2022, the year of flexibility

As the pandemic continues, it’s looking like the need for flexibility is going to be a common theme this year. You may need to work from home sometimes, and at other times you’ll be required to go into work. You may be required to adjust your hours. You may be required to isolate. If you have kids, they may be able to go to school sometimes, and at other times they may need to learn from home...
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All of this can be overwhelming if we let it, so being prepared is going to make being flexible much easier, no matter what the situation is!

On the practical side, if you haven’t done so already, now would be a good time to think what 'knowns' and 'unknows' might crop up for you this year, and consider how you will deal with each scenario – both at home and at work. Make a plan and write it down. Remember to review it as the year goes on and changes occur, or you have new ideas and learn new strategies.

At home
Be sure to share your plan with your family/whānau and suggest they have a plan of their own. Better yet, work on your plans together! That will help you to consider how each of your situations will impact on the others and what the solutions might be. Here’s some prompts for the types of things you could think about:

• What do you need to get done before you even leave the house? Breakfast, lunches, getting the kids ready. What can you do the night before or prep on your days off?
• Who’s going to be responsible for each task that needs to happen? Who’s going to be backup if they’re unable to take care of their responsibilities for any reason?
• Travel – will your usual mode of transport be available? If not, what will you use instead? If taking public transport, check that your usual routes and timetable are still available.
• What might you need to take with you that you may not have needed in the past? Mask, hand sanitiser, etc.
• What will your back up plans be if things change? Who might be the support people who can help you out at short notice?

 
At work
Carry out the same exercise at work. You could use it as an opportunity for the team to get together if you’re back in the workplace again – share your ideas over a morning tea or lunch if that’s practical, and get reacquainted with each other. It will be easier for your team to adjust if they are a part of the planning. Consider things like:

• How will you run training and meetings if physical distancing is required?
• How will you manage your resources if your team need to work different shifts?
• What is your plan if someone in your team becomes unwell?
• How will you support your people with any concerns or anxiety they are experiencing?
• What do you need to have available in the office for hygiene purposes?
• How will visitors to the site be handled?
• Who are your key relationships? e.g., colleagues, clients, other stakeholders. What will you need to do to keep those connections alive and well? Who will be responsible for communications? How much do they need to be informed of; who needs to know what? 

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