PPL, the Positive Psychology Association of Luxembourg, which strives to make positive psychology accessible to a wider public in the Grand Duchy and the Greater Region, has published the results of its first survey dedicated to the people management measures taken in Luxembourg during lockdown and the impact of this exceptional situation on work organisation. 

In these times of uncertainty, the factors and resources for the positive adaptation of individuals and organisations are seriously challenged. They are widely invoked in the 'famous' resilience process, which is essential to succeed in adapting and developing good solutions in a potentially dangerous environment.

In this context, PPL asbl published the results of its first survey dedicated to the people management measures in Luxembourg during lockdown. The survey, carried out from 14 May to 4 July 2020 with a sample of 46 team leaders, managers and company directors, focussed in particular on the experience of managers and their learning during this exceptional period. The results confirmed the high impact of lockdown on the way of working, with the implementation of teleworking solutions, whether partial or total.

One of the managers interviewed commented: "The lockdown revealed how well or poorly the team was working before". According to PPL, this quote sums up the main lessons to be learned from this survey:

- Teams (and the individuals forming them) have the capacity to adapt to new situations and new challenges; 

- Feelings and emotions have a great impact on the quality of work and the quality of life of individuals; 

- Human skills, particularly the ability to adapt to change, are essential in this new context.

Throughout the confinement period, the team leaders made sure to keep the connection between team members and to communicate in a more personal and compassionate way. According to the PPL survey, in half of the cases, the initiatives taken by managers to promote the mental well-being of their staff during this period were on their own initiative. The results, in conjunction with other studies carried out in Luxembourg, suggested that some aspects of the working environment deteriorated (emotional load and participation in the decision-making process), while others helped to improve it (teleworking and flexibility).

And yet, only 28% of respondents reported measuring the impact of the measures taken in some way. Dana Moldoveanu, PPL President, commented: "We therefore wonder whether this is related to this specific situation or to the fact that in general, the impact of people management interventions is not measured". In Ms Moldoveanu's opinion, the value of the survey lies in the concrete view of the managers' experiences: "Positive Psychology is driven by scientific methods and research therefore, besides our own experience and that of our clients, we wanted to extend our knowledge and understanding about the people management practices during lockdown. PPL's aim, was to mix quantitative elements (statistics) with more qualitative aspects (open questions), where managers could share their more subjective experiences".

She continued: "The Covid-19 lockdown affected everyone, but in different ways and we wanted to have this level of detail. As our members are mainly independent professionals working with companies (or people working in organisations), it gave us a better understanding of the needs of managers who are the pillars of organisational development / stability. The survey was also conceptualised to provide a space for self-reflection and learning for participants. The report could be used as a basis for learning, growth and organisational development of resilience in times of uncertainty".

Based on the results of its survey, PPL proposed the following four recommendations to manage the current and future situation as well as possible:  

- Overcoming feelings of uncertainty;

- Encouraging imagination and creativity to implement new solutions;

- Favouring spaces of resilience and benevolent communication;

- Preventively managing the mental health of employees with collaborative approaches.

The PPL survey can be downloaded and consulted via www.ppl.lu/.