You’re not alone if you’re facing anxiety, concerns, and difficult situations in your workplace 18 months into the pandemic—it’s a pattern across the globe.

A lot of people thought (hoped) we’d be back to normal by this point, or at least adjusting really well to our “new” normal. But it turns out there are just a lot of new problems and questions, fears and insecurities.

In today’s episode, co-hosts Jeff Mask and Richard Lindner want you to know you’re not alone. It’s not just a hot topic; it’s the anxiety everyone is feeling, whether or not they realize it. They want to help you understand what’s going on and give you actionable steps to make things better, to give more clarity, to help you realign and reunite your company. 

This is how the episode will go:

1. Validate what you’re feeling.
2. Live in that feeling a little bit.
3. Go through some of the causes/effects.
4. Give some hope.

Your Experience/Feelings Are Valid

We’ve all been through a lot in the past 18 months, and then we saw some signs that things were getting a little better. Then other things started to creep in. Things like:

• Tension being a little bit higher 
• Friction being deeper and hotter
• Pockets in the business that don’t feel as engaged/dialed in
• Resentment
• Entitlement
• Inconsistent sales
• Overall dysfunction within leadership teams
• More easily frustrated with people

Richard shares their company’s story. On Friday, April 13th, 2020, they sent everybody home from their headquarters for a couple weeks, which turned into a month, then a quarter. Then they made the decision to be a virtual first company. They knew they couldn’t go back. They still don’t know if today is a new normal or a temporary normal. They’re in limbo.

A couple weeks ago, things seemed to start getting better-ish, but people started leaving. Everyone wanted to know, what are we doing now? People seemed way more disconnected, out of touch, accusatory in tone. It was harder to get people on the same page. Everything seemed forced. They’re not in a rhythm, not in alignment.

 

Then people start leaving. 

 

Why Are People Leaving Your Company?

Richard can’t help but think, “Uh oh. Did we make it this far, then we’re going to fall apart? The world is going to get better, and we’re going to crumble? That’s what it felt like.” 

“Our thoughts go to dark places,” Jeff says. “Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m a horrible leader. Maybe the company isn’t as good as I thought it was. Now that things are more stable, people are going where they want to go. Before, they felt imprisoned in this company, but at least it was a place of security. And your ego goes all over the place.”

Richard says yes to the ego. They stepped up and supported their people during the bulk of the last year. They cut other things before people. When the first few people put in their resignation, he had to fight his ego. “How dare you leave us when we didn’t leave you? Do you know how easy it would have been to just cut this, but we didn’t, but now you are? That’s my own brokenness and humanity popping up, but I felt it.”

Why are people leaving now? For a lot of reasons. First of all, it felt like a lot, because no one left for 18 months. People were exploring new...