Post-Pandemic Leadership Requires Being Part Of The Change

CHROs need to be the bridge between employees and management in the new work landscape

Leadership and human capital are at inflection points as we emerge from the pandemic. In addition to figuring out what the “new normal” looks like and how managers successfully navigate these uncertain waters, we have a handful of other important issues that are coming to the forefront.

Millennials are now coming into leadership positions and becoming a larger part of the workforce at the same time. What is more, Baby Boomers are getting older, not necessarily getting slower, and if they exit the workforce, they are recognizing their runways are much longer than previous generations. Most have not reflected on what is next and the possibilities are exciting. As they age out of traditional jobs, these talented people typically have little vision of what they are going to do after they “retire.” On top of that, the emergence, and the importance, of DEI and social justice, has an elevated impact.

Let us take work from home versus return to the office. Since every company culture is unique and requires different parameters, CHROs need to sit down with the CEO and think about the right plan for each business. Based on what we see in the marketplace, 90 percent of CEOs envision their companies being back in the office at nearly a full-time basis at some point in the future. At the same time, nearly 90 percent of millennials have the exact opposite in their heads. This dichotomy requires honest discussions and considerations that probably were not had pre-pandemic. Another important question arises – how does a leader develop a relationship with an employee they are not going to see every day?

A few other interesting leadership trends have emerged from the pandemic. As the Edelman Trust Index noted, trust in governments and media has significantly eroded during the last few years. At the same time, trust in company leadership, particularly in the CEO, has increased.  As many observers have seen, businesses, including large and influential corporations, have become increasingly vocal when it comes to social and political topics.  Coming out of the pandemic, company leadership will be forced to continue to communicate on such topics now that the precedent has been set.

A key point is for leaders to listen to their employees and to their direct reports in their pursuit to gather as much information as possible before making decisions public. This is a topic that we continually emphasize with clients we coach. In a nutshell, we encourage our CHROs to help their CEOs be thoughtful and consider various points of view before commenting on hot-button issues.

Coming out of the pandemic, DEI continues to be an important topic. I think it is the “I” that is most vital. Yes, you need to build a diverse organization. And in fact, the pandemic has given us the knowledge that now we can reach farther to find talent in every corner of the globe. Every search can be a national search. But getting back to inclusion, I ask CEOs to think about the employee at the company who is physically furthest away from headquarters, and honestly consider if that person feels like they belong. Do they feel like they are truly part of the social fabric of the business? If the answer to that is yes, then leadership has done a fantastic job of inclusion. If the answer to that question is no, then the time has come to work with the CHRO to design an impactful plan to quickly right-side this issue. As word spreads of the company having a truly inclusive culture, good things will follow, including the D and the E, as well as the bottom line, as studies have proven.

All of these issues make today and likely tomorrow, among one of the most complex times to be a leader in business history. I would encourage CHROs to become true partners with their CEOs and to focus on working together to strategize about how to become the new kind of business leaders that are needed. As we redefine best in class, make sure you are a part of the change.