By Denise Boudreau-Scott, President of Drive
I have been in so many conversations lately about changes people want to see ‘stick around’ after this pandemic ends. More family meals. Less demanding schedules. More walks in nature.
While our lives have changed drastically on the outside, people are changing on the inside, too. Shedding things that once served them and no longer do. Reprioritizing with a fresh outlook on life.
Someone called this the Great Reset and it certainly feels that way.
Normally, our personal values stay pretty consistent throughout our lives. But when an unimaginable crisis comes along and shakes you up and spits you out…well, your values shift. Oh, and your gray hairs show and your feet desperately need a pedicure, but that’s a whole other story.
Among all the pain, loss, and uncertainty it seems we win a new clarity on what really matters. Which is pretty priceless.
The same values shift is happening right now at an organizational level. This crisis has pushed companies, from all industries, including senior living, to focus more on people and less on results. This is culture change. It seems that whole shaking-you-up-and-spitting-you-out part makes culture change speed up. A lot. We’re talking weeks and months for changes that would typically take years.
The Barrett’s Value Centre that measures organizational culture, just released research confirming this reset. There’s just something about unifying against a common enemy. It makes organizations work better in so many ways. Their research showed that in organizations people are seeing:
Less bureaucracy. Less profit seeking. Less blame.
More caring. More appreciation. More teamwork.
People-focused care and people-focused employment.
This shift in organizational values and spontaneous culture change should be a real opportunity for the field of senior living. As people are more important now, residents’ needs will be even more emphasized and honored. Organizations will champion true person-centered care. They’ll take this opportunity to give the precise care each invaluable soul we care for deserves.
The field will improve how they do things, because of their new and priceless view of why they do what they do. They can pull this field out of the great rut it’s been in for years and this horrible crisis it finds itself in now, to a new and more bright future that is all about people. All the time.