By Jacqui Regenbogen, DEI Consultant
At first, the concepts of inclusion and social distancing seem
contradictory. Despite today’s very real health need for us to keep
physical distance from one another, psychologically – we need to be and
feel connected more than ever to continue carrying out our philosophy of
“people helping people.”
Here are some ways we can carry our inclusive commitment
forward with our teams and colleagues during this time.
Start Meetings with Social Interaction
Research shows
that people can feel isolated in virtual meetings that place greater
importance to following a strict agenda than social interaction. When
facilitating a virtual meeting, invite everyone to share how they’re doing
before diving into business.
Starting from a place of connection can lead to greater
engagement, more successful meeting outcomes and possibly even fun. Here
are some ideas to get you
started.
Appreciate Each Other
We’ve seen the genuine appreciation various leaders have
expressed over the last few weeks for our continued efforts to push
through. It feels good to be appreciated by them as we work through
unprecedented times.
That said, are we practicing this with each other? Some of us
are having to deal with a greater volume of work, while others are being
redeployed to focus on other priorities. A sincere “Thank you” to a
colleague can go a long way in showing you appreciate and support them
during this time of rapid and frequent change.
Remember that Each of Us is Unique and Accept the Diversity
in Our Reactions
Each and every one of us are adapting to a new normal in our
own ways. And, how you respond to your new reality may differ from how
someone else responds. Do your best to meet people where they are each day.
Acknowledgement of our shared humanity in our adjustment
period is a gift you can give to each person you interact with right now.
Remember to give your colleagues, and yourself, “grace space” and know that
we are all doing the best we can to manage our work, family life, health,
safety and finances during a global pandemic.
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