The pandemic has brought about many positive changes in the workplace, but it has also caused many employees to lose a sense of routine and structure. Ed Johnson examines how HR can assist teams in re-establishing this foundation.
Over the last few years, as a tech-startup entrepreneur and business leader who has built a company focused on mentoring, I have had countless conversations, with HR directors, managers, learning specialists and business leaders.
A common topic is the struggle for structure and routine to return after the pandemic. While remote and hybrid working may be the “new norm”, many people still haven’t rebuilt their routines, which once drove productivity.
Through mentoring, we saw that the demand for help with “time management” topics had skyrocketed. Time management was important before the pandemic but not a crisis.
It’s one of my most frequently heard concerns from professionals in every industry. Many people struggle to balance their priorities, manage their schedules and maintain productivity in a world with less built-in structure.
When the pandemic struck, I think we all lost something important – routine.
As painful as it may have seemed, the routine we followed – be it the daily commute, the regular office hours or the scheduled lunch breaks – gave us something we now realize was very valuable.
Many people are still struggling to rebuild their structured working style. What is the result? The result? A general decline in productivity, focus and efficiency.
What is the cost to us?
This lack of structure has a more severe impact than most people realize. Distractions increase, motivation drops, and inefficiencies creep into the workplace without clear routines.
Employees often feel under-supported and overwhelmed, struggling to manage their workloads in the absence of clear guidance. This is not just a personal problem, but an organisational issue.
Asana’s report from 2024 shows that over half of UK employee time is spent doing “work about work”, which includes low-value activities like emails and meetings, but does little to advance real progress.
The average employee spends four hours a week in meetings which are not necessary. This is twice as much as in 2019.
What’s worse, 68% of workers felt that their managers did not have a good understanding of their workloads. This led to inefficiency and burnout.
These numbers paint a grim picture. It’s not surprising that productivity is low in many companies if employees spend half their time doing non-essential tasks and managers aren’t aware of what their teams are up to.
What’s the cause? Lack of structure and routine has resulted in a fragmented focus and poor prioritisation.
Social Responsibility
What’s the answer? My solution is to reintroduce routine, but not the way we thought about it before. In a world that values flexibility more than ever, the old model of rigid 9-to-5 schedules may not work. We need to combine structure and autonomy in a new way. Social accountability is the key.
The social accountability that was created by office work is one of the greatest benefits. It’s easier to be productive when you are surrounded by co-workers who are focused on their work.
“Many employees feel under-supported and overwhelmed, unable to manage their workloads with clear guidance.”
As an entrepreneur who must have the discipline to buckle up, sit down and get to work I know that a coworking environment is more effective than a home office.
It’s expected that you will be responsive, engaged and contribute. It’s easier to procrastinate, distract or be inefficient without that environment.
My new platform uRoutine is designed to help teams and individuals rebuild structure, establish clear goals and remain accountable to one another. I hope this community-driven incentive will encourage consistency in working habits.
Give people the tools they need to develop and maintain a routine rather than micromanaging. This can lead to meaningful results.
Priorities for Productivity
In the last few months I have heard countless conversations about the two main productivity priorities that organizations have today:
Increased output (productivity) – Organisations must encourage their employees to use their time more efficiently, eliminate wasteful efforts and focus on high-impact tasks.
Scaling capacity (doing even more with the existing resources) – Businesses look to optimise their processes in order to handle an increased workload without adding additional staff.
Both of these priorities will be impacted by the use of routine-tracking software and HR strategies that engage employees.
HR and people specialists who can help their employees stay on track, build repeatable habits and manage their time more effectively should see an immediate improvement in performance.
It is not necessary to have a rigid routine. A routine can be flexible, but it must be designed with the person in mind.
Future of Work
While the pandemic and global government response to it brought many benefits, they also revealed the dangers of losing structure.
Most of us were raised with a structure and routine – set bedtimes, meals and school schedules – to maximize our time.
As we move forward, it is important to rebuild what has been lost, but in a manner that suits the modern workplace.
There have been many discussions from both employers and government departments about increasing productivity. Productivity is not about working longer hours, but about working smarter. This requires structure, accountability, and routines.
It’s not about whether routine is important – but whether we’re willing to rebuild it so that it supports productivity and well-being.
Organisations that help their employees rebuild these foundations are likely to thrive in the future.
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