“My hope is that we have a new way of working in the future, and be able to adapt” – Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, IPAA SA President, Erma Ranieri FIPAA

The word “unprecedented” has been thrown around a lot recently to describe the situation we have found ourselves in, both as a nation, and a public service. COVID-19 though has indeed brought unprecedented challenges and changes to the way we live and work.

For leaders and managers at all levels, there has been a demand to quickly adapt to new ways of managing teams remotely and ensuring business continuity even through the height of the pandemic.

As we learned from our Virtual on the Couch guests, the challenges leaders have faced and overcome have been substantial and even as we move into the recovery phase, key leaders share that the drastic shift in workplace paradigm will remain with us. The question for leaders here, is how do you apply the lessons from leading in crisis to support teams and reach goals in the ‘new normal’?

Be open to change

“Leadership is an area where you are focusing on change. It’s being prepared to change yourself. It’s being prepared to lead people through those changes” – Chief Executive, Environment Protection Authority, Tony Circelli

It’s simple to stick to what we know and feel comfortable with, and COVID-19 certainly did the job of pushing many people far beyond their comfort zone. Appreciate your own capacity to adapt, knowing that you have led through one of the biggest crises of recent times. As future opportunities for change and new ways of doing things emerge, keep this in mind and don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone, in order to embrace these changes and opportunities.

Communication is Key

“You have got to have clarity, you have got to have purpose and you have got to communicate, communicate, communicate” – Chief Executive, Department for Child Protection, Cathy Taylor

From all the public sector leaders that have joined us On the Couch one thing that has stood out is the importance of communication. We have seen across the sector and through messages to the public how vital it was that everyone felt informed and confident that they had the correct information. Looking forward, what lessons in communication can you apply to your role? Perhaps foremost is that in new work paradigms, where your team might not always be in close proximity, we need to engage in new methods and channels of communication. Staying connected with your team, even over distance, through digital platforms will help remote workers stay engaged and accountable.

Leading Together

“Leadership is about making sure people feel they are in, whatever your missions is, together” – Acting Chief Executive, Department of Human Services, Lois Boswell

As we all banded together to face this crisis, cohesion and teamwork were at an all-time high, and a key challenge for us now will be how to maintain this in the recovery period. Change is hard to maintain, and you will need to use all your skills in communication and emotional intelligence to find new ways to enthuse and connect your team about projects you are undertaking. The pandemic has taught us that communication matters, and that when your team members feel considered and part of the process, then there is a much higher will to perform and engage.  As a leader, you will need to look for ways to bring your team together to reach goals, allocate work effectively and know where to build your team’s skills to enhance their confidence and ability to contribute.

Using Emotional Intelligence

“Healthier happier staff give you better returns as an organisation” – Chief Executive, Department of Treasury and Finance, David Reynolds

The experience of COVID-19 has been different for everyone, but whether big or small we have all been impacted in some way. As a leader, this may have meant a wake-up call to the different circumstances and challenges your team members are facing, where a high degree of emotional intelligence was needed to care for the health and mental wellbeing of your team. In the new normal, where flexible work and remote work becomes increasingly available, you should consider investing in building and developing greater emotional intelligence skills to communicate with people empathetically and effectively no matter what the future throws at you.

Modeling expected traits, flexibility, and adaptability

“If you create the space, leaders will step into it” – Rick Persse

Many leaders who have spoken with us have shared that longstanding silos have been seemingly demolished in the wake of the pandemic, bringing new opportunities for collaboration across departments. Leaders who excelled during this crisis demonstrated key attributes which they modeled to the rest of their team, including the expected behaviors to engage in, as well as how to hold a positive and resilient mindset. Adaptive leadership is perhaps the most apt term to describe the style of leadership required here, where teams are operating in often uncharted territory. Now is the time to build and develop your skills in adaptive leadership, as well as to understand how your leadership style impacts the performance and wellbeing of your team.

Performance Management and Checking in With Your Team

“Make sure that you are looking at them holistically, not just what they might be producing at their home or not” – Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, IPAA SA President, Erma Ranieri FIPAA

If we are embracing a new work model where remote work and virtual team management becomes part of normal practice, then you will encounter a need to shift your mindset around traditional styles of management and measures of performance. As many of the leaders who joined us On the Couch highlighted, performance can no longer be measured solely on the basis of ‘turning up’ each day. Instead, you need to look at the members of your team holistically- including their mental and social performance as well as their outputs. It has been noted throughout the pandemic that remote work has helped boost productivity levels, where people are getting more done in the day, removed from time eaters such as office chatter, etc. On the flip side of this however is that social isolation has had a negative impact on many people, so whilst we might be seeing increased productivity, we need to weigh this against mental wellbeing. If you are going to lead a remote team post-pandemic, you will need to make sure you have the skill set to help both yourself and your team;

• Create boundaries between work and home-life;
• Build and maintain connections with regular check-ins and catchups;
• Create a safe space to address issues around mental health as they arise.

Want to hear more? Our full Virtual on the Couch series is available to view here, where key SA public leaders share their insights on leadership styles, mantras and much more…

Resources

• Mentally Health Workplace Toolkit –  https://www.publicsector.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/292580/Mentally-Healthy-Workplaces-Toolkit_150920.pdf
• Remote Working for Productivity Managers Guide – https://www.publicsector.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/215227/002-Remote-Working-for-Productivity-Managers-Guide.pdf

Forensic Psychologist, Luke Broomhall joins us in the latest instalment of the COVID-19 Wellbeing – Interview Series. Mr Broomhall shares his tips and advice for leaders, managers and team members on how they can look after their own mental health and that of others.

How can leaders check in on the mental health of their team members?

Mr Broomhall urges us to look out for behaviours that sit outside the norm for that person, such as bouts of tearfulness, withdrawal, or anger. If so be prepared to sit down and open up a conversation with this person on the behaviours, you have noticed.

You might like to start the conversation by saying…

“  [Name} I have noticed lately that you seem a bit more [describe the behaviour e.g. withdrawn and quiet] and [these goals or items haven’t been met] and I’m a bit concerned about you and I just want to know if you’re okay and if there’s anything I can do?”

The role of the manager or leader when handling the response to this question is to have a human response grounded in empathy, but to also understand what they can and can’t control, and in turn to provide resources for the individual to access that will support them. When you encounter a strong emotional response from an individual you can respond to them as described below:

1. Demonstrate empathy for the emotion that is occurring by acknowledging the emotion exists and that you can see that they are experiencing this.
2. Affirm that their experience of this emotion is valid and okay, and that you are there to listen and help in whatever ways that you can control.

“I understand you are feeling this way, tell me more about your experiences and what you are going through at the moment”

1. Take the time to listen and not jump in too soon with solutions.
2. Act to change what you can for the wellbeing of the individual and provide access to support resources and persons as needed.

Returning to the Workplace

In the transition back into the physical workplace there are several measures and tips that leaders and managers can employ to ease people into the ‘new normal’ of post-COVID-19 work.

• Be patient while employees’ transition.
• Ensure workplaces do not grow complacent with preventative COVID-19 measures.
• Be aware that not all staff members will be positive about the return to the workplace and should be aware of this as a flag for potential issues around conflict, bullying and other concerns.
• Encourage the access of Employee Assistance Programs for early intervention.
• Develop and grow the mental health literacy of leaders and managers.

How Can We Help a Colleague or a Friend Who is Struggling?

We all want to be able to help and support our friends and colleagues when we can see they may be experiencing mental distress. Mr Broomhall shares that we can all take an active role in checking in with others during this time, but firstly you must:

1. Fit your own oxygen mask first – make sure you are in a balanced and centered place and ask yourself continuously ‘Am I coping okay myself?’, as it is very hard to look after other people if we are in a difficult space ourselves.
2. Focus on the behaviours you can see when discussing your concerns, refrain from saying that they seem more depressed or anxious, instead note that they may have been more withdrawn tearful, etc.
3. Provide an opportunity for them to speak openly with you, for example go for a casual coffee or walk together building on social connection.

If you have had a chance to view this interview, please provide your thoughts here.

Public Administration Today (Today) was a quarterly publication for IPAA members, which served as a national communications medium for all IPAA members. It aimed to report IPAA activities, promote and celebrate achievements in Australian public sector management, disseminate information about major trends and developments, and facilitate discussion and debate.

The magazine was published by IPAA ACT on behalf of IPAA National, with a circulation of approximately 5,000 as at 2015.

In June 2015 it was determined that IPAA would cease the publication of Public Administration Today. As a result of falling circulation nationally and increasing costs, it was no longer a financially viable proposition. Edition 43 was the final, covering the period July to September 2015. IPAA ACT wishes to thank the many contributors to the magazine, with a special mention for Mr Ron Dent, the editor for the four final years of the publication.

The four most recent editions are accessible below, with previous editions available by contacting IPAA ACT on 02 6154 9800.