Flustered folks who sometimes just can’t get things done lament, “I didn’t have time”. Which seems a tinge ironic, because the only thing we really do have- is time. When we officially run out of time, well, the ballgame’s over. How we choose to allocate our time- aaah, there’s the rub.
COVID-19 has changed a lot of things, including how we think about allocating our precious time, our irretrievable time. Spending time with family/friends, staying engaged as our kids grow up, just taking time to breathe fully. Some people thought they’d go stir crazy but found out that being in some control with idle time (forced by issues beyond their control) led to self-reflection, recalibration, and a realignment of personal priorities.
Monster.com tells us that of 650 people recently surveyed, 95% said they were considering a job change. OK, but that’s info coming from a job platform site. Microsoft Work Trend says that 40% of people want to change jobs. If everyone simply opts for some other job, one that someone else abandoned, won’t people end up unhappy again later? If a chunk of workers are disenchanted, will the grass really be greener on the other side, where others appear equally disenfranchised?? Many appear ready to find out.
Four million Americans quit their jobs in April, the highest monthly total in 20-years. Accommodation and food sector workers paved the way, but many industries have suffered. Post-coronavirus, some have decided that for health, drudgery, and/or sanity reasons, they simply don’t want to go back where they were. And for those who rationalize that government-offered, $300 per week checks are luring droves of people away from the workplace, have you thought about surviving locally on $15,600 annually? Not a well-advised retirement path.
Thoughts now focus on quality of life (rather than just quantity of life), making one’s time count, making a difference, being a part of whatever it is that enlightens you or gives more meaning to your existence. The working world is morphing big time. Two years ago we talked about possibly driving hybrids, and now we’re returning to workplaces that are hybrid (without needing to drive to work in a hybrid). Akamai bosses and companies here and elsewhere must adapt and become more empathetic, realistic, encouraging, strategic, and engaged with employees than ever before. Maybe that’s actually a good thing to come out of this pitiful pandemic.
Think about it…