Finding Human Connection in Unfamiliar Circumstances

We wanted to start off this post by taking a minute to check in with you. How are things going? Are you feeling tired? Experiencing a lot of stress, or even burnout? If not, we’re happy to hear it. But if so, please know that a) it’s okay to not be okay, and b) you are not alone. In fact, last month the American Psychological Association’s “Stress in America 2020™” report stated that 1 in 5 adults say their mental health has taken a dip compared to this time last year.  

And, hey, that makes sense. A lot has happened in 2020, with the abrupt transition to working remotely being one of the biggest disruptors to our daily lives.

But despite current changes and challenges, organizations still have bottom lines, and we all still have goals—both professional and personal—to achieve. Workplace teams and cultures might not be at the forefront of people’s minds right now, but the truth is, supporting your workforce is more important now than ever before.

We know that authentic human connection and engagement is already tough…add working remotely (indefinitely for some) into the mix, and it can seem impossible to know where to begin in order to nurture that missing engagement and connection. The last thing leaders want to do is bog down people’s calendars with dull, time-intensive trainings or allocate funds to a lackluster solution.

 

A New, Virtual Solution to Spark Strong Organizational Culture

Since momentary disruption has slowly but surely morphed into long-term impact, leaders are observing another, potentially more damaging transition: What was once an engaged, collaborative culture could be starting to emerge as a discouraged, disconnected, and distracted remote workforce. But why?

The volatility and uncertainty of this new, mostly virtual working environment is demanding people to stretch in unprecedented ways. Working from home just isn’t the same as being together in the office, and the authentic human connections that drove your engaged, collaborative culture pre-COVID aren’t translating smoothly in this new, virtual environment.

More than ever before, organizational culture cannot be an afterthought. Leaders must tend to it—intentionally and continually—to ensure recovery and results.

…But you probably already know that. So, let’s tackle this head-on and solve the dilemma of finding a way to enhance your workforce’s ability to engage, collaborate, and adapt in this extremely fluid reality.

Introducing Everything DiSC® on Catalyst™.

Everything DiSC on Catalyst is a personal development learning experience that equips people with the social and emotional know-how for more effective interactions at work—no matter who or where they are. By combining DiSC with flexible facilitation and the all-new Catalyst platform, Everything DiSC on Catalyst helps people:

 

• Better understand themselves
• Appreciate and value difference in perspective and approach
• Readily adapt to the unique needs of each person or situation they encounter…consistently.

It’s a big promise, but one that you can feel confident about. Everything DiSC on Catalyst is rooted in three core elements that all come together to create an immediate, long-lasting impact for learners.

#1: Personalized with DiSC. You know that no two human beings are alike, so a one-size-fits-all approach to developing our social and emotional skill-set likely won’t work. Everything DiSC on Catalyst understands this dynamic and offers each one of your learners a highly personalized experience built on the foundation of DiSC®—a simple, yet powerful model that describes four basic personality styles:

 

• D for Dominance
• i for Influence
• S for Steadiness and
• C for Conscientiousness

Using a scientifically validated assessment, Everything DiSC on Catalyst delivers precise insights and actionable strategies that deepen understanding of self and others to provide an experience unique to each learner’s DiSC style.

#2: Flexible, Instructor-Led Facilitation. While the DiSC model enables personalization, the real magic of Everything DiSC on Catalyst comes to life through the conversations and “aha” moments that happen in a group training experience. Sure, eLearning can offer insight into a desired skill, but human connection and interaction make the difference with social and emotional growth.

Everything DiSC® partners with thousands of passionate coaches, trainers, and consultants around the world who are expertly trained to facilitate rich discussions that inspire behavior change. By using short-format learning modules with virtual and in-person facilitation options, each Everything DiSC Authorized Partner can integrate facilitation into the flow of work and customize the events to any group size, location or time constraint. To find an Authorized Partner in your area, visit our Online Partner Locator.

#3: The All-New Catalyst™ Platform. The last element of this experience is the all-new Catalyst platform, designed to bridge the gap between insight and action by connecting your learners to each other and making practice possible. Because the truth is that reshaping our behavioral patterns and improving our social and emotional effectiveness doesn’t happen overnight; it happens over time through repetition, affirmation, and practice.

With Catalyst, your learners will:

 

• Discover and use personalized DiSC insights
• Better engage with colleagues using real-time tips
• Adapt their behavior within their daily work lives

With this on-demand access to personalized DiSC insights AND those of their colleagues, learners contextualize the learning—making it relevant to their work lives and helping them build the skills that bring out the best in themselves and each other.

 

An Organization’s True Potential Lies Within Its People—No Matter Who or Where They Are 

While the work landscape continues to evolve and the future remains unknown, something we can control is how we support our workforces today. Everything DiSC believes that an organization’s true potential lies within its people, and we are committed to providing solutions that help support, connect, and encourage learners of all demographics across the globe.

It’s important to remember to check in on your colleagues and understand that everyone is facing their own unique challenges right now. A little extra compassion can go a long way, and your organization will be better for it. The APA’s “Stress in America 2020™” report offers the following tips for how employers can support workers:

 

• Provide flexibility to employees, whether it’s what they work on or when and how they work
• Provide emotional support through one-on-one check-ins or reducing someone’s workload
• Provide clear communication about expectations, support resources, and new policies that respond directly to impacts created by COVID-19

This altruistic and human-centric approach, combined with a proven solution for increasing engagement, collaboration, and adaptability in the workplace, is a great place to start your organization’s path to recovery, high morale, and continued success.

We don’t have all the answers, but we do know this: Everything DiSC on Catalyst equips people with the social and emotional know-how for more effective interactions at work, no matter who—or where—they are. For your learners, Everything DiSC on Catalyst makes the hard work of lasting behavior change possible…even fun. For your organization, Everything DiSC on Catalyst supports an engaged, collaborative, and adaptive workforce that drives results…even virtually. 
 
 
Everything DiSC, with its award-winning Authorized Partner network, is a global leader in delivering personalized, soft skills learning experiences that have an immediate and lasting impact on the performance of people and cultures of organizations.

To learn more about how Everything DiSC on Catalyst can help your workforce engage, collaborate, and adapt, connect with your Authorized Partner. If you don’t have a Partner, we will connect you with one through our online Partner locater. Get started here!