Prescription for Corona and Post Corona People Managers

Prescription for Corona and Post Corona People Managers

Corona Jottings 

1. Your Colleagues are fearful. Please do not do or say anything that has a prospect of aggravating his or her fears. 

2. Please demonstrate five times the empathy that you normally demonstrate.

3. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate twice as much as do. But avoid churning out instructions on every other occasion or changing them on every other occasion! Please take greater interest in their personal lives and problems. 

4. Please do not spread panic and false information. Cross check information before forwarding in your groups. This is the age of fake news. Get in touch with your friends from other organizations to crosscheck on information that appears to fake. Consult Government of India websites for updates. 

5. Encourage use of new tools to communicate, however do not expect everyone to take these like ducks take to water. Give them enough time. There is no hurry. We are under lockdown! Allow flexibility on use of tools as long as they work; do not impose technology tools unnecessarily in these tensed times. Please appreciate this is a change management process encompassing multiple complexities. 

6. Please do not always blame your colleagues for technology disruptions and failures. Information and Communication Technology are heavily dependent on the infrastructure, amenities and usage levels at the user's location. 

7. Please encourage your colleagues to follow netiquette and techniquette. Eg. No extended personal conversations in a Whatsapp group/Facebook Post. Turn off  Video and Audio for most audio /video group applications as participants increase beyond 10, bandwidth issues erupt, especially under increased usage in lockdown!

8. Please encourage your beloved colleagues to take good care of their mental health. Please spread optimism but not rosy pictures. We want them to stay happy but we do not them to live under any kind of false hopes either. Please encourage soothing music, medication and Yoga. Please advise them to take good care and nurture their spiritual side. The spiritual side would drive them forward ultimately breaking all shackles. 

9. Please spread Love for your country. To love your country you do not need to forgo your political or religious standing. We are in for more insular world and tapered globalism, therefore please inculcate feelings of nationalism in your colleagues. 

Jai Hind! Vande Mataram!

© Rajib Kumar