This pandemic has changed the way we do business now and in the future. We’ve learned new terms like social distancing, and many of us are spending more time with our families than we ever had in the past. It certainly is unprecedented times. I want you to know that I am here to help you in any way that I can during these times of change.
If you are looking for help, be sure to check out the Thrive Performance Group Webinars and discussions we are hosting on a weekly basis. Information can be found here: https://thriveperformancegroup.com/. In the meantime, don’t panic. Stay safe, stay well, and we’ll get through this.
This month I am going to talk about Employee Engagement in Times of Change. Why? Because your employees are probably scared, concerned, and maybe overwhelmed. Now is the time to show your support for your employees and strengthen the loyalty they have for you.
Employee Engagement in Times of Change
I appreciate you taking time to read this today. This blog is going to be short and to the point. One of the biggest challenges your teams are going to face is how to stay engaged and motivated in the middle of all this uncertainty. You need your employees to stay engaged, motivated and most of all productive as you navigate your way through an ever-changing economic landscape.
As your employees are transitioning to a remote workplace, you must remember that your employees will have to adapt to a completely new work environment. It’s not as easy as logging in from home. Habits change, communication among colleagues change, stimulus changes, and there are more distractions.
In addition to getting work done, your employees are probably dealing with kids being home from school and concerned the health and safety of their family and friends. On top of that, they may be worried about their job security and even if they will be paid.
These are heavy concerns.
Relationships
The key to keeping employees engaged and motivated with all these concerns, uncertainty, and looming changes is to establish deep trust and respect. Hopefully you’ve already been doing this prior to the pandemic. It is extremely important now that you continue to build the relationship, and even strengthen it if you can.
Trust and Respect is all about RELATIONSHIPS. While your employees are working remotely it is important that you and your leadership team speak to your direct reports on a regular basis, daily if possible. When speaking to your teams, try to show GENUINE compassion and understanding for their concerns. Here are some tips:
- Listen to your employees and to their fears and concerns.
- Appreciate their perspective
- Offer help and advice where you can.
This might take some time on your part, but it goes a long way to building and maintaining trust and respect.
Sharing News
Communicate and communicate often. Everyday on the news there seems to be more bad news and uncertainty. Just watching the stock market shows that there is not only uncertainty, but a lot of volatility. Companies are closing and unemployment is on the rise. Your teams know this and probably worry about it. Now is when it is important to share news, even if it’s changing. The absence of a message from you will cause your teams to assume the worse. Communicate often and follow these principles:
- Share what you KNOW
- Share what you DON’T KNOW
- Share what you THINK
- Don’t confuse them
Virtual Communication
Virtual communication offers unique challenges. Mostly because the non-verbal cues are almost nonexistent. Email, text, and instant messages all leave interpretation to the reader. The best advice I can offer here is:
- Be concise
- Be precise
- Drive Action
This Week’s Challenge
You have enough challenges right now; you don’t need another from me. I encourage you to check out the Thrive Performance Group and join the discussions Tuesday afternoons.
As always, if you need help, please contact us to learn how we can help!