Peter Drucker is credited with saying, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” If colleges and universities are to pursue new strategies for success in the future, culture had better be a major priority. However, as the foundations of nearly every industry are undergoing fundamental change, the dynamics of the modern workplace are growing increasingly complex and make tending to culture and the variables that shape it more difficult than ever.
I recently saw a presentation by Future of Work Strategist Heather McGowan, who pointed out that society may be changing even faster than technology. Consider modern-day politics and media outlets that are increasingly filled with subtle (and not so subtle) messages and issues of race and “otherness” related to the impending minority majority — where whites will no longer comprise more than 50 percent of the United States. It’s also no longer about male/female: gay/lesbian, as now gay marriage, transgendered, and gender fluidity are more common in society. A record number of women and racial minorities were elected to Congress last fall, signaling a major change in political leadership and representation. The legalization of marijuana in several states is just one more example of societal changes that few would have predicted 10 years ago. And finally, the daily energy required for the critical thought to parse through what is real and what is “fake news” within the negative rhetoric too easily found in the media only increases the likelihood of negative cycles associated with getting through a typical day.
For those working in public community colleges across the country, we have watched competition, shifting demographics, and changes in the economy lead to negative effects on enrollment in many regions. All of this at a time when public postsecondary education is increasingly moving from a public good to a private commodity for those who can afford it. As a result, many colleges are basically operating with the same amount of operating dollars (or less) than we had seven years ago, which has prompted difficult decisions and fewer people to do the important work of our colleges. Increasingly constrained resources combined with accelerating technology and significant changes in society naturally create a higher level of intensity in the modern workplace. This constant pressure annually compounds itself with no rest. The difficult changes keep multiplying, which can wear on even the strongest of souls.
The increasing intensity from societal change and the accelerated pace of work manifests itself in greater incidents of anxiety and exhaustion. All of it leaving individuals with little reserve to invest in relationships that are the core to our well-being as humans. It’s easier to just go home and plop in front of a screen rather than coordinate social calendars. Over time, we may lose sight of our own needs and the needs of those closest to us. For those with children, divorces, ailing or aging parents and family members, disabilities and other variables, the stresses can be even greater. The fraying of social relationships has helped foster what Dr. Vivek Murthy, former U.S. Surgeon General, calls an epidemic of loneliness. He talks about how people want to be seen and known authentically in ways that John Zogby predicted 10 years ago in his book, The Way We’ll Be.
These variables show up in every modern workplace on a daily basis in ways that quietly and often invisibly influence our interactions and decision-making. In addition to employees wrestling with the variables in the modern workplace, colleges and universities have an additional challenge as these forces are influencing changes in student populations. More students are coming to campus with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues that have changed the classroom dynamic and added to the stress associated with the work of faculty and staff who work with students.
These changes in the modern workplace and general human condition provide the context to changes that need to happen at our colleges. To keep pace with changes in technology, teaching and learning, and other areas, robust professional development and personnel enrichment programs are essential to create a continuous feed of new ideas into the institution and provide opportunities for employees to learn and grow. Recognition programs are also essential to shine a light on the outstanding work of our colleagues. This is more than “this new generation today grew up where everyone gets a trophy.” It’s more about people giving their best to their employer and being seen and celebrated for going above and beyond on behalf of students and colleagues — to recharge the batteries and inspire them to keep going. Colleges of all sizes and shapes need to intentionally design “creative collisions” that allow employees time and space to interact informally. This can take the form of brown-bag lunches, mid-semester “thank you bagel gatherings,” college-sponsored coffee breaks, coordinated happy hours, and other informal convenings. Finally, college-sponsored wellness councils are more important than ever to consider ways to coordinate and nurture these social gatherings; prompt physical wellness programs; support mental health offerings; and promote financial well-being in ways that help employees shape a better future for themselves.
Social events and other wellness programs intended to promote wellness of all kinds can be useful, but if people are outright exhausted, simply more support may only add to the stress. This is why it’s important to disconnect at times. Whether it be taking vacation, a staycation, a mental health day of rest, setting more realistic expectations (under-promise and over-deliver), or not being bound by your smartphone and 24/7 email, “slowing down to speed up” is critical. People talk about work/life balance as a holy grail of sorts, but it’s more realistic to consider the concept of work/life harmony — it’s not about balance, but about congruence in all you do that feeds personal positivity. Increasingly, the value of managing your energy, not your time is gaining attention as the most productive concept to help with this “easier said than done” concept.
As our mantra increasingly becomes “doing more AND BETTER with less,” the stress and pressures will only increase, making it harder to establish and nurture social connections and personal relationships, but making it even more important for us to see and support each other as colleagues and friends. As we spend so much of our days finding ways to love our students, we can’t forget to find ways and make a stronger effort to love each other and ourselves as well. Organizational cultures that make this a priority will go beyond surviving the uncertain future that is emerging across the higher education landscape — they will be the ones that thrive.
If you have any thoughts on this or ideas about what more can be done to foster connections and creative collisions with your colleagues here at MVCC, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at presblog@mvcc.edu.
