The Evolving Relationship between Employers and Employees during COVID-19

Covid-19 is overwhelming and companies and employees are having to adapt and innovate. Today is so far from the realities of yesterday and employers and employees are trailblazing this crisis together with joint accountability. Covid-19 is fuelling workforce planning innovation that will be a game changer when we emerge out the other side. Reinventing the employer employee relationship will be a key factor in this success.

In a perfect world employers and employees would have an equal commitment to each other’s success and well-being. We are not there yet, but thanks to the efforts of previous generations the pendulum was starting to swing from autocratic leadership to one based on mutual respect, inclusivity, flexibility and shared goals.

COVID-19 has pushed this pendulum farther and faster, changing the employer employee relationship literally overnight.

• Companies resistant to work from home policies have been pushed to allow employees to work remotely putting to rest doubts that productivity would crumble. A new level of trust has been introduced that didn’t exist before.
• Health and safety has been pushed ahead of revenue through federal and provincial policies. Company leaders have been forced to care about their employees well-being ahead of profits.
• Employees can express if they feel safe to come to work — employers cannot bully or threaten to terminate if they don’t.
• Employers have been legislated to respect family circumstances and accept that schedules need to be flexible. The typical 9 to 5 doesn’t exist right now. There is a new understanding of what humanity in the workplace looks like.

Employers are not the sole decision makers right now, it’s more balanced. Everyone is sharing accountability and stepping up as they navigate this new work environment.

Employees are becoming intrapreneurial and resourceful; they are finding solutions, making decisions, driving productivity and team connectivity. There is a commitment to transparency that drives feedback so leaders can be responsive and empathetic.

The hope is, that moving forward employers will recognize that this new relationship with employees will become their foundation for success. That being said, in order for that statement to have any teeth, we need to ensure we capitalize on this new reality. It’s one thing to acknowledge it, it’s another to sustain it. Time will tell if the ROI employers will see will make this the new normal going forward.

This is an opportunity to eliminate the misguided and unfounded employer / employee beliefs that linger from our past. Our trajectory of thought has been forcibly altered and although stressful; it’s been incredible to watch. When we let employees participate in innovation, accountability and decision making processes, companies win and employees feel valued. This is how we will be our best and that is what we will all need to pull ourselves and our economy back from the brink.