Supporting employees through the next six months

This year has proved to be nothing short of a rollercoaster for businesses, with the Covid-19 pandemic forcing organisations of all sizes to regroup, reshape and in many cases, resize. 

While employers and employees alike have done a tremendous job of adapting to their ‘new normal’, we are not out of the woods yet. With the Government once again urging people to work from home and the threat of further lockdowns, businesses face fresh challenges and uncertainty over the coming months and it’s important that leaders take the right steps to support, nurture and motivate their employees.  

Create mental health support 

The pandemic has had a huge impact on our mental wellbeing as a nation, with more than half of adults and over two thirds of young people admitting that their mental health had become worse during lockdown.

There are many factors that can affect someone’s mental health from concerns about family and friends to feelings of isolation or money worries. Some staff will have been made redundant, others placed on furlough and this sense of unease can have a detrimental effect on surviving employees.

It’s therefore vital that leaders recognise the individual pressures and concerns of their staff. Communication and honest and transparent leadership will be paramount - leaders need to be open about what is happening in the business and what steps are being taken going forwards. 

Leaders who show vulnerability and share their own experiences send a strong message to everyone that it’s ok to be open and ask for help. There are lots of different resources that employers can use to encourage employees to take care of their mental wellbeing, including mindfulness apps, websites, mental health webinars and helplines. 

It’s also vitally important that employees working from home are encouraged to set boundaries. Achieving a good work-life balance can be challenging at the best of times but throw in a global pandemic and permanent remote working and it can be even more of a stretch. It requires planning, discipline and the ability to switch off. 

Employers should have a conversation with each employee to understand their responsibilities and what can be done to help. It may be that working hours need to be tweaked, workloads shifted or teams temporarily restructured but the key is to come together, listen, and devise a way of working that accommodates every individual’s needs and avoids stress and ultimately, burnout. 

Check your HR function 

A strong HR function is an important part of any business, but it has become even more critical as businesses navigate and adjust to this uncharted territory.

Unfortunately, redundancies have and will continue to happen through the economic downturn, with more than a third of employers planning to trim their headcount over the next three months, so it’s vital that a business’ HR function is fit for purpose and the process is handled with the compassion and professionalism it requires. 

Where possible, businesses should create a plan of support for those facing redundancy, including resources to help employees find a new job or the chance to upskill to improve job prospects.  

Showing care and empathy will not only help those individuals facing redundancy but have a positive impact on remaining employees as well as the company brand. It’s not uncommon for employee morale and productivity to dip following redundancies and surviving employees may have to work longer hours or take on different tasks with little guarantee of job security.

To restore confidence and trust, leaders should openly communicate the business case for redundancies and ensure that the process was handled fairly. There should also be sufficient support for employees suffering from ‘survivor’s guilt’. 

For businesses without a robust HR function, outsourcing to an HR consultancy can be a great way to access valuable experience and expertise during this difficult period. The beauty of outsourcing is that it provides leaders with an objective perspective and an additional understanding and guidance of industry developments.

Reconnect with the business purpose

A sense of purpose has long been a huge motivator for many of us, but at this strange time it will be more important than ever for employees to be reminded of the ‘why’ behind their work. If everyone understands how their individual actions contribute to the bigger picture, they are much more likely to feel engaged and inspired. 

Employers should start by revisiting the company mission and values and define to their employees the goals of the business. Without a common purpose to follow, it can be difficult for the team to connect with one another and to the wider business. 

According to Mercer’s 2018 Global Talent Trends Report, thriving employees – those considered to be fulfilled both personally and professionally – were found to be three times more likely to work for a company with a strong sense of purpose.

This purpose, as well as the values of the business, should be woven into the fabric of the organisation, from onboarding and training through to meetings, appraisals and recognition. 

Equally, leaders should understand their employees’ individual objectives so that these can be aligned to the wider business objectives. When people believe that their work matters and they feel valued and supported in their own goals, they will be more motivated and willing to go that extra mile.  

Motivate, motivate, motivate

As we enter the long, dark winter months with many of us living under some form of Government restriction, employers may notice that frustration and discontent set in and motivation takes a dip. However, a lack of motivation can have huge financial implications for businesses, with research showing that disengaged employees cost their employers between £3,400 and £10,000 in wasted salary. Moreover, a dip in motivation among some employees has the power to negatively impact the team’s overall levels of engagement, morale and productivity. 

It can become easy to think that a pay rise or an extra perk might be enough to raise engagement levels, but creating a highly motivated workforce comes down to more than that – it relies on understanding individual needs and what makes each employee tick and regular communication and feedback will be crucial. 

Many employees tend to feel motivated when they have room to grow and without progress or recognition of their skills and talents, work risks becoming monotonous and demotivating at an already challenging time. 

Make sure employees are involved with the business goals, helping to plan projects and put forward their suggestions and strategies for achieving those goals. Regularly checking in with team members and talking to them about which aspects of their work they enjoy and where they see themselves headed will show them that the company is invested in their growth and values their contribution. It’s not about creating clones or following a traditional path – true motivation stems from identifying employees’ individual strengths and creating a plan that allows them to fulfil their potential, whatever shape that may take.  

Similarly, businesses should foster a culture of recognition and appreciation. Research found that nearly a third (32%) of employees cited incentives and rewards as a motivating factor beyond salary. It doesn’t need to be a sweeping gesture; a simple “thank you” can go a long way and celebrating each other’s successes can create feel-good moments that help to motivate the entire team.  

Celebrate the festive season 

The Christmas office party has become something of a rite of passage for most businesses and a great chance for employees to let their hair down. Unfortunately, it looks unlikely that employers will be able to host their annual get together this year, but that should not prevent them from finding ways to mark the occasion and thank their employees for all their hard work.  

One study showed that 74% of employees are motivated to work harder if their employer embraces the festive season, so employers should be mindful that continuing to enjoy the fun and frivolity can pay dividends in staff engagement and productivity.

Fortunately, there are lots of different ways businesses can do this without a physical shindig, including virtual parties, a gingerbread house competition, cheese and wine tasting or the infamous Secret Santa. It doesn’t have to cost much, but it should be about making sure everyone in the business can get involved and feels included. 

At Journey HR, we have agreed to work more flexibly as the darker months set in and have encouraged the team to finish early on Fridays if they are able to so that they can get a walk in before it gets dark or do some Christmas shopping.  Allowing employees a bit more flexibility through the coming months will help to build trust, morale and loyalty going forward. 

There’s no doubt that the months ahead will be difficult for all of us, but if there’s a silver lining to be taken from recent events it is that employers have had the chance to think about the direction of the organisation, reconnect with their team and build a stronger business for a post-Pandemic world.

“There are lots of different resources that employers can use to encourage employees to take care of their mental wellbeing, including mindfulness apps, websites, mental health webinars and helplines. ”