how to maintain employee morale during hard times

We have also been sure to maintain communications and 1:1s on an individual level to ensure that everyone, including those staff that are furloughed – feel included and part of the team. Tensions can rise quickly where any combination of family are all in the home during work (spouses, younger children, or college-age students who have returned from campus for the semester, and elder care concerns are all stressors). If they are required to return to the workplace, employees should feel like they can still have flexible work options on occasion. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Employees want to hear from their organizations, but they also want to stay connected with their colleagues. Some companies may send small gifts to an individual’s home to show thanks for a job well done, or there may be company ‘Shout out’ initiatives to recognise performance or attitude. It may not be a good time for the company, but you will still want to pay attention to who is … Company-wide and manager-led communication are vital to inform employees and ensure they are invested in the business. “People just appreciate being heard,” Justin says. 9 ways to maintain staff morale in a remote work environment 1. “It’s the same concept in combat,” Justin says, “where soldiers will take a knee so they can catch their breath and reconsider their situation.”, Another way to get more focused on what’s important is to let unimportant tasks and assignments go. Your policy manual is a critical guide to an effective reprimand. Required fields are marked *, Copyright © new Date().getFullYear()>2010&&document.write(""+new Date().getFullYear()); | All Rights Reserved | Website Maintained by Athena Web Designs, You need to agree with the terms to proceed. He suggests framing this as something to do, rather than as something to avoid. Organise an activity day and arrange some light-hearted (socially distanced) challenges to open the communication channels again and reignite the buzz created when working as part of a team. Again, this is only beneficial if the feedback is reviewed, and solutions are offered. And if your company has a program that matches employee donations to nonprofits, now is the ideal time for a callout of that benefit. It’s very easy for employee morale to be low right now. A scheme could be introduced where team members praise each other once a week or month so that morale comes from teammates as well as management.Â. All decisions have been based on business needs rather than the perceived financial savings. The difficulty has been balancing the morale of staff who continue to work (all our staff continue to work from home)and those who have been placed on furlough. And many companies are encouraging work teams to use a chat tool like Slack, Twist, or Teams to talk, to check in, and to share anything that keeps them feeling connected — photos (pets and kids particularly welcome), recipes, playlists, Netflix recommendations. The non-important one is purely voluntary. Whether it comes from the top of the business or a line manager, effective communication can aid morale. Give them agency and autonomy. In general, it is tough to simply say, "You have a bad attitude." To receive blog posts like this one straight in your inbox, subscribe to the blog newsletter. Improving staff morale during these difficult times can be challenging, as a lot of people still feel anxious and concerned about the recent pandemic and could be worried about a second wave. The main concern right now for employees is uncertainty. . anxiety. We keep in touch with them regularly. So what can you do maintain morale in challenging times? And focus on what’s important. When working remotely, employees need to know that their manager and senior leaders are still there for them should they have issues and need someone to help them through. Thank you to all the contributors for sharing your very helpful insights! Provide a resource list for employees If your company has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), remind workers to use it and provide the email address or phone numbers. Kind of like a vision board, have employees print off one quote each day that resonates with them and paste it … Company volunteer programs are a powerful engagement and retention tool. All have valid concerns and questions. Keep communicating to build buy-in. Without good morale, employees are unengaged and unmotivated in their jobs. 3:16 am January 17th, 2021. how to maintain employee morale during hard times believed that employee morale was higher than it was before COVID-19. We’re going to share ten tips you can use to improve employee morale during difficult times. He sent a memo (via Slack, of course) telling employees: “We got this. One is for important communications to staff and for staff to chat about work related issues. We’ve also been regularly sending out materials on wellbeing & contacts of who to speak to both internal & external should they feel the need to. If managers can gain gauge morale, it will be easier to consider what needs to be put in place to increase engagement to retain current morale. Employers must ensure that they are looking after line managers during COVID-19 and offer praise and appreciation to support their wellbeing. Maintaining high employee morale is certainly challenging during a global crisis, but it’s not impossible to achieve. Many factors can affect morale, including leadership, manager and peer support, work environment, trust, culture and how valued employees feel. Show a real human side to staff by engaging personally and asking about. After the turmoil of furlough and the changing face of many businesses we are all having to adapt which inevitably leads to changes in roles and responsibilities.  This can be unsettling and a review with staff to redefine their position and reassure them that it is secure and gain feedback from them to ensure they are comfortable with the changes can help to lift morale and establish a new focus. There is a lot that companies can do beyond hosting a Teams “water cooler.” For example, the London-based digital marketing firm Incubeta has instituted a five-minute virtual dance party every afternoon. The good news is that after the first six weeks of lockdown. In this environment, remember one thing: If you take care of your employees, they will take care of you.”. Ford Motor Company is partnering with 3M and GE Healthcare to produce ventilators, respirators, and face shields. If you’d like a little help or just an independent outside perspective on how to put these 10 tips into action, get in touch with us here. One employee leaving the company damages other staff members’ morale and productivity, but by recognizing good work you encourage people to stay even when things are hard. One of the simplest ways to maintain morale is to make sure that people feel valued and appreciated. Here are several ways to manage employee morale during significant changes at your company: 1. This can help in keeping goals aligned and teams motivated. COVID-19 has significantly changed the way we work, and these changes will continue to shape the workplace environment.Â. As Josh Bersin says, take care of them now and they’ll take care of you later. Once the company has the staff input, it should be reviewed and communicated to employees. Ask people how they’re doing. No company can simply make adjustments on the factory floor and start producing strong employee morale. Just ask any business leader trying to … Team socials have always been essential to our team cohesiveness and sense of fun and unity. Afterwards keep talking to your staff. The main thing we have done is to set up two WhatsApp groups. It outlines for employees the company's policies and the consequences for violating them. Before coronavirus, most companies or work teams had regularly scheduled social activities they turned to for bonding. how to maintain employee morale during hard times. And many companies are encouraging work teams to use a chat tool like Slack, Twist, or Teams to talk, to check in, and to share anything that keeps them feeling connected — photos (pets and kids particularly welcome), recipes, playlists, Netflix recommendations. The main thing that has been our mantra during lockdown is being wholly flexible with our staff in relation to their individual requirements. How To Boost Employee Morale During Difficult Times [Free Top 10 Tips Checklist] It’s no easy feat to achieve high employee morale. 5 Tactics for Maintaining Strong Employee Morale During Difficult Times. Astute leaders therefore create opportunities for discussion. If you are leading and managing in these challenging times it can be difficult to maintain morale, especially if jobs are at risk. Some workers may need help with childcare, elder care, transportation, or other crisis-related services. Even in the worst of times, recognizing the hard work employees do with a simple "thanks" now and then can keep morale up, … Maintain high employee morale beyond COVID-19. Here are 7 ideas to appreciate and inspire your employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your email address will not be published. Given that now is not the ideal time for large-group gatherings, companies can make sure their employees feel the agency to take time to, say, run errands for elderly or immunocompromised neighbors. Low morale can result in increased business costs due to the high turnover of staff and potentially increased employee absence. Unexpected, dramatic change can be a huge hindrance on employee morale. The level of unprecedented global uncertainty, varying degrees of panic and fear, and a general drop in morale, optimism, and productivity are hitting businesses all over the world. Stay calm and organized The best thing you can do to keep employee morale high during a crisis is to keep manning the ship in a calm, organized way. Again, managers should share successes and achievements and be clear about the next steps and team and company objectives. The low-key get-togethers (no one is required to come) give his team a chance to drop in on the boss, see how he’s doing, and let him know how they’re feeling. During lockdown and as remote working continues, there is still an opportunity for managers to ask for feedback from individuals during their one-to-one meetings. Children, parents and other family factors are vital to our employees’ wellbeing and ability to work. Also making sure people are thanked for a job well done. Strong morale is never a luxury item; it’s always an essential. When employees start returning to work, there may be some employees in the workplace and others working from home, but morale still needs to be boosted in split location teams. A recent survey showed 48% of employees had fewer one-to-ones in lockdown, and 38% reported that the frequency of their manager one-to-ones had significantly dropped. You’ve hired intelligent adults, treat them like it 🙂. Companies, of course, can set the stage for community service by modeling good civic spirit. Communicate with them at all times. How leaders can assess morale, even when everyone's remote. Every employee in every company wants to feel valued and appreciated. He suggests framing this as something to do, rather than as something to avoid. So, now is actually the ideal time to consider what work is nonessential — and let it go. As lockdown eases, face-to-face offsite team building is becoming a closer reality, however in larger groups, or teams where not all members can meet in person, virtual team building can build morale and engagement.Â. With a view of bringing our employees back in the near future, we’ve also arranged for each of them to undergo e-learning courses to refresh their knowledge on their expertise & also on the day to day policies we have in place. The fluidity of the current situation — social distancing, WFH, shelter in place, essential/nonessential work — demands flexibility from both companies and employees. Take control of an ever-changing situation and adapt fast. There are mental and physical stresses. Keep it short. Employers must ensure that they are looking after line managers during COVID-19 and offer praise and appreciation to support their wellbeing. Yes, we do have cake on employee’s birthday. The biggest thing that I have noticed within our sector is business leaders have been keen to bring their staff back into the office environment for their mental well being as many have found it difficult to work remotely from their colleagues and missing the team support. During these times, management needs to take action to help make the transition easier for employees who are leaving and for employees whose jobs are safe. The London office of the global law firm King & Spalding has introduced a virtual drinks trolley on Friday afternoon, while the attorneys at Osborne Clarke have a virtual lunch they call “vunch.” Is vunch the new brunch? These engaging techniques can help in conversations with employees in other areas of the business e.g. investment in staff. Modern cloud-based, data-driven recruiting software powered by Human Intelligence Hiring™ ... It’s hard to quantify. Maintaining your own motivation and morale, while encouraging others, can be difficult during organizational change. “We can’t predict where the 2020 economy is going to go,” writes industry analyst Josh Bersin, founder of Bersin by Deloitte. Currently, with so much change in the way employees are working, businesses must update their people about the potential return to work options, health and safety measures in the workplace and other business-related issues that affect employees. Without any doubt, the situation we now find ourselves in is anything but ordinary. Ask if they have the information and the resources they need to work from home. Putting out messages on the important group lets staff respond and for others to share their issues. Be as open, honest, transparent and forthright as you can be. I feel well supported by my employer at this time. Connect employees to the community. Employee morale isn’t like widgets, which you can count as they drop off the assembly line. If employees are engaged and invested in their roles and the company they work for, it can impact productivity, efficiency and loyalty. Managers who have a challenge of managing teams virtually can build team morale, but they need support too. Morale can be enhanced if employees feel like they are kept in the loop, especially at present. When we all help and encourage each other, we all win. instituted a five-minute virtual dance party, Apple, Salesforce, Facebook, and Johnson & Johnson all donated masks, offered 30 days of free storage to college students, produce ventilators, respirators, and face shields. Keep communication open. I am satisfied with my employer's response to the COVID-19 situation. Managers have had to adapt to managing their teams differently, and they will also have their own personal challenges. Company changes or messages must be delivered to all employees at the same time to ensure trust and transparency. There has been a lot of talk recently of how productive staff are with home working versus office, but not as much surrounding their mental health of being isolated at home – this is some of the feedback I have received from my clients. The remaining staff will be brought back when the demand for work in their area increases. There are two types of employees to be found in this new normal. The perfume makers at  LVHM converted their factories to manufacture hand sanitizing gels for the French. It’s hard to quantify. Our approach to this focuses on two key aspects: transparency and positivity. “There’s no new default setting for working hours,” Justin says. Morale of those returning after furlough has not been an issue as everyone has been very eager to return. It’s hard to maintain staff morale during these uncertain times for HR, business leaders and managers. Designate someone at your company to manage employee crisis resources. Nonetheless, there are ways to manage this tug of war. 17 Ways to Boost Employee Morale During COVID-19 That Aren’t Happy Hours. In this webinar, we were joined by our very own, Mona Aiki, Interim VP of People, and Maddie Povlevic, Employee Experience Leader. A recent survey showed. Make your CEO more visible.During tough times the top leaders need to be highly visible to help excite your employees and to look like leaders. It is important that you keep morale high and engage your staff so they stick around during the hard times. There are many ways to do this, from matching employee donations to charities to giving staff time off to volunteer to support those locally who are vulnerable, such as the elderly. This can be done company-wide using tools such as employee satisfaction or pulse surveys, which gather employee feedback anonymously. Recognize employees' contributions and hard work during times of crisis. “Once you have that,” he says, “it’s more likely that you’ll be able to have a sense of mastery over your world at a time when you don’t have control over a lot of other stuff.”, Priorities are shifting, quickly and often unpredictably. But before we discuss the HOW, let’s understand the WHY employee morale can decrease. We have continued these throughout lockdown with innovative ideas, such as an 80s Quiz Night and a Murder Mystery – complete with fancy dress! It is fine to take time out when you need it.”. If you are having to make some tough decisions (eg redundancies) then act sooner rather than later to remove uncertainty. “How do we help people connect when they’re socially distanced?”, Connection starts with communication, and communication starts with listening. We are celebrating victories. Remind everyone regularly about the direction of the department and organisation in the longer term and the potential opportunities that will be created. Engaging employees in conversation demonstrates respect, which helps them feel more secure and builds morale. Right there in the middle of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is the need for belonging — our strong desire for social connection through family and friendships. Employees having worked from home or on furlough for several months may be feeling a little isolated especially if they are used to working as part of a team. Ok, let’s dive into the ten tips now . For those who have worked throughout, we have given additional leave to be used for long weekends in order to recharge batteries and to be a token of appreciation of efforts. Not with cake and champagne, but sharing  with the team. Transparency is always a best practice, but it … Employee morale will be fundamental to carrying businesses through these difficult times and these are some of the simplest ways to ensure that it remains high. During challenging times the morale of employees is vital – how to make your employees feel appreciated and empowered? Keeping your team in the dark is the best way to drive them away from your company. Those congratulatory emails and pats on the back all work towards fostering a sense of security and stability. Such knowledge can increase employee pride and trust in the company they work for and gives them a bigger picture idea of their purpose, which can boost morale and engagement. We love the poignant words of Dana Ullom-Vucelich, “At the very core of our humanity is our care for one another. Justin sees this as one of the critical things companies can ask managers to do to send a clear message. In considering what’s important, here are five virtual — and virtuous — tactics for maintaining morale at your organization during coronavirus and beyond: Justin says now is the ideal time to simply stare out the window for a few minutes and home in on what is most important. It takes more than a salary to ensure that employees are motivated and engaged, and during COVID-19 employers have faced different challenges to maintain employee morale. Consider sending out a pulse survey with just a few questions to get a read on how your workforce is faring. Morale matters – give them some control. People are working at home when they have never done it before. Ask each team member to start an inspirational quote board. (I would fully recommend using Perkbox for this). There’s an adverse risk to morale if employees give feedback, and the results are left unactioned.   Â, There is probably no such thing as too much workplace communication. Some employees will have managed their job around childcare, and others may have worked different hours. We have also been making personal phone calls to all on furlough each month to update them on our situation. Who can blame people for being frustrated? If you’d like a little help or just an independent outside perspective on how to put these 10 tips into action. While it’s crucial for managers to focus on their teams during difficult times, they also need support to boost their morale and prevent stress or burn out. To safely discipline an employee and avoid legal repercussions for unfair labor practices, you need to communicate or show how his behavior or performance violates company policy, according to a June 2012 Business Management Daily article. . Employees need to feel like the company trusts them to continue to work flexibly. Some of the things we have put in place since the beginning of furlough include continuous contact with employees asking about their wellbeing & explaining the current day to day challenges of the business (both positive & negative). All staff except 2 are now back at work, either full or part time. Make work fun. 4 Tips to Improve Employee Morale During Difficult Times. We were already fully set up to work completely flexibly, so we were able to fully adapt smoothly and quickly and employees have been able to prioritise/arrange their work around their family commitments as they see fit. Probably for the best. Teams and individuals need to be told where the business is really at, what they can do to help and what is expected of them for the company to not only survive, but prosper. The company crowdsourced 260,000 employees, asking them to “name one process that stops you from getting things done fast.” (At Pepsi, it turned out to be the performance management process.) I know what I should be focusing on right now. We have focused on listening, putting in place clear communications and developing health and wellbeing initiatives to help staff feel valued and to help them cope with the changes in the new environment that we are working in. This influx of working from home has allowed many employees the flexibility they may not have had in the past. “Tell them to take one thing off everybody’s plate,” Justin says, “as opposed to don’t put any more on.”. 8 Ways to Boost Morale During Tough Times. Your email address will not be published. Many people are overtired, stressed, and are concerned about their uncertain future. One of the simplest but most effective ways to maintain motivation and morale in difficult circumstances is to make sure that people feel valued and appreciated, and that their extra efforts are recognized and acknowledged in other ways. COVID-19 has shown us that homeworking can be productive in many different circumstances. However, there are some actions employers and managers can take to boost workforce morale in difficult times. During tough times like COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to keep employees happy and motivated - so they keep giving their best even at the worst of times. COVID-19 has significantly changed the way we work, and these changes will continue to shape the workplace environment. As many employees continue to work from home, and some gradually return to the workplace, it may become more challenging to maintain morale. For us at Lewis-Manning Hospice Care it has been important to listen to our staff and how they are feeling both for those who have worked through the pandemic and those that are coming out of furlough. by | Jan 17, 2021 | Uncategorized | 0 comments | Jan 17, 2021 | Uncategorized | 0 comments Teambuilding may not seem a priority during COVID-19, but it’s an important time to ensure teams are working effectively together and supporting each other. And that’s especially true today. Here's how to keep your team's productivity up during these difficult times! People still need to understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. Happy employees are productive employees. Justin, an industrial-organizational psychologist and the head of people science for Glint, says: “For people like us who work at the level of deep employee engagement, the fundamentals are still applicable. The secret here is a really good set of habits at the manager level, where managers are just checking with their employees on a few of these key questions on a regular basis. “For teams that would’ve had happy hours on a regular basis,” Justin says, “continue to do those and do them virtually.”. Deloitte’s 2017 Volunteerism Survey found that 89% of workers believe such programs create a better work environment and 74% think they strengthen everyone’s sense of purpose. But that’s just what Justin Black does. We even have a daily 15-minute online staff quiz. Therefore, businesses must look to increase employee satisfaction and engagement to improve productivity and lower costs. Meetings or one-on-ones using videoconferencing platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, or Skype are an obvious way to do this. Managers can use the sessions to boost morale by offering praise and acknowledgement to individuals and updating the team on company-wide performance and COVID-19 initiatives.Â, Social events can also be held virtually to encourage engagement and show recognition. To honour this dedication, many organizations chose unusual ways. Equally, little things can adversely affect it too. Stay connected. Morale is not “nice to have” in uncertain times, it is essential. Once change has happened and you’re reasonably certain you’re coming to the end – bend over backwards. Employees should be informed about business achievements and change so that they are invested in their employer, but also feel part of the company they work for.Â. The other is just for general banter and jokes. Make sure those employees staying understand how important they are. The main aim being to ensure everyone keeps in contact and can see their colleagues albeit on screen. Uber Eats donated 300,000 meals to first responders and healthcare workers, and MGM Resorts provided tons of food to the communities in which it operates. . It’s the little things – like strong communication, increased flexibility, and good access to resources – that show that you care. Managers can organise a specific day for team building and put it in the diary just as it would be if the team were all meeting in person. It’s vital that each employee knows the business strategy and mission and how they and their job can contribute. In times where the job market is so uncertain, a move like this is bound to boost employee morale by leaps and bounds. Employee recognition is vital, especially during a crisis. Here are five ways you can motivate your team. Areas that require improvement must have action plans in place.Â, Managers can also gather employee feedback from regular one-to-ones with team members. Here are examples of survey statements you might ask your employees to rate on a scale that runs from strongly disagree to strongly agree: It's also important to include an open-ended question for employees to provide additional details, such as: "What would make you feel more supported right now?”, “The secret here,” Justin says, “is not a perfect set of survey questions. Your business may have been built on a long history of 9-to-5 and you may head back there in time, but employees should now have unprecedented agency in determining when their work gets done. had fewer one-to-ones in lockdown, and 38% reported that the frequency of their manager one-to-ones had significantly dropped. LVHM and Ford have been able to take their existing manufacturing facilities and convert them to produce hand sanitizers in one case and respirators in the other. . It is more effective to identify the behavior … During these challenging times, it becomes difficult to manage teams effectively. May 8th, 2020. Uncertainty that their role might change, uncertainty about whether they can help ‘their’ company through this difficult time and, perhaps most prevalent, uncertainty that they will keep their job. It’s an idea worth borrowing. U-Haul offered 30 days of free storage to college students who may have been kicked out of their dorms. While adopting to the new normal, companies have to take a lot of factors into consideration in order to maintain employee productivity and morale in COVID times. I have the resources I need to do my job. During difficult times, your employees can easily slip into a “Loser Mentality” of doom and gloom and “nothings is going right.” Counteract this natural tendency by being on the lookout for victories – both small and large – and asking your employees to do the same.

Single Phase 480 To 120/240 Transformer Wiring Diagram, How To Pronounce Mozzarella In Italian, I Hate My Mother Quiz, Side Vent Kit For Ge Dryer, Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate Chips Nutrition Information, My Stepchild Is Ruining My Marriage, Lol Pearl Surprise Price,