Despite COVID-19's passing, the workplace will never be the same. By putting physical and mental health safety first, employers and employees will continue to confront changes in the workplace. Employers are inclined to redesign workplaces, social events, benefits plans, and initiatives promoting wellness and illness prevention. Companies are expected to continue discussing and training staff members about flexible work arrangements, a trend that is probably here to stay. The sector will become even more competitive in attracting and keeping top personnel as more companies include remote work in their long-term plans because distance won't be a barrier.
Have you heard of “quiet quitting?”
You may be familiar with the term "quiet quitting," which is becoming very popular in the context of establishing boundaries at work. Are you working to live or living to work? Are both possible? The theory is that rather than leaving a job, employees are choosing to continue performing their duties but refraining from going above and beyond, igniting discussions about what constitutes "normal" when positions change and more responsibilities are assumed.
For a variety of reasons, team dynamics can change. It could be because a coworker is going on vacation or getting a new job, the business is downsizing, or your employer has simply decided to shift your function. Despite the cause, you should speak with your manager to clarify your new obligations, set expectations, and guarantee fair treatment.
There's a good reason why the term "quiet quitting" is trending across social media and online discussion boards. Consider a situation where your boss wants you to have more responsibility at work but decides against giving you a promotion.
Consider these 6 points, while navigating the tricky waters of a changing work environment:
1. Adopt a big-picture approach to workplace health and safety
Organizations must adopt a more comprehensive perspective on workplace health and safety and business continuity than we have in the past, given the variety of difficulties, hazards, and needs in today's evolving work environments. This entails broadening the focus from a narrow one on illnesses and injuries to one that also takes employee wellness, psychological security, and interpersonal disputes that can escalate to anger or violence into account. Employer plans should address more recent concerns crucial to retaining our workforce to manage change in the workplace. These concerns include workers' mental well-being, collaboration and connection in a remote setting, and how to prevent, de-escalate, and manage harassment and other conflicts in this new work environment.
2. Analyze your options
Spend some time reviewing the policies and procedures of your organization to make sure they anticipate future needs and account for changes in working conditions and workplace practices. You must ask yourself, have we adequately explained to every employee our cleaning, safety, and exposure reporting protocols? Do we have sufficient resources for remote work? What do we offer for mental wellness? Moreover, ensure that your anti-harassment policy clearly states that it is applicable in digital settings as well as citing instances of online harassment.
3. Establish fair expectations
Your employer shouldn't demand that you work twice as hard or three times as long to earn the same amount of money. It isn't sustainable or fair. You can prevent burnout later on by establishing acceptable expectations for your role as it has been redefined.
Ask about reassigning some of your current workload—or portions of the new workload—to other team members as you discuss your workload with your management. Try to make reasonable projections for the time you'll need to complete each assignment successfully. Set a check-in time before you leave the meeting, so you can return and evaluate the situation after you've had a chance to adjust to your new role. While some of your new responsibilities may be simpler than anticipated, you may want more training or guidance to succeed in other areas.
4. Make a strategy
Have a thorough return to work strategy, whether you're going back to work, preparing your staff for extended remote work, or doing both. For the return to the work context, you can discover some excellent templates on the internet. The core of these strategies entails ensuring that businesses review their present (or develop new) rules and procedures, build communication channels, offer workplace training on all of the aforementioned points, and assist staff in adapting to changing work conditions.
5. Write it down on paper
Although you and your manager must be entirely in agreement with expectations, it is always preferable to have written agreements that you can refer to. That doesn't imply you need to request a to-do list from your management. Instead, make notes while you go over your goals and new tasks, any adjustments to your salary, benefits, or title, and then write your boss a follow-up email summarizing everything you talked about. You can refer to the email that contains the terms you agreed to if the business tries to back out later.
6. Don’t feel shy to ask
Even though you like to consider yourself a "team player," don't labor for nothing. You should be compensated for the extra work you'll be doing if your higher burden is the result of brief changes, such as a coworker taking a sabbatical or a medical absence. Whether it's a bonus or a raise, make sure to specify a particular amount and back it up with statistics.
You can also ask for a promotion or even an "acting" title if you're filling in for a vacancy that could lead to a promotion to show your abilities.
Be inventive when getting a raise or a new title is out of the question. Investigate benefits like more paid time off or perhaps a one-time bonus. You might even ask for extra tuition or training reimbursement if the firm offers educational reimbursement.
Never allow talks to drag on indefinitely, regardless of the circumstance. If your manager requests additional time to develop a plan, set up a follow-up meeting as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Though taking on extra work can be difficult, it also gives you the chance to demonstrate your enthusiasm for more significant roles. Before stepping into an expanded role, discussing expectations and boundaries with your manager will help you position yourself for success.
Changes in your workload might occasionally serve as stepping stones for job advancement, whether you take advantage of the chance to develop inside your current firm or look for another position with a new employer. Embrace the change.
Shellye is committed to helping people from diverse backgrounds achieve their careers and life aspirations. The content published above was made in collaboration with our members.
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