As with pretty much every other organization, we’ve spent the past year carefully maneuvering through a unique situation. Thankfully, with the guidance of a few core principles, we’ve been able to stay unified, connected and supported. We’ve learned a few lessons along the way about what we want to take with us into the post-pandemic world of work, and how we’ve supported each other through the last year. These are the guiding principles that have helped us through and will guide us to the other side:
- We communicate with each other.
Leaving no Immerser behind! We want to help every person in the company feel included in their teams, their leadership, their resources and everything in between!
This year has taught us to communicate and support each other in ways we’ve never had to before. We’ve learned how to collaborate and form connections with people on the other side of the planet on a scale that’s allowed us to double the size of our team. From ensuring we’re all making time to talk and touch base – which is much harder when you can’t pop out for a coffee together – to providing safe spaces and collaboration channels, we’ve opened up various methods of communication so every person in every team feels connected and supported.
- We prioritize the physical and mental wellness of our team.
A healthy team is a happy team, and we encourage open and honest conversations around mental and physical health. We’re here to support you.
Throughout the pandemic, we’ve placed a much stronger focus on mental and physical health and wellbeing:
- We established talking groups and safe spaces to discuss the challenges we’re all facing one year into the pandemic, highlight mental health and encourage people to utilize the variety of benefits available to them.
- We created a Slack channel based around our fitness goals. It’s a great place to share new and inventive ways to get active when we’re all become so used to sitting – and not doing much else!
- Talking of Slack channels, our #safespace channel has become a haven for those who just need to be heard. It’s a place to share how you’re feeling, to be supported, and to get a virtual hug when you need it most.
- We’ve also hosted monthly virtual classes focused on our wellbeing, from yoga to meditation and nutrition, and found ways to address Zoom fatigue and overloaded schedules.
- We’ve created a culture where our people are all mindful of each other and our individual needs. Whether you need regular breaks away from your screens throughout the day or a chance to mentally reset, we’re here to help you prioritize your health and wellbeing.
- We collaborate on what the future looks like.
Everyone’s needs have changed over the last year, and in many different ways. We involve everyone in conversations around what our post-pandemic way of working will look like.
With restrictions being eased bit by bit around the world, we’re all starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. As such, the question on many of our minds is, “what does a post-pandemic world look like?”
In everything we do at Immersive Labs, our people come first, so that’s exactly where we started. We sent out a global survey to understand how our people felt about returning to the office. Does the idea of that make them anxious or make them jump for joy because they can’t wait to see people again? What will help them feel safe and secure when back in the office? As we discuss what reopening our offices could look like, the wellbeing and safety of our team is our number one priority. Their feedback is vital in allowing for us to plan and accommodate everyone’s varying levels of comfort.
With 5 days a week in the office looking like a thing of the past, we have also started to consider how that may change how we use our offices. We realize that the pre-pandemic layout of our offices no longer fit the post-pandemic world of work, so we’re going to redesign them. We have asked our people how they would want to use that space when/if they did come in, and we’ve even launched a design contest, so all of our employees can take a stab at redesigning our offices.
Regardless of the outcome, we want to ensure that as we slowly emerge from various lockdowns and potentially reopen our offices, we can cater to every person’s needs and comfort levels.
- We share our knowledge.
We keep the team informed of any new regulations, bills or resources available to them throughout the pandemic and beyond.
Along with all of this, our team has stayed on top of safety regulations to ensure that when we do get to see each other in person again, we can do so safely. We continue to provide our team with the information and resources regarding updates on new policies and regulations within their states and countries, as well as key information around the company’s benefits.
