A version of this story first appeared in Campaign Asia. Click here to read it.

Three years on and the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, remains a constant, all-consuming presence in our lives. It has impacted each one of us professionally and personally. But while the virus has not been kind to us, there has been a silver lining.

COVID-19 has uncovered long-buried inefficiencies and vulnerabilities at work by forcing industries to relook pre-conceived notions, standards and expectations of and from us as working professionals. It made us accept and embrace change, which accelerated conversations and real action around work-life balance, mental health and wellness, leadership and culture. I consider this a blessing in disguise.

Even now, COVID-19 continues to have an unexpected impact on how both individuals and organisations view work and the workplace — and the communications, advertising and marketing industry is no exception. I had the opportunity to explore this and more from both an individual and a leader’s perspective during the Campaign Leading Change (CLC) workshop and conference in Singapore recently.

The conflict: picking up the reality check

Personally, COVID-19 hit me hard. The lockdowns, the isolation, the fear — all of it really affected my mental and emotional health, especially when I had to have emergency surgery at the height of the pandemic. But through it all, I kept working, convincing myself it was at least better than being bored sitting at home.

It was the wrong way to think. I ended up working myself into crippling burnout. But even though it became apparent that I wasn’t alone in this, I kept my burnout under wraps. I was unconsciously judging myself and was worried how my burnout would be perceived. Would it cast doubt on my abilities? Would it make my gender seem weak? Would my team and peers think less of me?

I embarked on a journey of self-reflection, seeking to understand myself as a female leader, a role model and simply as a working professional. In the process, I thought about how I felt in trying to tackle this issue. Despite having the office’s full support, I couldn’t shake how alone I felt — even though I knew I was not alone. Eventually, I learned that this was just how many of us were and are wired.

Even though it became apparent that I wasn’t alone, I kept my burnout under wraps. I was unconsciously judging myself and was worried how my burnout would be perceived.

It was not an easy process, but I eventually managed to overcome my doubts and fears. I thought about how others in similar situations as me might feel. I wanted them to know that they were not alone. So I decided to speak up and share my experiences with full honesty and vulnerability.

I am fortunate to be in a company where we started asking similar questions as an organisation. How can we support our people? How can we create a safe space and open culture? How can we assure our teams that it is okay to not be okay? How can we break biases and perceptions, many times our own, to truly create real change? And what can we do as leaders to make these changes?

The epiphany: leading the human-first revolution

Leadership is more important than ever in shaping the workplace, whether operationally or culturally. It is proven that change comes from the top. As leaders, we have to lead by example and be open to conversations and suggestions.

There is also a pressing need to lead with empathy and compassion, which can only be achieved with diversity and fair, representative leadership. Diversity is integral to organisation-wide understanding and tolerance. That is why it is so important to embrace and support more female leaders to narrow the gender gap.

Similarly, it is crucial to have leaders from all walks of life, who bring with them different perspectives and worldviews.

How leadership builds culture

So much has been said about culture, yet so much remains to be explored — especially in today’s fast-evolving workplace. As leaders, it is on us to create and maintain the culture we want for ourselves and our teams. No more lip service! We must walk the talk in everything we claim to offer and more.

To do so, however, we need to first identify and acknowledge our own biases and perceptions, whether unconscious or otherwise. We must also be critical of ourselves — both in individual and organisational terms. Only then can we even begin to see and tackle issues borne of bias such as unfair hiring practices, the reprioritisation of employee happiness and wellness, or even the absence of a caring and welcoming work culture.

A communicative workplace is a conducive workplace, and it is a leader’s job to facilitate that. I can’t stress enough how important it is for leaders to reach and connect with their people across backgrounds, seniority, sexes and socio-economic groups.

People want to be seen, heard, and to know that they matter. It’s easy to make general or token gestures, but what the industry really needs is genuine, tailored actions in response to real feedback. Something I know we can accomplish!

There is a pressing need to lead with empathy and compassion, which can only be achieved with diversity and fair, representative leadership. Diversity is integral to organisation-wide understanding and tolerance.

Leaders also need to be able to empower their employees by giving them a voice and creating safe spaces so that they can be heard without judgment.

Take imposter syndrome for example — it can badly cripple a person’s self-confidence, resulting in more stress, lower productivity and reduced opportunity for growth. But if leaders champion the creation of safe spaces at work where people can share their problems, this supportive environment will help accelerate their journey to overcoming it.

Last but not least, everyone is responsible for building a human-first workplace. Leaders can set the intention and path forward, but it is equally important to convince mid-level and junior staff to join the cause by leading through example. It is crucial to get everyone’s buy-in as we can all hold each other accountable and ultimately be part of the change.

The resolution: moving with the times

I love this amazing industry I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of for over 12 years, but it has not always been the easiest to work in and I want to change that. After I spoke at the CLC, I received a lot of positive feedback from attendees who resonated with my messages. It validated my personal choice to speak up, be candid, and most importantly — be human.

What is certain is that COVID-19 has set in motion an evolution of the workplace that has and will continue to change work as we know it. It taught us just how untenable and unsustainable some of our existing practices are. We must accept that lesson with humility and embrace the change necessary to improve — because whether we want it or not, change is coming.

As an industry, we need to do better, together — for everyone — to build a healthier workplace of tomorrow. Looking at how we have rallied and changed through the worst of COVID-19, I know we can do it. All it takes is for us to stay hungry to learn, adapt with the times, and remember that we are human first above all else.

The post COVID-19 taught us how to build real human-first workplaces appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

A version of this story first appeared in Reputation Today. Click here to read it.

Prior to 2020, remote working had largely been a novelty, trialed only by a handful of companies in the search for a better work-life balance.

Then came COVID-19, and with it the weeks-long, then months-long nationwide lockdowns to flatten the infection curve. This triggered what has been called ‘the world’s largest telework experiment’ and catapulted remote work into the spotlight.

Today, many employees want remote work to remain an option and companies are exploring the idea. This has positive implications for recruitment and scalability — imagine being able to hire from anywhere, instead of being bound by geography.

But if this arrangement is to be permanent, how will that impact company culture? During the pandemic, many managers struggled with virtually managing their teams and building bonds between co-workers, which is essential for synergy and productivity.

I believe that a middle ground can exist between the flexibility of remote work and the cohesiveness of a good company culture. However, it will take a lot of communication, tolerance, and open-mindedness from all parties to succeed.

The dark side of remote working

Better schedule flexibility, reduced expenses and little to no commute time are significant advantages of remote work. But if it is not managed well, there are downsides too.

Many remote employees struggle with social isolation because of insufficient communication and support. Additionally, with homes becoming offices and people constantly connected to work through their devices, it is more difficult than ever to ‘switch off’. This prolonged stress is a proven precursor to breakdowns and burnout.

I also find that there is a tendency for managers to micromanage when work is done remotely. They have less visibility over an employee’s daily routine and are concerned that they may be less productive as a result.

I have heard incredible stories of apps that remotely track mouse movement or webcams having to be on to make sure that the employee is in their seat. These excessive measures result in an oppressive company culture that is stressful for all parties and not conducive for work.

Building the future of work on trust

Trust is the backbone of any healthy corporate culture — especially for companies with dispersed teams.

If an employee is producing good and timely results, and is responsive and responsible, leaders can give them space to manage their own workloads. However, granting autonomy does not mean abandoning them; a remote employee depends entirely on the manager’s responsiveness for help and support, and an absent or unsupportive leader can be detrimental to their confidence and productivity.

A middle ground can exist between the flexibility of remote work and the cohesiveness of a good company culture, but it will take a lot of communication, tolerance, and open-mindedness from all parties.

Leaders need to train their people and empower them to make decisions, then trust the process and focus on the results. Leverage communication and collaboration tools for visibility and to stay informed. Keep expectations clear and consistent.

Managers can set regular sessions with remote employees — in groups or individually — to check in with them. Give them adequate time to report on their progress and any obstacles they may be facing, then work together with them to find a solution.

Openness and transparency are key to build accountability and trust, which are, in turn, critical ingredients for an enriched company culture.

Leaders need to make their team part of the journey — instead of just telling them about new policies and processes and expecting compliance, managers can get their team’s feedback on the changes they would like to see, incorporate it, then show them what they have accomplished together.

Driving culture-building through engagement

There is a tendency for communication and interaction to become more purpose-driven in a remote setting. People are more likely to only get on calls and meetings for work-related matters, instead of the casual in-person chats that you might have over work lunches and at the water coolers.

This might sound like good news for productivity, but the absence of these small, personal interactions can lead to feelings of isolation and disconnection, which can result in disengaged and unhappy employees.

It is entirely possible to maintain a tight-knit culture with remote colleagues — it just takes some extra effort. For instance, I started the ‘Samurai Soirees’, a weekly Friday bonding session with my team where we just set aside an hour to do some fun, non-work activities.

Once, we split into teams and debated each other on popular conspiracy theories like birds being government drones. Not everyone was a fan at first, but over time they started looking forward to it and I think we’re all closer for it.

Without downplaying the depth of virtual connections, I also think that companies should make the effort to host the occasional offsite team-building activity. In-person meetings do wonders for work relationships because you get to know people more fully, and offsites overall are excellent for improving creativity, encouraging collaboration and boosting motivation.

I have been part of many company offsites, and have left each one with stronger work relationships and a recharged spirit.

Rethinking policy and procedure

Transitioning to a hybrid or fully remote work environment requires more thought than companies may initially realise. Policies and processes that worked for a fully in-person office may no longer be effective for remote employees.

Take the onboarding experience, for instance. When we have new hires from all around the world, how do we design an experience that helps the new member feel connected and welcomed?

Maybe that involves assigning them a work buddy or scheduling a virtual bonding session with their teammates. Maybe that also means maintaining an updated, intuitive intranet with relevant collaterals so that everyone starts off from the same knowledge base — no matter where they come from.

Communication and interaction may become more purpose-driven in a remote setting, which is good for productivity initially but may lead to feelings of isolation and disconnection over time.

The key, I find, is to remember the original intent of why such policies were designed and find new ways to adapt them for a remote setting.

Some companies might change a travel allowance to an allowance for ergonomic furniture — the goal here is to defray costs incurred on the job. A manager that used to rely on Friday team lunches to bond with their team may now choose to organise virtual scavenger hunts or sharing sessions instead.

There is, after all, more than one path to the same destination.

Evolving with, not fighting against

There is no question in my mind that the workplaces of the future will be more flexible than ever before, especially with advanced connectivity and cutting-edge technology transforming work as we know it.

Remote working is just the start of this phenomenon, and a business’s ability to maintain a robust company culture against this fluid backdrop will be a strong indicator of its future resilience.

The post Balancing a healthy company culture with remote working appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

A version of this story first appeared in The Drum. Click here to read it.

I’ve interviewed many candidates over the past year or so and most interactions are standard. However, some stand out — sometimes for good reasons and sometimes for the wrong reasons. I had one such interview that has stayed with me for the wrong reasons.

This interview was with someone who was trying to make a career change. She had over a decade’s experience as a broadcast journalist and was interested in exploring the communications industry. Upon completing her upskilling courses, she had secured a junior position at a communications agency. However, she quit that stint after a few months and came to us; when we spoke, she candidly shared why.

To my dismay, I found out that she had quit because of age and race discrimination. Hearing about her experience made me upset and frustrated — so much so that I felt the need to apologise to her for her experience.

More common than common sense

The candidate was a year older than me — hardly grounds for ageism. This is someone who had consciously decided to make a career change in hopes to better her professional journey. After taking a career break to look after her children, she took the initiative to upskill herself and was seeking practical experience to learn and grow.

Unfortunately, she was still finding her feet in a new industry and the agency environment proved unwelcoming and unconducive as she tried to get herself sorted. This is a situation anyone starting a new job finds themselves in and is certainly nothing to be held against a person, but in her case, she was penalised for it.

Further, she was isolated through the language barrier and excluded from any social activity or conversation. Her colleagues would leave for lunch without inviting her along or purposely speak in their mother tongue — which she didn’t understand — around her. She was also left to figure out new processes and systems with no help.

Incredibly, it was the younger staff — her peers — who were most often the culprits of this unwarranted discriminatory behaviour. On top of that, they often mistreated her in full view of managers who did nothing.

This inaction seemed a silent endorsement of the discrimination and made the candidate feel that she couldn’t and shouldn’t voice her discomfort. All in all, she felt unwanted and a failure despite her best efforts. It made more sense for her to quit instead.

This story really resonated with me because I was once in the same situation when I made the move in-house. Despite having been in the industry for a long time at that point, I had spent countless nights crying and was starting to doubt myself professionally because of that experience.

Ultimately, I, too, chose to quit; so I can only imagine how someone with zero experience would have felt in such an unhealthy work environment.

She was isolated through the language barrier and excluded from any social activity or conversation. Her colleagues would leave for lunch without inviting her along or purposely speak in their mother tongue around her. She was also left to figure out new processes and systems with no help.

Break the cycle. Be the change

No one should be made to feel the way that the candidate and I did. Especially not in a professional environment, and especially not in an industry that is built on its people. It has always baffled me why the communications industry doesn’t treat its people better. Things are improving but we clearly have a way to go. Blatant discrimination for any reason needs to be addressed.

This is the core focus of the PRCA APAC Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion committee that I’m chairing. My professional experiences as a woman from a minority race and the stories I’ve heard (and witnessed) over the years are what fuel me to drive change.

It’s imperative to bring these issues to the fore and address them through open and honest conversations, and it starts with each of us. We can do our parts by raising awareness around the myriad issues that fall within this space, as well as de-stigmatising and normalising conversations and discourse surrounding them.

So let us strive to:

– Be open to receiving feedback when someone voices concerns or flags issues; do not be quick to dismiss them or chastise them for speaking up. Create a safe space and environment.

– Put ourselves in their shoes and try to understand their perspectives; it might be an issue we don’t empathise with or relate to, which makes it even more important for us to pause and try to understand.

– Question our self-biases; do we consciously or subconsciously have preferences that cloud our professional judgement?

– Speak up when we witness discrimination; the person being discriminated against might not feel empowered to voice their discomfort.

– Challenge convention when necessary; sometimes what’s “not broken” does need to be fixed.

The DEI Committee is working towards creating safe avenues for industry professionals to voice their concerns. The Committee also aims to develop a charter that lays the foundations for bigger, more decisive actions. Our hope is to light the fire and pave the path for real change in the industry.

Walk the talk

Beyond these, it’s important for talent development / human resources and management teams to work together. While the management team can come up with and set the right direction, it’s crucial for that stance to be translated into actionable policies that drive actual change and set clear expectations within an organisation, which falls under the purview of the HR team.

It’s a top-down approach and the buy-in and backing of senior people is very important for junior staff to truly believe in these efforts beyond just paying lip service, and to feel comfortable in speaking up.

We truly believe in this approach at Redhill and it’s an ongoing area of focus for us — always striving to improve our people-first initiatives. This starts from the ground up at the hiring stage.

As of 2021, Redhill no longer asks candidates for their last drawn salary during the interview. We don’t believe in tying them to a prior remuneration that might now be outdated (due to a career break) or straight up unfair (due to discrimination and the like). Instead, we choose to compensate them based on their value to us and what they can bring to the table now.

Furthermore, I’ve noticed that as an industry, we complain often about the current talent crunch. Yet we’re quick to discriminate against new joiners who may not have the industry background but who genuinely want to learn and grow. Where is the sense in that?

Redhill is a big believer in nurturing potential. We’ve launched a Junior Account Executive programme that offers candidates with no relevant experience an opportunity to explore a new industry with full support in training and upskilling. It’s been very successful so far and I look forward to seeing it grow.

Embracing true equality

George Orwell famously wrote:

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”

in his book Animal Farm to explain the disparities that exist in society. However, does your race, religion, sexual orientation, age, degree, school or name really matter when it comes to doing a good job?

Yes, we work in high pressure environments but that is no excuse for unhealthy workplaces and complacency in leading by example. It’s really time to walk the talk.

At the end of the day, we are only as good as the opportunities afforded to us, the effort we put in and the support of people who guide us when we need it. I’m happy to share that we hired the candidate in this story, and she’s now thriving at Redhill.

I love the communications industry and I wish it would be more welcoming to all. A diverse, inclusive, and equal team only makes us stronger and better, both as humans and as communications consultants.

However, just wishing won’t get us anywhere. It’s up to us to make that change happen. Together, we can make sure that the candidate’s story and her experiences will someday be the exception, rather than the rule.

The post Discrimination starts and stops with us appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

One of the most interesting phenomena that emerged during 2021 was the Great Resignation. In April, an unprecedented four million people in the US quit their jobs. Many thought it might be a one-off, but then seven straight months of record high quitting followed. In total, around 38 million Americans have left their jobs, putting that theory to rest.

It’s not just the US, either.

In mid-2021, a record one million job vacancies were reported in the UK following a sudden spike in the unemployment rate. Over a third of companies in Germany struggled with a skill shortage. Closer to home, 69 percent of companies in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand reported a turnover increase in the first half of 2021.

Why is this happening?

Fears over COVID-19 and the newly-discovered flexibility of working from home have made people reassess their priorities and rethink what they want from their careers and workplaces.

As the pandemic stretches on, people are realising that they want more than simple job security. If their jobs can’t give them what they need, they’re willing to walk away — even before securing another position.

As a result, some argue, the Great Resignation shouldn’t be called that: alternatives include the Great Reprioritisation, the Great Realisation, and even the Great Awakening (no relation to the 18th century religious revival in America).

Why do people leave?

There’s a wealth of resources dedicated to discussing this subject, but I don’t think that it’s as complicated as people think.

We’ve all been employees at some point. By and large, our desires are fairly similar: we want to earn more money, feel fulfilled in our roles, grow in our career paths and — increasingly — be able to maintain a good work-life balance.

The complicated part comes when companies ignore these needs for the sake of a healthier bottom line, or try to implement a one-size-fits-all policy that leaves a lot of people out in the cold. Then you have unhealthy work cultures such as unnecessarily long working hours (according to some sources, Asian companies are one of the biggest culprits) and “technostress” from bad habits like after-hours work messaging.

All that, and we haven’t even started talking about other latent issues such as discrimination (gender, race, age, you name it), inequality and more.

Ultimately, the answer to this question is simple: people leave jobs when their needs aren’t being met.

Why should companies care?

Ask any startup and they’ll tell you: the team is most important. Companies are built around people, not the other way around. Keeping your staff happy just makes good business sense.

For one, Gallup estimates that it can (conservatively) cost around half to twice an employee’s annual salary to replace them due to the training required and productivity loss. That’s before taking into account the loss of experience and innovation, as well as a natural drop in team morale.

The benefits of a happy team also go beyond the monetary. Positive, purpose-driven teams are more productive, more effective, and more willing to go the extra mile. They also become a company’s strongest advocates and build a strong foundation for the company to grow.

Every company in the world will tell you that they value their employees. But now it’s time for them to really walk the talk. Show, not tell, as they say!

Positive, purpose-driven teams are more productive, more effective, and more willing to go the extra mile. They also become a company’s strongest advocates and build a strong foundation for the company to grow.

What can companies do?

The first thing that companies and management teams need to do is to see people as people, instead of using reductive terms like ‘headcount’ to think about employees. Every person is different. They all have lives, hopes, dreams and preferences.

While a company won’t realistically be able to cater to every individual, remembering that people are individuals goes a long way to developing people-first policies and culture.

As companies, we need to consider: how can we give our teams purpose? How can we help them grow? How can we support them to deliver their best work?

I’ve thought a lot about these questions, and here are my top three suggestions.

1. Foster good work relationships

Don’t knock teambuilding activities — they work. Especially when you’re a geographically diverse company with teammates all around the world, most of whom have never met each other.

In 2020, I noticed that the pandemic was taking a mental toll on my team and they weren’t able to put out their best work as a result. So I had them set aside an hour every week on Fridays for sessions where we’d do activities as a team to have fun, build camaraderie and hone our skills.

For instance, one of our activities saw us splitting into teams and trying to make a case for a popular conspiracy theory, such as birds actually being government-issued drones. Not only did this develop our abilities of persuasion (very useful for pitches), but it was also just a lot of pure fun.

Not everyone was the greatest fan of this idea at first, but as they began attending more of these ‘Samurai Soirees’ and building camaraderie, they felt more comfortable with each other and started enjoying themselves more. Everyone also got the chance to host at least one session, which encouraged them to think more creatively and made them more invested.

I’m proud to see how close the team is now, and I think we’re all more productive for it.

2. Be vocal with appreciation and discreet with criticism

A Channel News Asia report recently said that Singaporean employees are among the most disengaged employees in the world, and that they “can’t wait to quit”. While this is a little hyperbolic, what it underscores is the importance of engaging employees to improve retention and prevent brain drain.

More than anything, people want to feel valued at the workplace. They want to know that what they’re doing matters and that they’re making a difference. That can mean the difference between an engaged employee and one that’s just going through the motions.

I make it a point to call out any good work that the team has done in our team meetings and company-wide scrums. Everyone works very hard and when their efforts bear fruit, then they deserve the credit. It also motivates others because they know that their work will be similarly recognised.

However, I do the opposite for criticism. I don’t believe in public shaming and humiliation — we’re all adults and should be able to handle things professionally. If someone makes a mistake, I’ll talk to them privately about it instead of hanging them out to dry. I’ll also turn it into a valuable learning opportunity for the team, but I’ll never make it personal.

Companies and management teams need to see people as people, instead of using reductive terms like ‘headcount’ to think about employees. Every person is different. They all have lives, hopes, dreams and preferences.

3. Respect and enforce work boundaries

It has to be said — the PR industry is one of the worst for work-life balance. Niharica, our own HR head at Redhill, said it best:

“In any client servicing and consulting role, time is dictated by the clients. We are here to service our clients and ensure their success, and in doing that, their work ends up taking priority.”

It’s a problem that we all recognise as endemic within the industry, and the COVID-19 pandemic really brought that to the fore. I’ve heard of so many industry colleagues burning themselves out or having breakdowns after 12, 14-hour days of emails and pitches. That kind of working life isn’t sustainable long-term by any means.

I want people to know that there’s a life outside this office. People think that we need to be like sharks when it comes to work — bite into our work and never let go — but I think we need to be like whales. We need to be strong, steady and resilient on our course, and the sea of business will respect you.

As leaders, we need to create a transparent environment where team members are comfortable enough to tell us when things get too much or if they want to try something new. We can then assign them to work that they’re interested in or help them manage their workload, which will lead to less burnout and happier employees overall.

Making the right investment — in people

I’m well aware that it’s not a simple task for companies to cater for people in a way that everyone feels fulfilled. Sometimes, an employee is just not suitable for a company, and vice versa. It happens, and it shouldn’t be taken as a failure by either — simply a mismatch.

Ultimately, the underlying concept is simple: treat people as you would want to be treated. Employees appreciate visible and sincere efforts from a company and management to improve their wellbeing.

As long as companies can establish open dialogues with their employees and listen to what they need, then they’re on the right path to building happier, more productive and more resilient teams for the long term.

The post Countering the Great Resignation by putting people first appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.