Dear Boss, You Need Help

The pandemic fundamentally changed the ways in which we work. It was a catalyst for all of us to reexamine not only how, when, and where we work, but why—resulting in deep, structural changes to employee expectations. But what drives engagement at work is the same factor now as it was pre-pandemic: an employee’s relationship with their manager. It’s widely known that leaders have always had outsized impact on their teams, but the role of the “boss” is effectively evolving. In fact, the recent shift to hybrid work models has been challenging for people managers; companies (and direct reports) are increasingly expecting them to promote wellbeing, improve team connection, and retain talent. Reliance on managers over peers has also soared substantially due to remote cultures. On top of that, the last three years have exacerbated an underlying issue, which is: most companies don’t provide the necessary tools to foster great (or even good) people leaders. This is even more common in the design industry, where execution often overshadows career development and burnout is common. This is why organizations need to embrace this new world, build more engaging employee experiences and, most importantly, invest in their people leaders—because in today’s tight labor market, the saying “people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses” holds true now more than ever. Whether you’re looking to make the leap into management or a struggling direct supervisor, you’ll walk away from this session with key insights and actionable steps you can start using now.