A recent survey of 830 Kiwi workers by leading recruitment agency Frog Recruitment showed that the lessons from the first lockdown have been well learned, with more than 77 percent feeling better equipped to manage their own wellbeing at work should a second lockdown eventuate.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to grip the world and Melbourne now enforcing a second lockdown, Kiwi workers are optimistic about their readiness should the same happen in this country.

Survey respondents said: “We will be in a better state of mind as we have gone through a lockdown before”, and “Our business has learnt what it takes to be agile with our staff, but we’ve also adapted our offerings to be more competitive”, and “We felt our company did what they had to do for the business and for its employees, and they will do the same again”.

Since March 2020, Kiwis have dealt with significant upheaval as they rebalanced their work and personal lives while dealing with the uncertain, ever-changing external conditions of New Zealand’s four alert levels.

Frog Recruitment managing director Shannon Barlow said three customer surveys were conducted during lockdown and a common theme emerged: that Kiwis crave a stable environment.

“The latest survey shows that workers have developed an ‘adjustment gene’, able to be flexible in terms of location employees work from, restructuring the business and using new methods of communication. We will be well placed to meet the challenge of returning to a higher alert level,” says Ms Barlow.

The survey respondents also highlighted the importance of leadership during significant events such as a lockdown.

“Leadership was named as the most important factor in being able to navigate lockdown. Leaders who led by example, communicated frequently and who showed empathy and understanding of the pressure people were under are now front runners in the preparedness stakes should the unthinkable happen again,” adds Ms Barlow.

Barlow says that since March, hundreds of clients have told Frog about the lessons they learned during lockdown and shared the ways their companies moved and adapted to the ever-evolving situation.

By getting behind community initiatives many New Zealand employers pushed the boundaries of their own ‘job description’.

“While their businesses were often in flux, many were able to build one of the most valuable elements of all – trust and a shared sense of higher purpose. Many got involved in community initiatives, which provided a sense of meaning to employees. One great example is Fonterra helping to reduce the nation’s hand sanitiser shortage and keep people safe during COVID-19 by making more of their high-grade ethanol available to companies who use it in the production of sanitiser products.

“Many also showed they were not tone deaf when it came to their own people and there were some fantastic examples of businesses that set up teams to check in regularly with every one of their employees and clients. Others delivered care packages. The Skills Organisation’s CEO requested every employee to use one hour a day to learn something new work related or not. And after-work emails were banned.

“It’s actions like these that have resonated with employers and employees alike, and that will stand us in good stead should we ever have to return to lockdown.”

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