What can businesses do in a pinch to keep things moving and, more significantly, to look out for and lead their employees during extreme stress?
Organizations struggle with employee engagement even in the best of times. According to data, the U.S. had a 34% employee engagement rate at its peak. This indicates that two-thirds of American workers lack enthusiasm for their jobs. They only make enough effort to fulfill the minimal requirements of their position. Undoubtedly an astonishing number.
But then something happens that could perhaps make them even less committed. At their worst, employees are apprehensive and have doubtful well-being during a crisis. They may feel distant from their coworkers and are, at their best, distracted.
These disengaged workers may make firms less productive, generate less money, and annoy customers. So how can we turn the ship around and change course?
We do not, though. There is no quick fix for crisis leadership that will instantly re-engage our teams. Accepting the circumstance as it is and preparing our teams for the best outcome and better times are sometimes the best things we can do. There will also be better days.
How to Keep Employees Engaged in Tough Times
People will keep in mind how you made them feel amid trying circumstances. In that regard, a crisis allows you to show your leadership. You still influence how you implement and communicate those decisions, even if you need to change your strategic plans, cut hours, or fire employees.
The following tactics can be useful in a crisis to keep your staff motivated:-
1. Keep Your Team in the Loop
Try to involve your staff in decision-making rather than putting it on them. This entails open communication and team participation in decision-making. People often feel neglected when they are not included in a team discussion. Make sure that you take every person’s suggestions and ideas while making a strategy.
Be open and honest about the factors that led to your choices. Inform people of your business’s goals and their role in achieving them. When you don’t have all the solutions, be honest. It’s okay for you to be a person. It conveys the idea that you are all on the same team.
Two-way conversation is essential for transparent, honest communication. Therefore, consult the team before making a choice whenever feasible, and include their ideas in the final course of action.
2. Flexibility is Key
Decisions made in a crisis will have varying effects on various persons. Business leaders should make every effort to be adaptable and consider personal situations. A one-size-fits-all strategy can make some employees unhappy.
Flexible work schedules may be necessary for employees with young children to tend to but cannot get child care since schools and daycares are closed. You’re happy as long as the work is completed, and they’ll be satisfied since you’re taking into account their needs as a person, not simply as a worker.
3. Lead By Example
Employers can gain from effective leadership in a crisis in a variety of ways. It increases staff commitment and loyalty, which directly contributes to short-term business success. It enhances the brand reputation required to draw in potential employees. Additionally, it’s a chance to separate from competitors and peers.
Some of your coworkers may make snap judgments without considering the long-term repercussions. Your opportunity to emerge as a true leader and serve as an example of how to treat people well even under trying circumstances is presented by a crisis. Be a person who acts honorably toward your team and your company.
4. Implement a Different Team-Building Approach
Regardless of the circumstance, your team or organization will probably experience a sense of disconnect, either literally if they are now working from home or cognitively if the burden or distractions rise. Therefore, connecting your team members is more crucial than ever if you want to take advantage of the productivity-boosting effects of peer inspiration.
Some people can connect and feel gratified when they band together during a crisis to support a cause. Plan a project where your team members can donate their time to a company affected by the crisis.
You should be aware of your employees’ schedules when team building during a crisis because you don’t want to add more hours to an already full day. Try to include team building into events already on the agenda during hectic periods.
5. Take Employees’ Issues Seriously
Personal struggles abound right now, and most workers don’t fully comprehend their rewards. Emphasize medical alternatives through health insurance, accessible employee help programs, and workplace support for addressing child-care needs as they battle personal challenges and concerns.
Crisis and overload situations can bring to light how much “clutter” there is in everyone’s professional life — how many things we all perform daily that aren’t that crucial. Employees should be allowed to concentrate only on the tasks that are truly necessary for navigating the crisis, and leaders should only offer them information about these key goals.
Employee engagement is a two-way give-and-take relationship. Employees must feel valued if employers expect them to perform, deliver more, and maintain productivity. This is especially important when work obligations and health issues overlap.
Final Word…
Recent times have seen a new, unstable trajectory for the global economy. The external environment will impact the profitability and financial stability of the organizations. To prevent any knee-jerk reactions, businesses must comfort their staff members using an engagement approach. In times of crisis, employee engagement gains essential importance.
Almost nobody anticipated a “global pandemic” in their plans for the future, and this disaster will affect and alter nearly every industry. But when you genuinely engage people and equip them with the necessary tools to bring your organization through these trying times, you can preserve loyalty and prepare your teams for recovery.
Employee engagement is challenging. A small amount of empathy and compassion expressed in meaningful but simple deeds can have a significant long-term effect on the business. Give them a try!
About the Author
Simon Chou is the Vice President of Operations and Growth at BCjobs.ca. Over the course of his career, he carved a niche in brand development, marketing strategy, and online presence for startups. Prior to joining BCJobs.ca, Simon was an advisor for several global blockchain projects including Litecoin, NEM, and Ripple. In the past, he also worked with Fortune 500 companies in the healthcare space through SM Digital—a global marketing agency.
