Interview by Johann Harscoet in London for L’Echo, published on 30 December 2021
An Swinnen (BECS): “Office life is as important for the economy as it is for our wellbeing ”
The founder of the corporate training company BECS in London, the Belgian An Swinnen, has advised many companies in various countries, especially in the Middle East. She is also the author of a guide to psychological management “The Business Survival Guide”. In an environment full of technological change, she delivers her vision of new relational modalities in the post-pandemic world of work.
Many workers have appreciated the confinement of lockdowns and don’t like the idea of going back to their place of work every day. On the other hand, for others, getting back to life is a release. Is the return to normal desirable?
When the pandemic started, everyone said that the future of work would be online. I always thought it wouldn’t be. For a business it is essential that everyone can work in the same place. When you are at the coffee machine or the elevator you can meet people from other departments, have informal discussions which can both be a moment of relaxation and a source of relevant information. It is an essential part of life in a company, but also for the economy that revolves around office life, such as the newsagent’s, taxis, restaurants and shops nearby. Office life is as important for the economy as it is for our wellbeing. Businesses depend on these interactions. Hopefully they manage to maintain a good balance, with at least three or four days a week face-to-face.
In this regard, you mention the importance of mirror mechanisms
Yes, because without realising it, we often behave like mirrors of others in our behaviour, even down to the very way we sit in a meeting. This mechanism strengthens the relationship and trust between individuals. We can develop this skill. We can focus on this mirror effect and imitate another person’s body language for about ten minutes. After this team building game, I ask participants how they feel and if they think the relationship with the other person is better and if they feel more trust. If there is a better relationship and trust, it can enable better results. Participants always tell me they feel better about the other person. Mirroring is an incredibly powerful technique which must be preserved, and which is not possible at a distance.
The gradual return to face-to-face working can require a period of rehabilitation to social life. How do we manage this period?
Neuro Linguistic Programming offers many resources. This concept of the 70s was originally used to help people suffering from mental disorders by working on their body language and their verbal language. It turned out to be very effective in improving motivation and influencing skills, and self-esteem in a company. For example, it is essential to use positive words. You can say what needs to be said but by choosing different words. Do not use the word “problem”, but rather “solution” or “opportunity.”
You estimate that one in four will suffer from a mental disorder during their life. How do you recognise a mental disorder in a person, especially in a professional context, as it is often hidden?
Mental disorders must be differentiated from symptoms of anxiety or depression that may last a few weeks. Obsessive Compulsive Disorders or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are some of the most visible disorders.
How do you recognise Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
It is rare to have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, unless you have endured a very brutal life experience, e.g. a kidnapping or rape where there is a question of life or death. People who develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are mainly soldiers or firefighters, who may experience symptoms ranging from nightmares, severe anxiety and sleep disorders. Unfortunately, this term is now often applied to cases of general anxiety.
What should an employer, manager or a colleague do when they see an employee with a potential mental disorder?
The employer is not responsible for the mental and physical health of their employees, and does not have the power to intervene. The initiative, action and decision must come from the employee and not the employer. But companies can be pro-active. Instead of focusing on mental health, when it is already too late, they must strive to ensure a positive work culture. Active employees are very productive and waste less time. They must feel valued and included in projects. It is essential to have good team work, collective celebrations, as well as open and transparent channels of communication. Unfortunately, not many options other than dialogue can be used to assess the state of suffering of the person concerned. Everything depends on the situation. If the problem persists, the employee must be encouraged to find help with a professional, especially if the symptoms get worse. The employee must also be able to be encouraged to express discomfort within the group. The employer, colleague or human resources generally has few others options to offer than listening.
At work, personalities are often described as one-dimensional. In reality, we all have, according to you, four types of very different personalities: dominant, stable, influential and compliant.
This is a theory developed by William Marston. We have a mixture of these four personalities. A balance is made within companies, from which each adapts to its environment. The dominant personality is the one who assumes power, doesn’t show much empathy and is able to delegate to the stable personalities very easily who belong to another category of Marston’s DISC personality theory. The dominant personality is not necessarily negative. On the contrary, they can help to achieve goals. They show determination and ambition. There are also influential personalities who are more popular than others, quite cool, generous and dynamic. The fourth type of personality, compliance, is more often found in engineers and accountants. These are personalities who will not deviate from the established rules. We all have a part of these four personalities in us in different proportions.
BECS and Me, by An Swinnen 