The need for business consistency and employee satisfaction has increased more in COVID times and has become more complex. Businesses across the globe are continuously making efforts to keep their operations up and running, along with keeping employee happiness and wellness a priority. Ensuring employees are motivated has also become significant, and many strategies have been implemented.
While adapting to the new normal, companies have to consider many factors to maintain employee productivity and morale in COVID times. Strengthening and lifting employees’ morale in these unprecedented situations is imperative.
There are two types of employees to be found in this new normal. Some feel that working from home (WFH) suits their mental peace, but others find sitting for longer hours at home challenging. Now companies must analyze who would work better alone and require constant communication with fellow employees to be more productive. Organizations need to understand their employees and craft strategies that empower both employees- those who work better alone and those who need to feel connected to their colleagues consistently for better productivity.
Here are a few ways to keep employees motivated:
Including Online Office Games for Better Interaction
While including the games, make sure the games are simpler and not too complex, as it would be easier to coordinate online when it comes to simpler games. HR can organize Team Health Challenges online and fix a timer. For example, whosoever does 20 squats or pushups within this time wins. This will not only pump up the employee for the rest of the day and give a good laugh to all the employees but will also motivate them to focus on their fitness equally.
Introduce Virtual Coffee Breaks Sessions
“Grab a cup of coffee, sit back and relax!” During office times, we all used to sit with each other in cafeterias during breaks. Taking breaks between long work hours rests the brain and helps employees function much better. That has vanished in COVID times as people are now made to operate from their homes. Hence virtual coffee breaks are a great way to connect with the employees and play a vital role in remote team-building activities.
Meditative Sessions Build Strength and Calm in Employees
Many yoga gurus are now teaching yoga digitally. Why not collaborate with one and give your employees an actual session on yoga and meditation live? Meditation is a superpower that positively impacts the lives of everyone who has tried it. In these times, it is essential not to lose peace of mind and be strong. Giving a session on meditation will boost the employees’ morale and introduce good habits in their lives.
Ensuring Continuity in Businesses Through Remote Working
During COVID-19, many companies have redesigned their business models to give full support to employees working remotely. Companies have boosted and built solid digital infrastructure and have gone to an extreme extent of providing laptops to employees working in the remotest of areas. Wherever required, sim cards and other data cards have also been delivered.
While including the games, make sure the games are simpler and not too complex, as it would be easier to coordinate online when it comes to simpler games. HR can organize Team Health Challenges online and fix a timer. For example, whosoever does 20 squats or pushups within this time wins. This will not only pump up the employee for the rest of the day and give a good laugh to all the employees but will also motivate them to focus on their fitness equally.
Making Hikes, Incentives & Appraisals a Part of the New Standard and Avoiding Pay Cuts in the Name of Pandemic
Many companies willing to pay their employees are also seen unnecessarily cutting costs due to the pandemic. This lockdown has impacted the employees and the families in a much greater sense than what organizations realize.
The employee category has been divided into two parts after the COVID takeover- ones who want to dedicatedly work on projects just the way they used to before COVID and the ones who have become lazier while working from home. Businesses might not reward the latter. Some reward plans must be in place to keep the former ones motivated. Companies need to analyze the people working with the same zeal and appreciate them so that their hard work pays off and they continue to optimize the company’s growth.
Where many companies fired employees during the pandemic and left them with no options, some companies chose different paths, like not opting for pay cuts and giving out full salaries or helping the person get a new job. Many companies are incentivizing people who have shown dedication by working with complete commitment amidst the lockdown.
Executing performance reviews more regularly
If an employee knows he/she is bound to receive more feedback, they would surely want to perform better and optimize the company’s growth, thus creating visibility too. Cost and profit centers must be assessed more frequently by organizations.
Communication is the key
Regular sessions of conversations and communication must be held with the employees to ensure that they are well aware of the world’s situations and know how to deal with them. Employees must know how the crisis can impact them and their families and how they need to take precautions. Maintaining a personal touch on their and their families health will only build a strong relationship between the employee and the organization. It will help them feel that the company cares for them.
HR of the businesses are conducting sessions to educate the employees about the precautions they must take during COVID, even when working from home. Regular video meets with the officials, not just formal but informal, can help employees get comfortable with the new normal. Many employees have faced mental health issues too during the lockdown, and continuous communication with the help of motivational sessions can boost their morale.
The need of the hour for businesses is to operate with a greater level of listening, understanding, and compassion for their employees. The idea is to cater to all kinds of employees- those who are conducive to working from home and those who are having difficulty adapting to the new normal. Unsurprisingly, many companies plan to give indefinite WFH to their employees, ensuring their health and wellness after seeing the benefits of WFH.
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