professor at the University of Laval.
Managing stress in isolation
On the employee side, it's important to create a structure to address this chaos. Marie-France Nole suggests everyone separate their day and not neglect virtual meetings, even if it's just for an informal chat. In cases of anxiety, she advises everyone to also meet up for breathing exercises. "Breathe together, book coffees via videoconference. You have to break the isolation and check in regularly to see if everyone is okay." It's also important to explicitly define the boundary between work and personal hours. Rituals, exercise, meditation, and dance are tools that can help give the impression that you're leaving work behind.
The current crisis is forcing every company to reexamine practices that, for some, have been in place for twenty years. “It’s great what’s happening. An employer has the right to be afraid of a lack of productivity, it’s understandable, but I think you have to share your work rhythm online. Be clear when you have urgent needs. Create a sense of good time management,” suggests Geneviève Rousseau , head of culture and talent development at Designstripe .
She advises everyone to take 30-minute breaks, listen to themselves, and not allow themselves to wait. Reinvent your routine to open yourself up to new possibilities. Develop a resilient team where everyone listens to their own needs.
Tools to ensure cohesion
Technological tools are becoming a major lever for effective communication within a team. Keeping each team member connected is becoming a survival practice. Geneviève Rousseau strongly encourages managers to use these tools in a balanced way. The Slack platform can be very useful for creating channels for sharing hobbies, free yoga classes, or cooking classes. However, you shouldn't spread yourself too thin and fall into information overload. She also recommends the JAMM app, which allows for informal discussions in a virtually designed environment. It allows you to recreate moments of socializing at the office: coffee breaks by the coffee maker or impromptu discussions in a conference room.
We are still only at the beginning of this crisis, and a sense of fear is being experienced by the vast majority of the population. Each day is a new beginning, and we are learning to readjust our lifestyles. This historic event will not soon be forgotten, and we will remain marked by it for years to come. The imposed confinement will unfortunately have created many harmful effects, but will also have exposed flaws in our society that had been buried and ignored for too long. Humanity, solidarity, and active listening are great achievements that we have managed to achieve so far. Anxiety and stress are very natural emotions in the face of all these changes, but we must know how to read the opportunities in order to make this crisis grow and evolve.
How to adapt your management in a crisis situation?
Two weeks have passed since the critical state of this pandemic was announced. The federal government recently announced a $107 billion emergency plan to help the national economy. Several provincial measures have also been adopted to support the most vulnerable. Business leaders remain on high alert and must constantly make heartbreaking decisions, some of which they were not prepared for. Activities are slowing down, and public spaces are restricting their accessibility. Being able to continue working remotely has almost become a privilege. Leaders find themselves facing this chaotic situation, and managerial practices are completely disrupted. There are still many mysteries and questions to be clarified in the healthcare system, regarding legal aspects and supporting the economy. One feeling remains unanimous: loss of control and stress. Isolation, job loss, remote management, are all factors that can put a person at risk.
Management in the era of a pandemic
Anxiety is typically experienced when an individual feels a loss of control caused by a situation lacking structure. The crisis arrived so suddenly that no one was truly prepared for the sudden disruption. Managers had to implement remote management methods, with which they were not all entirely familiar. The legal rights of both employees and managers in this context of force majeure become ambiguous.
The CRHA took the brilliant initiative of broadcasting a webinar on HR management in this pandemic context. Maude Grenier , member of the CRHA and partner at Norton Rose Fullbright emphasizes that it is our responsibility as an employer to ensure the health of all and that if certain people experience symptoms, we have the right to recommend quarantine. It is also everyone's civic duty to share with their employer if they feel any effects of the virus. Regarding the right of refusal, an employee who fears for their health also has the right not to come to work and to conduct their own investigation process to determine whether this refusal is reasonable or not. Although there are specific and clearly explicit laws, each case must still be analyzed taking into account the individual's specific context. A leader must adopt a behavior of understanding, empathy, and flexibility to ensure support for their team. The watchword is to listen to their team and be as transparent as possible.
Communication
Marie-France Nolet, founder of Wantedyesterday , firmly believes that this situation is an incredible opportunity for employers to reinvent their working practices.
According to her, "three important things must be kept in mind: first, transparency, which is fundamental, to stay in contact with your team and share the issues with them. They will be able to contribute in turn to offer solutions. Then, have a continuity plan that is clear and visible to everyone. Implement a new project management tool if you are not yet using one. Finally, establish meetings at the start of the day to update people on what is happening and set objectives to achieve. It can be difficult not knowing where to go from here and this helps motivate the whole team together."
Every day is a new challenge and we must expect to have to change our behaviors on a daily basis. Humans are highly adaptable beings and we must trust them according to Ghislaine Labelle , member of the CRHA and psychologist. "Everyone reacts at a different speed and in different forms. We must be ready to receive a variety of emotions." It is legitimate for a person in isolation to feel anxious, frozen or excessively proactive. We must know how to combine these reactions, all equally useful, to make them positive results. "It is good news that a person feels stress, they are worried about risks that may arise. They can therefore anticipate and share it with those who, on the contrary, are in a situation of denial." She suggests using the 3 Cs as tools: communication, calm and clarity. Support cells are a great tool to apply while remaining open to all kinds of possible reactions. Listening should be the first reflex in this situation.
Asking your team for updates can never be overused. You need to actively embrace your role and build support teams. "Plan your meetings for the next 6 to 8 weeks, put them on your calendar, and create rituals and points of contact to foster conviviality," suggests Jean-Pierre Brun , associate expert at Empreinte Humaine and retired professor at the University of Laval.
Managing stress in isolation
On the employee side, it's important to create a structure to address this chaos. Marie-France Nole suggests everyone separate their day and not neglect virtual meetings, even if it's just for an informal chat. In cases of anxiety, she advises everyone to also meet up for breathing exercises. "Breathe together, book coffees via videoconference. You have to break the isolation and check in regularly to see if everyone is okay." It's also important to explicitly define the boundary between work and personal hours. Rituals, exercise, meditation, and dance are tools that can help give the impression that you're leaving work behind.
The current crisis is forcing every company to reexamine practices that, for some, have been in place for twenty years. “It’s great what’s happening. An employer has the right to be afraid of a lack of productivity, it’s understandable, but I think you have to share your work rhythm online. Be clear when you have urgent needs. Create a sense of good time management,” suggests Geneviève Rousseau , head of culture and talent development at Designstripe .
She advises everyone to take 30-minute breaks, listen to themselves, and not allow themselves to wait. Reinvent your routine to open yourself up to new possibilities. Develop a resilient team where everyone listens to their own needs.
Tools to ensure cohesion
Technological tools are becoming a major lever for effective communication within a team. Keeping each team member connected is becoming a survival practice. Geneviève Rousseau strongly encourages managers to use these tools in a balanced way. The Slack platform can be very useful for creating channels for sharing hobbies, free yoga classes, or cooking classes. However, you shouldn't spread yourself too thin and fall into information overload. She also recommends the JAMM app, which allows for informal discussions in a virtually designed environment. It allows you to recreate moments of socializing at the office: coffee breaks by the coffee maker or impromptu discussions in a conference room.
We are still only at the beginning of this crisis, and a sense of fear is being experienced by the vast majority of the population. Each day is a new beginning, and we are learning to readjust our lifestyles. This historic event will not soon be forgotten, and we will remain marked by it for years to come. The imposed confinement will unfortunately have created many harmful effects, but will also have exposed flaws in our society that had been buried and ignored for too long. Humanity, solidarity, and active listening are great achievements that we have managed to achieve so far. Anxiety and stress are very natural emotions in the face of all these changes, but we must know how to read the opportunities in order to make this crisis grow and evolve.