The pandemic created new workplace tribes: here’s how to unite them

According to the latest stats, more than nine million workers who were unable to do their job because of the COVID-19 pandemic had their wages paid by the government under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

The scheme, which was designed to prevent mass redundancies, saw a number of workers put on furlough, whilst their co-workers were asked to carry on working.

As the UK gradually comes out of lockdown and millions of furloughed employees re-join their teams, we’re seeing the creation of new workplace tribes.  Those who carried on working throughout lockdown, and those who were on furlough.

Maire Kerrin, director of the Work Psychology Group, got the chance to share her thoughts with Bloomberg about how employers can combat this divide.

She said: “Dealing with those concerns will require clear messaging about how things changed while these people were away, as well as what’s expected of them upon their return.”

“In organizations where that communication hasn’t happened, people who’ve been on furlough will come back in and they’ll get an awful shock.”

To find out more, read the full article on Bloomberg here.