I recently had the opportunity to exclusively interview Lynne Oldham to learn five random facts about herself, and what her predictions are for remote work. Check out my interview with Lynne below:
Loryn: What predictions do you have for the future about remote work?
Lynne: Flexibility will be the future. When it is finally safe to return to the office (PPE free) we will have been doing this for 18+ months, all the while growing new muscles on how to integrate work and life. Employees are expressing in many polls and surveys that they don't want to return to the way it was. They want flexibility to live life around work and not commute to an office to sit there from 9 to 5. Companies will retain their talent if they put their employees first in their decision-making about post-pandemic.
Loryn: What have you've learned about yourself during this pandemic?
Lynne: As the People leader, I was worried about losing connectivity to our employees. I realized that the chance encounters and discussions in the office were a very vital part of the job and I learned how to replicate them virtually so that I continued to have a finger on the pulse of the organization.
Loryn: What advice do you have for people to "turn off" work mode?
Lynne: Turn off does have to be for hours or days to recharge. I have learned that even by building in a 15 minute walk or a few minutes of breathing or stretching, I can unplug. I also incorporate check in meetings interspersed with my work meetings to ground with my team members. It's not about work, it's about how they are doing.
Loryn: What advice do you have for employees who have remote team members?
Lynne: Check in on your fellow teammates. Include them in your projects. We all now know from our pandemic experience that remote work is no picnic. We know they have FOMO, there is no real beginning or end to their day and they want to contribute and feel part of the culture. Out-of-sight should not be out-of-mind.
Loryn: What is something you would people surprised to learn about you?
Lynne: People might be surprised to learn that I consider myself a serial tryer. In the spirit of continuous learning, I am open to trying a lot of new things to find new hobbies, friends, etc. For example, when I was living and working in NYC, I took skating lessons in Rockefeller Center. I also took tap dance and kayak lessons. Now I live in California and I watch the hang gliders float down from the mountains to the beach -- may be my next "try."
Be sure to stay updated with Lynne Oldham by checking out her website: https://www.lynneoldham.com/ .
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