NOTE: This article was initially published on Reworked.co on July 29, 2024, and is republished here with permission.
”Encourage effort,” ”preserve human dignity,” “develop harmony.” You’d be forgiven for thinking you were reading a workplace values statement. But rather, these come from the Olympic Charter.
The 2024 Olympics in Paris has unexpectedly become a stage for controversies that resonate with workplace challenges. As such, it presents a unique opportunity for us to gain a fresh perspective on managing workplace controversies.
From intense security concerns and transportation chaos to politically charged debates and environmental outcries, the sheer scale of issues facing the Olympics is staggering. Your business may never encounter as many challenges in such a short time. However, the strategies and solutions employed here, whether successful or not, could offer tangible examples for improving our workplace culture and communication as well as insights into attempts that have fallen short in building bridges.
After all, not every Olympic effort ends in a gold medal.
The scope of the 2024 Olympic controversies is vast and multifaceted. Public transportation disruptions threaten to overwhelm Paris's infrastructure, heightened security measures, including AI surveillance, have sparked human rights debates over privacy and the right to protest. Political tensions are high, with France's ban on hijabs for athletes and the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes amidst the Ukraine conflict adding layers of complexity. The relocation of homeless individuals and the initial plan to remove traditional booksellers along the Seine have drawn criticism, while environmental concerns question the sustainability of the Games.
Faced with such a formidable array of challenges, one must wonder: how can the host country possibly resolve these issues?
Paris has made abundant efforts to address all the concerns listed. Some have won broad praise, while others have fallen short of their desired outcomes.
What strategies and lessons can we, as managers and business leaders, draw from their experience? What insights can we glean to navigate our own organizational complexities, foster a secure and inclusive culture, and handle crises with the utmost adaptability and transparency? The answers to these questions could hold the key to transforming our workplaces for the better, and they should also instill in us a sense of confidence in our ability to handle crises effectively.
Below is a list of three points of tension that align closely with workplace challenges surfacing today. Let’s examine each, followed by how Paris addressed the challenge. Then, for fun, I offer up an Olympic scale ranking for the performance and conclude with parallels one can draw when compared to workplace culture.
How can transparency in new policies build public trust at the Olympics and in the workplace? Paris had to tackle stringent security measures, but your business may be attempting a return to the office. Are there similarities?
The Challenge: To safeguard athletes and spectators at the 2024 Olympics, Paris implemented heightened security measures, including the use of AI surveillance. These measures have raised significant human rights concerns, emphasizing the need for transparency to build public trust.
The Olympic Response: In February, the French government reduced the number of spectators for the opening ceremony along the Seine from 600,000 to 300,000 to enhance security and manage risks better. It was eventually reduced to 220,000 and required viewers to obtain a free ticket to enter. While not removing the required surveillance measures, the show of more traditional crowd management techniques did allow for some opt-in options for audiences at the opening ceremony.
Olympic Score: Silver Medal
Office Parallel: Most work-related security policies like physical safety or data protection are essential and it becomes hard to debate their need. However, we can use the implementation of the Olympic security policies as a learning ground for other broad policy changes, like implementing a return-to-office (RTO) policy. Or from the point of view of many employees, a RTO mandate.
Sweeping policy changes are never easy, but the answer most likely lies in how a business can balance organizational needs with employee trust and satisfaction. Transparency and flexibility are always great places to start. Just like Olympic organizers had to communicate the reason for the security measures, companies should openly explain the rationale for their RTO policy.
Transparency can build trust and help employees understand the broader context of the decision. Simultaneously, organizations should strive to offer flexibility within their policies, mirroring the Olympics' strategy of providing ticketing choices for the opening ceremony. In the workplace, this could translate to hybrid work options or flexible schedules, allowing employees some autonomy in how they adhere to the RTO mandate.
Round this out with other tactics like gradual implementation, feedback mechanisms and a willingness to adapt and adjust the policy as new insights come in, and a business can turn what started as a silver medal performance into a gold medal win.
What can the Olympics teach us about ensuring fairness and inclusivity in our teams?
The Challenge: The participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine has sparked debates about fairness and double standards when compared to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza. Similarly, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee prohibited French athletes from wearing religious symbols — including hijabs — during the Olympics, highlighting the complexities of balancing national policies with individual rights.
The Olympic Response: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals, without national flags, to balance fairness amidst ongoing geopolitical conflicts. However, no similar adjustments were made for participating countries involved in similar geopolitical conflicts, namely the war in Gaza.
The no-hijab policy has become a confusing tangle. This was a policy of France as a participating country, not the Olympic officials who are responsible for upholding the Olympic Charter, which calls for respect for religion and the protection of human rights. Critics of the policy have a hard time distinguishing between France as a participant and France as a host country and often hold the Olympic officials accountable for the situation.
The net result of both instances is that perception is a more powerful indicator than the logic driving the decisions. Olympic officials did not seem to take this into account when enacting some of their policies.
Olympic Score: Bronze Medal
Office Parallel: Ensuring fair and inclusive practices in the workplace is just as paramount as an Olympic competition. However, the optics of the reasons that drove the decision should be just as important. What your audience feels or thinks is important, and if there is confusion, it’s the job of the messenger to help restate and clarify.
The safe answer is that “managers must establish clear, consistent policies that promote inclusivity and promptly address any perceived biases.” But, sometimes, this is tougher said than done.
In the end, workplace decisions would benefit from undergoing an “optics” test. Doing so can enable managers to address points of confusion up front and create an environment where all employees feel valued and treated equitably, regardless of their background or personal beliefs.
How do Olympic organizers balance cultural heritage with modern security measures, and what can managers learn from this?
The Challenge: The controversy over the initial plan to remove traditional booksellers along the Seine for security reasons underscores the tension between preserving cultural heritage and implementing necessary modern measures. Olympic organizers had to navigate this delicate balance to respect cultural traditions while ensuring safety.
The Olympic Response: This early debate was decided following input from President Emmanuel Macron to keep the traditional bouquinistes along the Seine. Macron declared the book stalls to be examples of the “living heritage of the capital.” After initial plans to remove them, the effort to respect cultural heritage while ensuring security was highlighted.
Olympic Score: Gold Medal
Office Parallel: Similarly, managers face the challenge of honoring their company's established culture and traditions while being open to innovation and new ideas. Balancing these elements can help maintain a cohesive yet progressive work environment, fostering both respect for the past and enthusiasm for the future.
As we reflect on the challenges and controversies surrounding the 2024 Paris Olympics, we can extract valuable lessons for creating more effective, inclusive, and resilient workplaces. By adopting "Olympic-level" strategies, organizations can transform their culture and operations.
Key Takeaways:
Like the athletes striving for gold, our organizations can achieve excellence through dedication, fairness, and a commitment to continuous improvement.