So that’s it. You’ve set some people up to work from home, a few remain at the workplace (socially distanced of course) and the rest are furloughed. That’s the staff sorted then. Big tick in that box. You can forget about them now and work on something else, right? WRONG!
The completion of that immediate process does not mean your role as leader is put on ice. If anything, it’s now more important than ever and you need to communicate more than you ever have before.
But don’t worry. It’s not difficult. And it doesn’t cost anything - well, just your time.
The world is being transformed by Covid-19 but the best employers are seeking out ways to turn this crisis into a positive transformation for their business.
Home workers have lost the camaraderie of the workplace. Furloughed employees in survival mode are likely to feel most anxious and may even wondering what they did wrong that resulted in them being cast aside. The extension of our enforced isolation and the furlough scheme will have deepened the worries even further. But your actions can still create a sense of belonging and loyalty among employees.
So what do you need to do?
Pick up the phone, check up on employees and their families.
Keep employees updated on what else is going on in the company.
Look for new opportunities to empower people to generate new ideas
Set up informal communications to maintain relationships and team spirit.
And how do you go about it?
Think about how each of your employees is feeling right now?
Be realistic about the future. Don’t catastrophise or make promises you can’t deliver.
Never try to introduce a one-size-fits-all solution.
Communicate in the way and at times that suit each person best.
There’s a famous teaching - ‘It’s more important to be kind that to be right.’ Provided that you treat your employees with humility and integrity you can’t go far wrong.
You may not be able to do anything about job security right now. But there is a lot you can do as a leader to maintain your company’s reputation.
If you’d like more specific guidance of how best to communicate to your team at this time contact me today linda@stepsforgrowth.co.uk
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