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Remote working and back again : how did you manage the shift ?
On 15 March 2020 , EAs and their executives were hit with the full impact of COVID-19 and in a matter of days , their whole world was turned upside down . In one of history ’ s biggest workplace shifts , employees were forced from the office and confined to working from home . After a monumental change , businesses had to adapt quickly and prepare for an uncertain future . Executive PA Media was intrigued to find out just how successfully EAs and their executives adapted to the sudden change .
Executive PA Media ran a survey in June over the course of three days , that gained 158 responses from executivelevel assistants , suppliers , and industry bodies . The survey was conducted to analyse the effect COVID-19 had on the workplace and to see how businesses had been coping with change .
Executive assistants were surveyed from all types of organisations and overall , the responses were similar . The findings suggested a resilient but battered workforce , who managed to successfully navigate remote working to keep their organisations operating . The process did not come without cost — EAs reported significant additional pressure placed on their executives , and many within the workforce had trouble emotionally coping with the change .
Common challenges for employees were feelings of loneliness , isolation & guilt , overwork , together with the additional pressure of home-schooling children . Executives recognised that morale and wellbeing programs needed to be put in place once people returned to work . Sadly , four out of ten organisations expected to have fewer employees post-COVID . Most significantly , the findings identified the need for face-to-face interaction with colleagues and stakeholders .
How has working from home affected your working relationship with your executive ?
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Negative impact
No real impact
Positive impact
During lockdown summary
w 46 % of EAs were responsible for setting up remote working .
w Nearly two-thirds said that WFH did not have any impact on their relationship with their executive , which indicates a high level of trust .
Most EAs said the logistical aspect of the transition to WFH went well , with the hardest part making sure all staff had the appropriate equipment at home . “ Providing equipment to those that had nothing at home was a challenge , so was ensuring the VPN didn ’ t overload with 1,000 plus employees all using it at the same time ,” one answer said .
The most notable challenges to remote working for the executive assistants were lack of work-life balance & overwork , juggling home-schooling of children , missed interaction with colleagues , and isolation . 55 % of EAs said their bosses believed there would be a need to rebuild morale once they returned to the office .
As a result of Covid-19 , do you expect staffing changes in your organisation ?
Fewer staff No change More staff
Back to work summary
w 46 % of businesses had already begun returning people back to the workplace and 52 % had a timetable in place to achieve this .
Eight out of ten organisations had prepared new office safety guidelines , which included daily temperature tests , mandatory face masks , social distancing rules and maximum workplace occupancy rates of 50 %.
“ We are a very close-knit team and ensured we stayed connected during lockdown by meeting virtually for 10 minutes at the beginning of each day to discuss the day ahead , what assistance we needed and general welfare checks . We also coordinated the broader team & morning tea quiz , which is an institution for our group .”
12 Chief of Staff | Issue 2 2020