How work has changed, post

Jun 09, 2023

In the post-pandemic world, remote and hybrid work is here to stay.filadendron/Getty Images

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“The World Health Organization may have declared the global pandemic over, but its effects will be around for a long time,” says Merge Gupta-Sunderji, a speaker, author, mentor to senior leaders, and the chief executive officer of the leadership development consultancy Turning Managers Into Leaders. “Not just from a medical and health perspective, but also from its impact on the world of work. Expectations – those of your clients, customers, employees and managers – have changed, which has significant implications on how you interact with your staff.

“There are six key shifts that have occurred over the past more than two years that are substantial enough that you cannot overlook them. None of them should be a surprise, but don’t let their simplicity or their prevalence cause you to disregard them. In fact, ignore them at your peril.”

Find out more about Ms. Gupta-Sunderji’s six post-pandemic work shifts and why leaders should be paying attention.

Samira Manfon, 28, has faced more hurdles than most when climbing the career ladder.

While completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Concordia University in Montreal as an international student from France, she struggled to gain relevant work experience without the benefit of a network; public service job postings she applied to openly prioritized citizens over permanent residents such as herself; and she says the best co-op positions seemed to go to white men.

“Even though the federal government system is based on merit, I think the level of comfort the interviewer has with you plays a role. If you don’t fit into a certain mould or speak the ‘language’, it can be difficult,” says Ms. Manfon, who is now a policy analyst with Employment and Social Development Canada in Montreal.

So, when she learned about a new accelerator program called Jump the Rung that aims to help early-to-mid-career immigrant women of colour get promoted to senior levels, she applied right away.

Read about how Jump the Rung is helping women gain the cultural knowledge they need to climb the corporate ladder.

“I started my career in the corporate world, and in 2015 I became an entrepreneur,” says Karima-Catherine Goundiam, founder and chief executive officer of digital strategy firm Red Dot Digital and business matchmaking platform B2BeeMatch. “I founded my company and grew it from the ground up. And in 2020, I launched another product, a business matchmaking platform. Although my companies are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), I’ve worked with big companies and institutions. Along the way, I learned that many things work differently in the world of SMEs compared to the corporate world. If you’re considering working with an SME or a startup, here are some things you should know going in.”

Read about the differences between corporate and startup culture, from pace to autonomy to job security.

Early in her career, as a lawyer on Bay Street in Toronto, Lisa Stam would sometimes cram her feet into a pair of spiky heels.

Most courtrooms feature hard flooring, so heels make a loud, intimidating clack on them.

“When you march in with heels, there’s a presence you can have,” says Ms. Stam. “There’s a bit of theatre to law.”

Outside of court, Ms. Stam opted to mainly wear flats paired with pantsuits. Now, she practices employment, labour and human rights law at a small firm where everyone works remotely. “We can all wear bare feet if we want.”

High heels have been a staple of women’s workwear for decades. But as workplaces become more casual and more people work from home, women are rethinking how footwear impacts their careers and self-image.

Do heels at work make sense any more?

Read the full article.

We’ve all experienced it: You’re relaxing after work when you hear your phone chirp or your e-mail chime. A message comes in from a colleague requesting a document immediately.

You instantly feel dread and anxiety.

From weekend messages to multiple pressing projects to unrealistic deadlines, urgency culture is a phenomenon that many in the workplace experience. In her 2022 article for IONS (Impact Organizations of Nova Scotia), writer and researcher Lydia Phillip describes urgency culture as “the ‘less conscious hustle culture’ – a state of urgency applied to our day-to-day … We’re constantly in motion, always feeling behind and in a state of overwhelm.”

Mary Ann Baynton, principal and CEO of Mary Ann Baynton & Associates Corp., works with businesses and governments on psychological health and safety and workplace mental health. She says that in 2004, after dealing with urgency culture and running ragged for decades, she burned out.

“That was enough for me to question, ‘Why the hurry?’ What was so urgent? Why was I unable to put life into perspective?” she says.

Read the full article.

Question: I work from home and lately I’ve been having a terrible time staying focused. I’m constantly procrastinating and having difficulty staying on top of tasks. It’s especially tough because I’m not in an office with colleagues. How can I tackle this problem?

We asked productivity consultant, executive coach, podcast host and speaker Clare Kumar to tackle this one:

You mention that you’re having trouble focusing “lately,” so I’m curious if it is related to the presence of colleagues or the task itself. The first thing you need to do is identify the specific reason behind your procrastination and zoom out to consider other reasons that might be getting in your way.

It could be value misalignment – that this task is just so contrary to your beliefs that you’re finding some internal resistance. Maybe you didn’t sleep well the night before and you’re nodding off at your desk, and what you really need is to go have a nap. Or, maybe your home environment is distracting and your laundry is calling to you. Identify the things that are pulling you away from the work and start by solving these issues.

Creating a comfortable workstation is critical. If clutter is making you want to leave a space, make it a priority to calm it down by organizing it. If your housemates are distracting you, declare boundaries and stop intrusive sound at the source, or use noise cancelling headphones to cocoon yourself. Examine both rest and exercise to make sure you’re setting yourself up for success.

The next step to overcoming procrastination is finding “flow” in your daily tasks. Procrastination often comes from one of two issues: a) the task is overly complex and therefore difficult to get into or b) it is too boring, and your brain lacks enough stimulation to focus.

If the task is challenging, wrestle with it, dance in the discomfort of not knowing, or seek help from others until you can identify the very best next step to take. Getting clear on the specific action you need to take to move forward may unlock the momentum you need.

If you perceive the task as too boring, add some energy by giving your brain something else to attend to. This could mean playing music in the background. Or you could add some adrenaline by setting a timer for the task and playing beat the clock.

But what if you do think having people around helps with your productivity? Build momentum and accountability with virtual work partners. Check in regularly with someone in your network over video or text to give you the feeling of not working alone. Another option is Focusmate, a “virtual coworking” platform that can help you find work partners all over the world who are looking for the same support.

Remember that productivity is personal. We all have optimal levels of stimulation for our brain. That’s why I always say you have to tune in before you lean in. Know yourself and know the situations that set you up for success.

Submit your own questions to Ask Women and Work by e-mailing us at [email protected].

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