I attended a Geekwire Webinar: How To Build An Enduring Culture In The Era of COVID-19. There was a great panel of Technology Leaders – Zillow Group CEO Rich Barton, Icertis CEO Samir Bodas and Axiom CEO Elena Donio. I was encouraged to hear how each company is currently supporting employees, the steps they are taking to move forward, and what mistakes were made and how they will move forward to ensure productivity, safety and employee support.
This is a time of uncertainty and change. Some employees struggle with childcare, homeschool and a rigorous work schedule. Some employees miss the camaraderie, human interaction and are experiencing extreme loneliness. Some are challenged technically and have moved to paired programming. Benefits that attracted talent in the past, is likely not going to be useful moving forward and companies need to pivot to support the remote work environments socially and technically. In order to do this, companies need to gather input and communicate consistently with every employee to alter work styles. All in all, it is a time of change and we need to embrace flexibility and support the well-being of our employees and their families. Stay safe, stay well and stay positive!