As we move to what hopefully is a cessation of the worst of the pandemic and reopen our workplaces, the toll on the people has been hard. Finance officers are used to high levels of productivity and the need for employee engagement has never been higher. How best to engage the team as they come back to work, in what sort of hybrid model, how to restart the old routines are all questions that will take time to resolve.
The old school lessons of lead by example and being "present" are possibly more important now than ever before. Putting people first is more than an email of encouragement to the workforce. It's time for management by walking around...holding skip-level meetings...driving engagement through empathy. The change agenda in finance will be rich and furious this coming year...it starts with people first.
