Page 62 - FDI Alliance International Magazine. Spring 2021 Digital Interactive Issue

A FUTURE OF WORK BASED ON TRUST

HOW CORE VALUES WILL SHAPE OUR WORKFORCE GOING FORWARD

Chris woke up as always on a work morning following a weekend off.
The usual morning routine started the day until she noticed her throat was SINCERE GRATITUDE
bothering her. It’s happened many times over her life. Growing up in the
Midwest winters in the United States, it is common. What isn’t common is Let me take a quick sidestep. It does need to be clearly stated that many
the circumstances surrounding it and how it relates to the issue of trust. workers in many fields and sectors deserve an incredible amount of thanks
and gratitude. During this pandemic, my mother had a bad fall as a senior
and ended up in the healthcare system for nearly four weeks, with no
FACING CHANGE AND UNCERTAINTY contact by family other than phone. I’ve never seen my father so sad without
his soulmate for the first time in his life, other than when he fought for our
The topic of the future of work has incredible depth to it. In some ways, it is country. I also lost a close college buddy to COVID. Those in healthcare
like solving world peace. With any topic of this magnitude, it is both unfair deserve our thanks, along with the safety community, manufacturing, and
and real that the landscape is ever-changing. The lessons are continual. so many others, for being there for our family and friends.
Change and uncertainty breeds weakened core values, like trust. How do
you make the shift?
NOW, LET’S TURN BACK TO CHRIS.
The importance is significant. The future of work, for example, impacts
everyone writing for and reading this publication. There is no region of Should Chris go to work? Will she be sent home if she goes to work? Will
the world that hasn’t been or won’t be affected by talent challenges in the her temperature be taken? If she calls in sick, will it be marked against her
workplace. Sometimes the change and uncertainty are deafening. It keeps Paid Time Off (PTO) or will it be a sick day or will it be a COVID day (if that
us up at night. It creates sufferable pain points in our work lives that bleeds is part of the policy)? If she calls in sick, will she have to take a COVID test
over into our personal lives. and “sit out” for the required minimum number of days? How might that
count against her? Her company may have a new policy with incentives to
get people back into the workplace. How will this illness be seen?
Chris has a lot of questions going through her mind. There are also a lot
of unanswered questions across the globe, particularly in businesses whose
workers have been working remotely at some point or another. There are And what about trust? Is Chris really "sick"?
more challenging questions ahead regarding getting those workers back
into the facility, or the cultural flow, if at all. Chris is concerned what her co-workers will say or do or feel. Her co-
workers may be wondering if Chris can be trusted. "Am I in danger if she

62. FDI ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL