Employee Engagement in Light of COVID-19

COVID-19 is hindering employee engagement in a multitude of ways. Not only are employees distracted, but they are also isolated. If you feel as though your employees aren’t engaged, you need to take action now. Engagement is an incredibly important part of developing company culture and productivity, and low employee satisfaction never yields good results.

Connecting With the Right Team

When employees aren’t engaged, you don’t want to interact with human resources. You don’t want to reach out to upper management. You want to connect with direct management and supervisors; those who are listening to their team and who understand what makes their teamwork. If you can, reach out directly to employees. Find out what they need to feel valued.

Foster a Feeling of Connection

Under COVID-19, employees frequently feel as though they aren’t as connected. Make sure that employees are getting enough face-to-face time in terms of video conferencing and phone conversations. If employees aren’t able to communicate with each other, they’re going to start feeling like their work doesn’t matter and isn’t valued. But it doesn’t take a lot to help them feel connected, just conscientious effort.

Make Sure Employees Are Cared For

At this time, the last thing employees really want to have to worry about is their jobs. Tell employees about the direction that the business is taking and how the business is performing. Be honest and transparent. Let employees know what might be coming next. If people are going to have fewer hours, they need to know. The more honest you are with people, the more they will trust you.

Give Them an Open Door

There are a lot of things that employees may want to discuss during this time. They may need more time off. They may need to know about their health benefits. Or they may just need to know that they’re functioning well under these new constraints. Give employees a time when they can reach someone, such as their HR representative, and bring up their concerns.

Be Proactive About Potential Issues

When problems do arise that could potentially impact employees, don’t let it be a surprise. Everyone knows that there are new developments every day, and they will be understanding if these issues are brought up beforehand. Always have a plan. Don’t just give employees a problem, but also discuss what you’re going to do about it. This will make them feel more confident with the direction that the business is taking.

Maintain Structure

Everything else is uncertain. So employees need to be certain about something, and work is often that. Maintain structure rather than trying to do things on-the-fly. Set expectations clearly and make sure employees always know what they need to be doing. The more certain they are, the better.

It’s not easy to keep employees engaged, especially when they’re dealing with other issues such as quarantine and potential illness. But if you’re able to reach out to your employees and communicate with them more effectively, it will help. To start gauging your employee engagement and effectiveness, you need a plan. You also need data. To learn more, contact the experts at Starr & Associates.