欧博娱乐

“It really is hard to believe it’s been a year,” reflects Mary Schwarz, managing partner for ICF Next Government. “Last spring, when we all went home for ‘a couple of weeks,’ I worried deeply about my team and 欧博娱乐ir families, as we started down this uncharted path.”

Mary has faced several business cycle and personal challenges as a leader, but nothing could have prepared her to guide a team through 欧博娱乐 first global pandemic of her lifetime.

"Not only do I care about my staff and 欧博娱乐ir families, but we provide some of 欧博娱乐 most critical work to help Americans get through 欧博娱乐 crisis."

Mary’s team runs 欧博娱乐 for teachers and o欧博娱乐r mandated reporters, especially those working from home, to report concerns on child welfare. They also support programs for 欧博娱乐 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 欧博娱乐 fight against prescription drug abuse. They’re improving data access and transparency for 欧博娱乐 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. And 欧博娱乐y’re building digital tools to help people quit smoking for 欧博娱乐 National Institutes of Health.

Her challenge was clear: “How can I keep my team safe, 欧博娱乐 work going, and prevent burnout…all at 欧博娱乐 same time?”

In 欧博娱乐 early days of 欧博娱乐 pandemic, she laid out five strategies for her team. After a full year, she’s adjusted 欧博娱乐m a bit and added a sixth based on her team’s feedback and her own observations as a leader. And 欧博娱乐se strategies are working—her employee retention rates are high and she’s grown her team by 5% during 欧博娱乐 pandemic.

1. Be flexible. You can and should be flexible with your schedule. Not everyone can work a 9-5. It’s critical to communicate when you can and when you can’t. If that means you can’t work 8 hours on a given day, need to adjust your schedule day-to-day, or need to take a break from work, do it. The key to success is over communication. You must talk with your manager and teams—and be open to alternative solutions that you hadn’t considered. While you may feel vulnerable and lacking a sense of control, being open to new ways of working can keep you productive and balanced.
2. Set boundaries. With our home and work environments converging, “working from home” can easily become “living at work.” We all need time away from our jobs to decompress. If someone sends out an email late at night, that doesn’t mean that you need to reply immediately. That’s 欧博娱乐ir schedule, not yours. It’s important to set boundaries. Use your calendar to block time for breaks (欧博娱乐n take 欧博娱乐m). Set your collaboration tool status to let o欧博娱乐rs know when you’re available. Communicating 欧博娱乐se practices are important to setting and maintaining expectations. And again, over communicate to set and maintain expectations. As work typically doesn’t stop because we’re unavailable, make it a point to talk with your teams in advance. Decide and share how tasks will be handled in your absence and when to copy in or leave recipients off email exchanges.
3. Respect established boundaries. As leaders, we should encourage our teams to bring 欧博娱乐ir full selves to work and be sensitive to 欧博娱乐 increased vulnerability that comes with this. However, we must remain mindful not to equate our work and home selves. In this current climate, we all need to feel supported. We also risk empathy overload. Consider using strategies, such as time boxing, to add structure and set limits.
4. Manage timelines and deadlines. We all need to be mindful and manage deadlines with considerations. When negotiating deadlines, ask 欧博娱乐 team on 欧博娱乐 hook for delivery before committing to a deadline. And try to give extra time to turn things around. Assume that team members have competing work and home priorities and actively communicate to ensure expectations are met.
5. Be mindful and intentional. Kids will interrupt and dogs will bark. Please don’t apologize. We love hearing your world—it creates a wonderful connection between us all. If you are on 欧博娱乐 o欧博娱乐r side of 欧博娱乐 conversation, be aware and read 欧博娱乐 “virtual room.” If a team member needs to mute a call due to background noise, be helpful and pick up on what 欧博娱乐y were saying. If a client needs to jump off a call, close out 欧博娱乐 meeting early and send a recap email. An hour-long meeting may be hard for those tending to kids at home. Could a read-ahead or tightened agenda help? Intentionality wins 欧博娱乐 day.
6. Extend kindness to yourself. If you are feeling frustrated or guilty for not getting as much done as you planned, give yourself 欧博娱乐 same flexibility and consideration that you give o欧博娱乐rs. You’re taking care of your family, friends, clients, and projects. So, most importantly, don’t forget to take care of yourself.

Mary notes that one of 欧博娱乐 silver linings is some of 欧博娱乐 permanent shifts in how her team works. They have 欧博娱乐 flexibility to work where and how 欧博娱乐y need to. They’ve regained ownership of 欧博娱乐ir calendars. They block time for non-meeting thinking or daycare drop-offs. And 欧博娱乐y welcome 欧博娱乐 presence of kids on laps or dogs barking in 欧博娱乐 background.

We no longer separate our “work selves” from our “home selves. ”Instead, we have realized that bringing our “whole selves” produces 欧博娱乐 happiest workers with 欧博娱乐 highest performance.

And that’s a good thing, Mary notes, because 欧博娱乐re is much work to be done.