Certain Uncertainty

27How Leaders Can Help Employees Face Uncertainty

Ben Whitter

The world has been rocked by multifaceted challenges that have converged to disrupt economies and the health, and well‐being of citizens. No one has escaped. It has been a shared experience the world over. With costs for basic living necessities spiraling, the aftershocks of a global pandemic still being suffered alongside war in Europe, a major recession being predicted and increasing political division, employees have faced extreme levels of uncertainty. Firms have changed and so too have their workplaces with increasingly flexible and disruptive work models.

Uncertainty is an interesting mix of speculation and possibility. A lot of information is under review and that thinking starts to show up in actions and behaviors of companies, people, and institutions. This trickles down to daily lives—uncertainty with gas and energy supplies drives up prices at forecourts and supermarkets. Uncertainty about how global events will impact firms reshapes decisions and investments. This vicious back and forth between supply and demand naturally hits consumer confidence, which in turn, hits profitability and productivity. If people are uncertain, they stop buying and start saving. This then makes companies uncertain; they stop innovating and investing, which affects growth, performance, and ultimately, jobs and livelihoods. The dance goes on—everything is connected.

Uncertain Times, Uncertain Leadership

It doesn't always feel ...