KEEPING UP MORALE
The constant changes coupled with limited social interaction may make employees feel disengaged and unproductive.
Offer: Explanations to answer “why”
Simply informing employees about changes and giving them some time to make adjustments is not enough to ensure compliance.
Many of the changes are inconvenient, and according to communication expert Nancy Duerte, people won’t try difficult new things unless they are motivated to do so. She advises showing employees the “why” behind the measures needed, so that they can understand the reason behind each process. When employees understand and believe the change serves a greater purpose, compliance is more likely to follow.
Keep your team’s spirits up with the following:
Ask: How are you feeling?
HR experts Adecco recommend checking in regularly to find out how staff are coping with the new arrangements. This will keep them emotionally engaged, and gives you an early indication if there are problems that need to be addressed.
Ask: How are we doing?
Strong teams trust and empower one another, share common goals and have a strong sense of belonging, research by Bain and Company shows.
One way to bring the team together is by sustaining a strong sense of identity at work. To do this, encourage reflection and remind your team of the common goals by asking questions such as “What are our priorities?” and “How are we doing on them?”
These questions help align expectations across the team, which can strengthen trust and belonging, and motivate them to work towards a common goal.
Offer: Opportunities to bond
Allocate time for employees to chat and catch-up at the start or end of meetings – especially if there are team members who are working remotely.
When celebrating birthdays and work achievements, include those who are working from home by using apps such as Skype and Zoom.
All this will help the team overcome the barriers of physical distance, and help employees remain connected to each other and to the organisation.