The most significant global event of our lives, the Covid Pandemic, delivered one thing to every human being on planet Earth in one swift blow: change.

The irony is that fear of change is one of the most common fears people face – so it’s obvious that the impact on the general population has been huge. Whilst the risk-takers, game-changers, and rule-breakers among us thrived, the rest of us struggled in one way or another. The way we have so quickly adapted to our ‘new normal’ must be commended… but what now?

In the world of work, employers have adopted remote and ‘hybrid’ work models, the home office is the status quo, we’ve learned new ways to communicate and collaborate – and we’ve even dropped business attire for good – all great things!

The challenges however are more complex than ever before and require a deliberate mindset shift about the vital role People and Culture (aka HR for those desperately clinging to the past) plays in the business at an executive level.

Strategic planning and prioritising across all pillars of a business clearly benefit from a healthy balance of operational and ‘people’ focused decision making and a direct correlation between high employee engagement and business performance has long been documented. But what ultimately influences engagement?

Employee experience.

There’s no simple recipe for creating a consistently positive experience and I could write a book on what it takes to truly achieve great results. Right now though, in our new normal there’s a supplementary layer to our people experience that we can’t ignore – work and life have become inextricably entwined with flexibility at the core of how we now work. The role of outcomes-oriented, emotionally intelligent, and authentic leadership has become an essential ingredient. Yes, it all starts at the top, with well-supported and aligned leadership teams who care about their people and can lead with influence to nurture performance.

So put simply; in a changed world, a worklife experience that cultivates engaged employees is ultimately the key to business performance. (It’s complicated, it takes hard work and commitment but it’s possible.)

We’re never going ‘back’… how are you mapping the future of work in your business to ensure your people have the best opportunity to thrive?