work advice

A social contract is an unofficial agreement shared by everyone in a society in which they give up some freedom for security. The philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau popularized the idea of the social contract in the 1700s, but it’s just as applicable today. A good example is when we go to the airport and go through security. We may not like it, but we understand that it’s a freedom we give up for the benefit of safety in our society.

Social contracts in the workplace have primarily been between employees and employers where employees receive a living wage in exchange for their labor. This exchange would help employees achieve a stable life while employers would be able to produce their goods and services. As the workplace and what constitutes work have changed so has that philosophy of a social contract. Now, because of technology and the restrictions in place with COVID-19, that former social contract is being further challenged.

When reasoning through this new challenge here are five areas that need rethinking:

1 – Working virtually most of time. So many companies resisted having staff work from home for years, but guess what? We learned through the pandemic that it works! Staff have worked harder and have not missed a beat. This experiment of working from home because of the quarantine has proven that working virtually works and people like it.

2 – Flexible work hours. Another lesson the quarantine has taught us – if we do need to commute or take an elevator or fit into the same office space close to our coworkers, then we can not all do it at the same time. In addition, having also having our children homeschooled taught us that we must be flexible as people do have full lives.

3 – Equity and diversity. This is a topic that has been talked about for way too long. Its time has come, and each organization should take some time now to agree that they will hire and promote a diverse team instead of hiring and promoting the same people who look like themselves. It is going to take real effort and a level of self-awareness to do things differently. You may want to seek help.

4– Social distancing, the handshake, and buffet lunches. Adjusting to these social rules is going to be a hard one for me. I’m a hugger. I hug most of my clients. I’m sorry to say I will not be hugging anyone until we have a vaccine. Handshakes? No way! So what is your plan? Will you bow? Greet others by touch elbow to elbow? Wave? And forget about sharing platters of food for a while.

5 – Wearing a face mask. Many spaces including retail stores, supermarkets, hospitals, doctors offices, office buildings, elevators, etc. require you wear a facemask, and yet some people feel it does not apply to them. The department of health in most states is giving recommended guidelines for the workplace so how will your company handle this?

Understanding that Social Contracts are mutually understood arrangements for the greater good, we know that what constitutes greater good today is significantly different from what it was four months ago. How are you going to participate? How is your organization going to participate? Let us know how it’s going at your place of work.

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.

Returning to the Office – Will Not Be Business As Usual

May 5, 2020

In the post COVID world, a return to the way things were in our traditional workplace is most likely not possible. The new standards of how we work at an office are being set for at least the next one to two years, or is it forever?

Is having an office space necessary?

Will we return to the office at all? Between 2005-2007 we saw a 5% increase in remote workers and by 2019 43% of Americans said they worked remotely occasionally. Today most of us are experiencing firsthand working from home. How many of you are realizing that not having to commute is a nice way to go? From my perch, I am hearing that many of you are disinterested in going back to the way things were.

We are also bound to hear that office hours are a thing of the past, as workers will be forced into staggered hours to allow for the safety of six feet of separation between people. The normalization of fewer workers in the office on any given day may mean that less space is required.

Are open floor plans over?

I never understood how anyone thought the open floor plan was a good work environment. Now it looks like a bad fad that has become downright dangerous. Like shag carpet, that trend is over and out, and I’m not sad about it. Originally the thought behind this design was that clustered seating would encourage collaboration. Instead, it fostered conflict and disruption to the point of a distracted workforce. Bye, Bye.

Business Travel – when is it necessary?

Last year before the pandemic, 62% of American workers traveled to another state for work. That means that roughly 1.1 million people traveled for business each day. Now, this once normal version of work in which we travel distances for face-to-face meetings is not going to return for some time, if ever. Video conferencing is working for now; the cost and logistics around business travel may be prohibitive – not to mention the cost to our environment.

Companies Must Embrace Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility

If there is one lesson to take away from a worldwide pandemic, it’s the fact that we are all connected. It’s time to understand that we have a moral and ethical obligation not only to ourselves and our workers, but also to humanity. Companies who have always addressed the broader concerns for humanity will be on-purpose while other organizations will have to figure out their place in this new normal. I believe this will matter. Think outside of your community and client base to how you can help make a difference.

Being Authentic at Work

Let’s stop pretending that work and life exist in separate spheres. I’m not talking about work-life balance I’m talking about being more authentic and free to be yourself at work. Now that we are all videoconferencing from home, we are seeing how our co-workers live. Perhaps you are seeing your colleagues’ pets and kids and extended family. Maybe you are learning more about your coworkers’ hobbies or taste in art. These are all things that you might not have been exposed to in the past. The opportunity here is to realize that people are not disembodied humans who come to work. We are whole people with whole lives. This is a moment where we could get to know one another differently.

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.

Moving Forward – Into the Unknown

April 28, 2020

This past Sunday (4/26/2020) Governor Cuomo of New York said, “We are not going back to the way things were, we are going forward.” I have to say I agree with the Governor. Many of my clients are telling me that they see this as an opportunity to do things differently.

Some small business owners want to take their businesses smaller not bigger. Other clients want to continue working from home and no longer want to commute. Several of my clients are saying they want to incorporate real work-life balance — not just pay lip service to it. And some clients are realizing that they need to find a better job/career.

Everyone is thinking about what “moving forward” means. If you aren’t, it’s time to start. We are in a reset. Go inside and listen. Do not disregard your deepest thoughts and feelings; they are telling you something. You are at a point of choice at this time. You can let go of the way you thought work had to be and decide on what is right for you.

What parts of your job/career do you want to move forward? What parts are you unwilling to continue? Consider the following:

Commuting – Maybe you want to work closer to home, or work virtually.

Change industry – If your industry is on hold, you may want to investigate a completely different industry. Maybe you want to go back to school.

Micromanaging boss – This could be a good time to see if you can transfer to another department or find another job.

Doing the work of others – Perhaps you no longer want to compensate for others’ lack of initiative.

Compromising my private life – You may want to establish a hard start and stop time to your workday, creating boundaries around work that protect your private life.

Working with a mean girl/guy – Instead of working with awful people, you may be ready to look for a new position within or outside of your current company

Not getting paid fairly – It may be time to find a position that pays you what you deserve.

Getting rid of troubling employees – Downturns have always been a good time to lay off difficult staff. Perhaps you have some people who could go.

Needing less office space – Going to a more virtual workforce may mean you don’t need as much office space.

Going back to a standard schedule – Instead of returning to your previously regimented work schedule, you may want more flexibility.

Stop eating overpriced unhealthy food – Does your company serve unhealthy, overpriced food at meetings? You may want to bring your own food to work more often.

It’s time for me to not have a boss – You may be ready to start your own business.

Doing work that has no meaning – You may feel that now is the time to make a difference.

Most of us fear change and the unknown. We tend to stay in difficult situations longer then we should for fear of not knowing what better options are available to us. Instead of being scared, embrace change and possibilities. (I know this is easier to say than it is to do.)

During this unusual time, I challenge each of you to examine and come to terms with what you really want to do professionally. Consider your happiness, your purpose, your health, and your legacy.

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.

The Silver Lining – Things I Appreciate About This Quarantine

April 24, 2020

As an executive coach, I try to show my clients that with every awful business occurrence there is usually a silver lining. You may not see that lining at first, but with time you can see there was a lesson of value.

Not everyone is experiencing or seeing the silver lining at this time. Some of you are losing cherished members of your family and dear friends. Some of you may have lost your job and much needed income.

Some of you may feel angry because your gym is closed. Most of us desperately need a haircut. With that said, this quarantine and pause from life, as usual, can be a catalyst for each of us to take stock regarding what might actually be the silver lining.

Below is a list of silver lining comments that my clients have made over the last few weeks:

1 – I don’t miss many of my co-workers.

2 – I’m cooking all my meals and I like it.

3 – I’m sleeping better and don’t feel the pressure to get up earlier than needed.

4 – I like the relaxed attire I get to wear while working.

5 – I have so many fewer emails that my job is more doable.

6 – I’m learning that I like being by myself – I like me.

7 – I’m an introvert so I’m OK dealing with fewer people daily.

8 – I don’t have to commute.

9 – I’m hearing from friends and family that I haven’t spoken to for a while.

10 – I’m reading more, cleaning more, and finding it relaxing.

11 – I’m more appreciative of the essential workers in my city.

12 – Spending more time with my cat/dog and family is really nice.

13 – I can hear the birds singing because there are less cars on the road.

14 – It feels like the planet is healing itself.

15 – I have the opportunity to rethink my values.

16 – I’m realizing how important my supermarket workers are.

17 – I can take care of myself on my schedule throughout the day.

18 – I appreciate my job.

19 – I get to take classes for the job I really want.

20 – I’m learning how to connect with people on line.

21 – I like having access to people and places virtually that are not local.

Hard times teach us valuable lessons that help us grow and plan for the future. What are your silver linings? If you don’t see them at this time I promise they are there. You will see them when the time is right.

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.

Finding the Essential in Your Work – The Measure of Who We Are is How We Make Ourselves Useful in Chaos

April 13, 2020

During this pandemic, it’s our essential workers who can travel and physically go to work while the rest of us shelter at home. We naturally and deservingly celebrate these dedicated and courageous members of our workforce. We are forever grateful to our medical workers, police and firefighters, EMT’s, transit workers, mailmen, package delivery folks, food delivery people, supermarket personnel, liquor store workers, military etc.

If you are not considered an essential worker today, that does not mean your work is not important and essential at other times. But, many of my clients are wondering how they can be of service at this time. Some are feeling sad that their work is not needed, and some are discovering what can be essential in what they are doing.

How do you become essential? By making your product or service useful to your customers at this time.

For example, you may want to offer your product or service at a very low cost today in order to insure business in the future. If you have a product, it might be time to put that product on sale to make it more desirable. If you are a hairstylist, fitness trainer or home organizer, you may want to reach out to your clients and see if you can help them do some maintenance with a video call.

If you are a travel professional, it could be time to reach out to your customers and talk about future trends, or get them excited about what’s next. It’s best to stay in touch. Remember out of sight before you become out of mind.

Ask yourself:

What will my customers need when we emerge – immediate & long term?
Should we package our work differently – maybe online?
Should we redesign our pricing to incentivize for a while?
How can we celebrate our business as essential and necessary?
How can we make it available immediately for service or delivery?
How can we celebrate our customers with something that is essential?

Think out of the box and be generous. Think Strategically:

Be useful
Be helpful
Be grateful
Be forward thinking
Be resourceful
Be creative and original

We are all in this together, and together we will get through this. All of our customers and clients will once again need us more then they need at this time. Business will resume. The economy will come back, and so will our work.

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.

Remote Working Etiquette – During the Covid Pandemic

March 30, 2020

We are all being ordered to work remotely. For those who are accustomed to working this way, it’s likely you’ve developed best practices. At the same time, even seasoned remote workers may have kids at home or pets who suddenly expect your attention 24/7. While some families have come together to shelter in place against the virus, many people are living (and working) alone. Both situations have their challenges. We are now in a new reality that requires new rules for etiquette and protocol.

Here are 10 things to consider as organizations create internal systems for their remote working culture.

1 – Be mindful of workday hours and please take time zones into consideration. For some organizations, this may be a time of true emergency. During an emergency, it’s all hands-on deck. You may be required to respond to emails or texts from your manager or co-worker at all hours of the day/night. If your business does not fall into the emergency category, however, please reconsider working as if you are. Set realistic work hours and refrain from communicating outside of those times.

2 – Use video conferencing – to help with the isolation and communication. Using a camera will help you, your coworkers, and possibly your clients connect. Seeing your team will remind everyone that they are not alone. It’s also interesting to see each other’s homes (or at least the room used for work).

3 – Be transparent with communication. Without the office water cooler for conversation/gossip, it easy to fall out of the office communication loop. Use all forms of telecommunication (texting, Face Time, Slack etc.) that can enable you and your colleagues to ask questions and get all the news you once were able to obtain by being in the same space. If you need to run an errand or help your kid, let others know.

4 – Do not base work performance solely on hours. Each organization will want to use an online tracking system for productivity. Examples are Basecamp, Slack, Trello, Wrike, Zoho projects and Google Drive. As home responsibilities for many have increased, some people will not have the same uninterrupted time to put into their work day, but still may be able to be as productive. Establish an honor system (set expectations and deadlines) then try to be respectful of each person’s situation.

5 – Train your workers on using video conferencing and online tools. Don’t assume anything. Have your office tech run a few tutorials to be sure that no one feels incompetent, embarrassed or ashamed.

6 – Watch your communication style while on camera. Eye rolling and looking uninterested will show. Get dressed – casual is fine – but wear bottoms just in case you have to get up to get something.

7 – Be sensitive to cultural and age differences. Keep communication professional. Using short cuts to speak may work for your peers, but be aware that others may not get your humor or contemporary slang.

8 – When on a teleconference don’t all talk at once. Without visual cues, it can be easy to talk over one another during a conference call. It might be best to have a moderator who can track each participant and determine who wants to speak next. Establish order.

9 – Be flexible about kids and pets in the background. Children and pets are a reality in today’s world of remote working. You and your coworkers should do your best to have a space at home where you can have privacy but many people do not have that luxury.

10 – Avoid eating during videoconference and teleconference calls. Others can hear you crunching and slurping. Sipping water while on a call or meeting may be fine – we all need to stay hydrated. Save your snacks and beverages, however, for Virtual Happy Hour, which happens at the end of the workday, right?

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.

Real solutions for workplace relationships

Tag: work advice

Best Of: Asking For Help – My Crazy Office Overtime, Season 7

Best Of: Uncertainty At Work: My Crazy Office Overtime, Season 7

Returning to the Office – Will Not Be Business As Usual

Moving Forward – Into the Unknown

The Silver Lining – Things I Appreciate About This Quarantine

Finding the Essential in Your Work – The Measure of Who We Are is How We Make Ourselves Useful in Chaos

Remote Working Etiquette – During the Covid Pandemic

My Crazy Office Podcast

Ask K2

Books by K2

Looking to advertise with us?