Alchemy with Marichen

Dear Beloved Readers,

NOTE:  You are receiving this since you've been a client, or contacted us for a quote, or subscribed yourself. If you don’t want to receive the occasional letter from us, simply unsubscribe - We don't intend bugging anyone!

The second quarter is imbued in autumnal colours and I'm astonished at the passage of time. More than two years since the pandemic changed our lives forever, we've learnt to adjust. Some work remotely, others work in a hybrid system, yet others have been client-interfacing since the start.

Adaptation is survival. In giving a recent virtual motivational talk, I realised that people need people, connection and meaningful conversations for growth.

Two pieces of research about adaptation caught my attention. I will share the findings first, then follow up below with ways in which you can support your team best, to the benefit of the organisation.

RESEARCH RE ADAPTATION SHOWS:

Adapting to working from home and returning to the workplace (Dr Eric Shiu from the University of Birmingham) found the main challenges to be:

• Concern about income
• Fear of being exposed to the virus
• Concern about potential job loss
• Unable to separate personal and work life, whilst working from home
• General stress of working from home
• Disrupted circadian rhythms (a natural, internal process regulating the sleep–wake cycle), leading to sleeping & eating disorders, i.e psychological stress.

In the 17 March 2022 edition of the Frontiers in Psychology, research looking at long term home-working by bank employees in Italy revealed:

1. Workaholism (excessive work involvement driving poor work engagement, feeling that one cannot stop job activity, a high sense of pressure and distress).
2. A dramatic increase in the hours spent at a workstation, in turn associated with worse mental health, lower engagement and motivation.
3. The massive use of technology has resulted in techno-stress.
4. Workaholism is a predictor of anxiety & depression, physical health problems and strained social relationships - and poor job performance.
5. Family life and work demands overlap.
6. Back to work vs home working dilemma.

My clients across industries on the Southern African continent shared similar concerns with me.

SUPPORTING A TEAM THROUGH ADAPTATION

How then do we address this?

• Having conversations to understand and accommodate people according to their roles can address the back-to-work vs homeworking dilemma.
• Assess the company culture to assess occurrences of workaholism and to then provide support mechanisms to individuals who drive themselves too hard, and ground rules around performance expectations. An EQ course or Stress Training can do wonders.
• Technostress is managed by staff taking breaks and arranging for face-to- face interactions where possible to alleviate the eternal cycle of back to back online meetings. Staff need time to think and implement instead of just sitting in energy-sapping meetings.
• Where necessary arrange for individual and/or group coaching to teach coping strategies to function optimally in a challenging world.

Feedback from Tshepo Nkoane, Head of Treasury, Barclays Bank of Botswana:

"I really cannot put into word the value you added to me personally and as a leader of a team. I have found spaces, time and knowledge I did not know existed within me. The program pushed me to challenge myself and think differently about challenges, encounters with others and events in my life."

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

I have set myself my own Big Hairy Audacious Goal, to successfully complete the 70.3 Ironman on the 5^th of June 2022 in Durban. I am cautiously optimistic and excited, 10 years after my East London 70.3 Ironman. The journey has been challenging and enjoyable, teaching me powerful personal lessons.

If you or your team are in need of doing something creative for the colder months, consider talking to me. E.g. I can offer fun team event alternatives, like making your own chocolate.

Take care, stay warm and remember : “Know the true value of time! Snatch, seize and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”

I look forward to connecting with you,

Marichen (Cell: 083 677 6677)

Please follow us on FACEBOOK