Keeping employees engaged

As we continue to get through this time together, we recognize that the way we work has forever changed. The people we see every day for most of our waking hours have switched from our colleagues to our families, or for some of us noone at all. Staying connected with our team is what will help us during this time to remain productive, focused and engaged. Here are some habits you should adopt to keep your team on the right track:

1. Check in with your team. We can be so engrossed in our own lives that we may forget to communicate with our teammates. Find out how they’re coping, give them feedback about tasks you are working on or just thank them for their efforts during this time. You don’t have to do it every day, but if you and your team are working from home fully, it is a good idea to reach out here and there. It shows that you are concerned for your colleague’s well being, and in turn helps them to engage with you better when it comes to work.

2. Conduct virtual sessions. You are probably doing virtual meetings already, but why not facilitate virtual sessions catering to staff’s current concerns and needs. Your EAP provider will probably have seminars centred around dealing with the stress of the pandemic in addition to their regular programmes. Contact them to schedule some sessions that will benefit your staff and encourage them to participate. Every little bit helps. Employees will see that their company recognizes the struggle, and will appreciate it.

3. Encourage input and information sharing. If you have been the type of manager who just gives orders, it may be a good time to review that approach. To engage the team, it is better to give them the opportunity to provide input on tasks and projects. Discussing solution options and best practices with them will encourage them to give ideas as well as point out things you may have missed. It is also a good time to ensure that your team has electronic access to everything they need for work. Some companies are ahead of the game and remote work is a part of their regular schedule – kudos to them. Others are catching up. If your organization is among those others, get buy in from your superiors and IT to ensure that the team can get the work done as efficiently and effectively as possible at home, thereby maintaining social distancing and safety while still being productive.

Employee engagement is crucial during this time. Using technology to maintain work relationships and get things done can sometimes be difficult and frustrating, however ensure that you make the effort to keep your team motivated.

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