What to do? Freedom Day has come and gone. Relaxation or caution, face covering or all out, WFH or back to the office? Our thinking selves will imagine a balanced resolution but, in our bones, we remain uneasy, conflicted.

On a personal level, I find myself planning the funeral of my recently deceased father alongside the third attempt at my daughter’s wedding. Not typical maybe but certainly reflecting the tensions faced by many.

We are already carrying anxiety from 18 months of chaos and disappointment. Now, teased by the promise of anticipated release, we confront a reality of living with COVID that fails to resemble the living that we remember.

Typically, this is where leadership comes in. Clear, authentic guidance, illuminating the darkness. Sadly, our government (whose members, it must be said, face unenviable challenges) seem to favour personal survival over the welfare of those they serve. Hey ho.

So, it’s down to society’s other leaders, to set the bar, do the right thing. Commercial expediency is tempting right now but overtly heeding enlightened company values is what will protect long-term success, internally and externally.

And make the workplace magnetic. That’s where culture is nourished, not on video.