Never fear,…, While lots of things can go wrong, the biggest mistake you can make…, SocialTalent Ltd While the future continues to evolve, fostering a feeling of trust with your employees will form a solid foundation for engagement. Employee Engagement: DecisionWise Consultant, Spencer Taylor, shares 5 ways to engage remote workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Here’s a great video by Kevin Kruse that gives detailed examples of what employee engagement is, and isn’t. No-one wants to plateau, even during a global pandemic! Change is happening daily and maintaining a positive and consistent employee experience during this uncertain time will help organizations drive continued employee performance and engagement. Adding onto the conversation with something interesting – Why to Improve Employee Engagement. Employees joining the team during the response to the coronavirus. Your employees are looking to you to feel supported to do their best work, while also protecting their health and safety. As challenging as social distancing can be, engagement does not have to be as bound within the office walls as it was; use this time to learn about one another and what really makes your team successful. Engagement and empathy are inextricably synced. Check-in with your team regularly. Learn More About Talent Management During the COVID-19 Crisis It's in times of crisis when employee engagement is necessary to keep a workplace thriving. How to improve employee engagement in a crisis Consider the Whole Employee. Keeping employee morale high: A challenge during COVID-19. We don’t collect information that identifies you individually. Employees whose contracts will end soon. for the SocialTalent newsletter? Beyond her passion for marketing and writing, you can find her watching sports with her family, discovering new music and places to travel, or getting outdoors and hiking. And while COVID has caused some disastrous impacts on the working world, it has also taught us some core lessons. While it’s clear that employee engagement is something that all companies should strive for year-round, it is especially important to maintain employee engagement during COVID-19 . We hope it serves you well. Have a look at our article “20 Virtual Team Building Activities to Engage Remote Employees” for some more inspiration. even reported that disengaged employees in the U.S. cost companies $550 billion a year. Professional development is one of the most important ways to keep your team members engaged, even from afar. Technology in itself can also pose unexpected issues and delay turn-around when there is no immediate support from an at-home IT team. A dashboard also serves as a great point of reference that can help eliminate confusion, keeps everyone on the same page, and makes it easier to keep constant communication. I consider engagement to be a big part of maintaining moitivation level and boosting employee morale. 5 Ways to Engage Remote Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic Yeah, I know. Try your best to avoid letting them get to the point of feeling concerned and creating their own (negative) narratives. Most importantly, that we need to protect our most precious asset – human capital. So rather than hiding behind a smokescreen of indifference, it’s the managers who have been present and fully transparent about the situation that have garnered the best from their workers. During a crisis, it’s important that you and your company’s business leaders send a strong, visible message that shows we’re all in this together. With strength comes resilience, and an engaged team creates a strong team. Discuss your employees’ concerns as a leadership team and determine whether or not you should address such concerns with all employees. And it’s not about perks or salaries increases. The 3R approach: Key to employee engagement in COVID-19 times Organizations are suddenly required to scramble for ways to maintain business continuity in the face of such a life-threatening crisis. Caroline Bracey focuses on all things content for iDashboards. HR managers are evolving innovative and effective ways to engage employees in this difficult time. Organizations have an opportunity to improve employee experience during the return phase of the COVID-19 crisis by shifting from a focus on meeting health and safety needs to a more nuanced approach that recognizes differences among the workforce. There is no doubt that India Inc began taking action to educate employees for a safe working environment at the onset of Covid-19. The Impact Of COVID-Related Stress On Employee Engagement Innovation I’ve written recently about the clear mental health challenges facing workers during COVID-19, with a combination of job insecurity and the associated financial concerns combine to produce a growing prevalence of depression and anxiety. The world today brings a higher level of uncertainty for employees. Becky Vea. Everyone manages stress and fear in their own way; and times as unprecedented as these can make it even more challenging for people to manage their emotions and sense of unrest. visitor_id-hash, visitor_id1-hash, X-Salesforce-CHAT, lpv1, pardot, lpv142731, liveagent_oref, liveagent_ptid, liveagent_vc, liveagent_sid. of workers feeling truly engaged pre-pandemic, what does that mean now? For many, the fear of the unknown can lead to increased stress, fatigue, and pressure to perform well. If an employee’s productivity does continuously become a concern, it has now provided the framework. With less than a quarter of workers feeling truly engaged pre-pandemic, what does that mean now? Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. According to Namely’s recent survey, How HR is Addressing COVID-19 in the Workplace, the top concern that HR … August 27, 2020. It’s hard to think of another time when high employee engagement would be at such a premium. Throughout these challenging times, more employees are worried about how they will be impacted as it relates to their job security. Instead, engagement is about concrete behaviours that impact the very essence of a job. Chances to grow and thrive in a career are a must-have. Becky Vea. Realize that what happens in one part of an employee’s life impacts all others. How to Improve Employee Engagement During COVID-19 and Beyond, Provide Constant Communication from Leadership Team, Virtual Employee Engagement Activity Ideas, productivity, retention rates, and even revenue, online workout class run by a professional, 20 Virtual Team Building Activities to Engage Remote Employees, How to Support Mental Health at Work During These Precarious Times, The 27 Best Employee Benefits Packages and Perks for 2021, 32 Essential Executive Assistant Tools for 2021, Hiring During a Crisis: Tips for Recruiting, Interviewing, and Onboarding Employees During COVID-19, Asking for employee engagement feedback and ideas during regularly-scheduled meetings. Try to be positive in your communication but don’t over-promise. Coronavirus is top of mind for employers and employees across the globe. Choose from our expertly curated learning paths or create a sample learning experience for your team. Continue to invest in your leaders Many organisations have put their leadership development programs on … If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. If you’re struggling to come up with good employee engagement activities, it might be time to take a step back. That’s why having access to executive assistant tools for your most common daily tasks can be a lifesaver. The word “employee engagement” alone doesn’t give you anything you can visualize. Having the goals of your business and the ambitions of your workers align allows for tangible results. Share your tips in the comments below! They rely on their employer to provide updates on how the pandemic is affecting the business (both financially and operationally), as well as how it will continue to be affected as future actions are taken. Beyond providing transparency, empathy is also critical for driving engagement with employees. Good one! Plus, you may want to provide extra flexibility and tolerate some background noise. You could either do this by sending out “all-office” memos or having each leadership team member address the topics during their weekly team meetings. And if you want to see how SocialTalent can support your L&D efforts. This is especially true during the COVID-19 crisis. It is only used to improve how a website works. Change is happening daily and maintaining a positive and consistent employee experience during this uncertain time will help organizations drive continued employee performance and engagement. Employee engagement has been shown to increase productivity, retention rates, and even revenue. It’s hard to think of another time when high employee engagement would be at such a premium. ... Learning and development programs can increase employee engagement and retention while also improving employee performance. The empathy and transparency outlined in the previous steps sets the tone that these expectations are set out with thoughtful consideration and optimistic intent. Employees confirmed or suspected of being infected and their family members confirmed or suspected of being infected. Check-in with your team regularly. Virtual connection with team members requires a different level of communication to ensure employees are staying both engaged and motivated. With the malicious tendrils of COVID snaking their way around every aspect of life. We take a closer look at lessons learned through the experiences of employee engagement during COVID-19. But if you can be up-front with what you. Employees want to know they can adequately fulfill those other needs at home while still meeting the responsibilities of their job. Others may be caregivers for family members who need appropriate care at this time. Here are some helpful ways that explain how you can work towards maintaining and improving employee engagement at your organization – both now and always. Some are parents with children who have been home from school performing online learning. Supporting local charities is a great way to inspire your employees and can also be a great idea for a team event. But what are the key areas that companies need to address with fractured workforces? Keep lines of communication firmly open. Employees in Wuhan/Hubei area. Dublin Our current situation has produced challenges that organisations have never encountered. It’s so easy to lose your way in unprecedented times, but the act of caring will always be reciprocal. In this time of uncertainty and disruption, we hope these resources empower you to keep your employees safe, healthy, and engaged. Outlets for relieving stress and creating the space for active listening goes far in showing employees they are being heard and understood. For hiring managers – how to define your hiring criteria, interview, and select the best talent. Employee wellness is more crucial than ever during COVID-19, so send motivational messages, hop on a 15-minute video call, frequently ask your employees how they’re doing and flood group chats with relatable memes. Many employees may avoid joining a remote session because of other family members in their home. Therefore, planning Employee Engagement during the COVID 19 pandemic is very important. Strategies to help maintain employee engagement during COVID-19 1. With the malicious tendrils of COVID snaking their way around every aspect of life, and the unintended diaspora to remote work, having committed and passionate teams is a life raft for so many organisations. Employee Experience Management Platform exists precisely to … COVID has changed the rules. Work-Style Adaptability COVID-19 has only accelerated this transformation, grounded in human experience principles and which, in turn, can drive sustainable change on a behavioural, cultural, and organisational level. The lack of socialization can make many feel isolated or distant from friends, family, and co-workers – a need that many have discovered impacts their overall well-being. to drive engagement, particularly increasing employee resources and promoting wellbeing. After all, if you want your team to invest and care about your organisation, surely you must do the same for them? The COVID-19 pandemic has, undoubtedly, changed consumers and employees. From practicing social distancing to adjusting to indefinite remote workforces, both employers and employees have had to change their everyday lives drastically.. They look for questions to be answered and answers that make the situation easier to understand. Show flexibility and understanding. If you want to cheer people up, give them a sense of belonging and increase engagement, you should incorporate fun activities during the day and organize a set of virtual happy hours. It’s so easy to lose your way in unprecedented times, but the act of caring will always be reciprocal. COVID has changed the rules. Employee engagement may have dropped in priority as we learn how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, but it's one of the most important initiatives to keep at the forefront in order to be successful through this.. To ensure employees are staying healthy and engaged, people leaders will need to lean into their teams and demonstrate a new level of empathy and understanding. Uncertainty lurks at every corner. And, as guest contributor Samantha Peters explains, providing them with continuing education opportunities is a great way to show your appreciation and invest in their personal and professional growth. Professional development is one of the most important ways to keep your team members engaged, even from afar. So rather than hiding behind a smokescreen of indifference, it’s the managers who have been present and fully transparent about the situation that have garnered the best from their workers. With workers dispersed and anxious about the effects of COVID, their job stability and wellbeing, it’s so important to be there for them. Empathy may be a soft skill but it can pay dividends in terms of engagement. It ensures that employees feel like they’re being invested in and that they are just as vital to the company as a profit margin. Try to get ahead of any concerns you can anticipate coming from your team. ... will have a lasting impact on employee behavior including, engagement, ... medical leave for any employee diagnosed with COVID … For more information about how your group can take part in a virtual team building, training, or coaching solution, reach out to our Employee Engagement Consultants. A very interesting blog on Employee Engagement. Of course, it’s not surprising given the magnitude of unrest that 2020 has seen. Leadership must set the tone for the workforce, and this starts with genuine engagement, as well as open and honest conversations every step of the way. © 2020 Outback Team Building & Training, All Rights Reserved. August 27, 2020. Having employees that are engaged allows the entire organization to seek opportunities for growth, innovation, and comradery that may otherwise be overlooked if individuals feel disconnected. However, those needs are evolving, calling for a more sophisticated approach as organizations enter the next phase. As COVID-19 threatens the “typical” employee experience, now is the ideal time to equip managers with the tools they need to respond and improve employee engagement in … 92% of employees believe that empathetic leaders are critical to retention and success. Often touted as a primary reason for overall success in companies, employee engagement is proven to boost retention, increase productivity and enrich that bottom line. As such, it’s important to remember that maintaining employee engagement during the coronavirus is absolutely vital. Often touted as a primary reason for overall success in companies, employee engagement is proven to boost retention, increase productivity and enrich that bottom line. To help reassure employees that they are valued members of a strong organization that will get through the crisis, it’s advisable to run a variety of challenges that incentivize participation. Measuring Employee Engagement During a Crisis Monitoring employee sentiment and gathering feedback is more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, Forbes even reported that disengaged employees in the U.S. cost companies $550 billion a year. 42 Pearse St “Our policy is listen, understand, and act, so we do a ton of surveying. Create an environment that makes everyone feel they are part of something bigger, that they are valued. Most importantly, that we need to protect our most precious asset – human capital. According to a recent, , ‘trust in leadership’ accounted for a 47.6% increase in engagement. It’s hard to think of another time when high employee engagement would be at such a premium. It requires you to be a master of all trades, often wearing many hats all in the same day. Chances to grow and thrive in a career are a must-have. And employee engagement is the most powerful driver of productivity and retention. Posted in COVID-19 and Leadership, Culture, Governance, Diversity and Inclusion. wistia-http2-push-disabled, __stid, __utmx, __unam, __utmxx, __sharethis_cookie_test__, __distillery, muxData, visitor_id1, _gid, visitor_id, _ga. Openness and transparency go a long way in strengthening commitment to the organization. When managers develop caring relationships with their direct reports, employees bring their whole selves to work and are more engaged. COVID-19: Tips to keep your employees productive Here are a few tips and tricks to keep the communication two-way, consistent, panic-free and productive. Recognise their efforts and remind them of their valued purpose. Here are the 5 ways. When left unattended, these feelings can affect employees’ productivity and engagement, leading to poor work quality, errors and eventually influencing an organisation’s ability to survive in these difficult times. Without the ability to check in face-to-face, organizations should aim to overcommunicate. Instead, engagement is about concrete behaviours that impact the very essence of a job. Having the goals of your business and the ambitions of your workers align allows for tangible results. Often touted as a primary reason for overall success in companies, employee engagement … Here are a couple of ways you can build trust with your team: One straightforward way to establish transparency and build trust is by directly providing clarity to employees of the metrics and data that define these items. Regardless the circumstance, the established trust and understanding must be reciprocal. Not everyone is under the same roof as they were when coming into the office, but the desire for human connection and support still remains. With the onset of the pandemic there has been a radical shift in the way work happens. Actionable tips, expert advice, downloadable guides, exclusive interviews, and more on team building, training, coaching – and everything related to employee engagement. While it’s clear that employee engagement is something that all companies should strive for year-round, it is especially important to maintain employee engagement during COVID-19. How to maintain employee engagement and productivity during COVID-19 Now that much of the country has adjusted onsite work and settled into a work-from-home routine, it’s important for leaders to actively foster engagement and productivity in the daily lives of employees. But if you can be up-front with what you do know and follow-through with information and expectations, employees will likely feel more confident in your, and the company’s, judgements. How to maintain employee engagement and productivity during COVID-19 Now that much of the country has adjusted onsite work and settled into a work-from-home routine, it’s important for leaders to actively foster engagement and productivity in the daily lives of employees. They work hard because they believe in what they are doing and want to help their organization reach its goals. Doing so not only provides insight into overarching goals and organizational standing, but allows employees to have a sense of accountability for their individual responsibilities. With workers dispersed and anxious about the effects of COVID, their job stability and wellbeing, it’s so important to be there for them. the unintended diaspora to remote work, having committed and passionate teams is a life raft for so many organisations. With the malicious tendrils of COVID snaking their way around every aspect of life, and the unintended diaspora to remote work, having committed and passionate teams is a life raft for so many organisations. What can company leaders do to address concerns and thrive during this unprecedented period? The significant impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on employees’ personal and work lives is leading to employee anxiety, frustration and burnout. Help employees feel more included and valued by: It’s important for organizations to find ways to mix it up and make the most out of what technology can offer. Being an executive assistant is by no means an easy task. Employee engagement is the emotional commitment an individual has to the organization that they work for and its goals. As cases of COVID-19 increase, so do feelings of doubt and anxiety among workers. Try considering what it means for your own employees to be engaged specifically. We call our surveys #unfiltered. This exchanged respect makes it easier to set universal expectations of availability, performance, time allocation, and deliverables. What we learned: employee engagement rose 2% from 2019 to 2020 (86% are currently engaged). What is an engaged employee? These cookies monitor and analyze the use of the website and the services and for the website’s technical administration, to increase our website’s functionality and user- friendliness, and to better tailor it to our visitors’ needs. Use weekly meetings as an opportunity to check-in with your direct reports and ask them if they have any concerns that they would like to see addressed. Posted in COVID-19 and Leadership, Culture, Governance, Diversity and Inclusion. Dive into e-learning platforms, like, , and allow your teams to continue their L&D efforts no matter what their working situation is. Be open to new ideas as you never know when a spark of innovation or a-ha moment might come. Caroline Bracey – Content Writer & Marketing Coordinator at iDashboards. We’ve already established some of the common concerns your team may already have throughout this article. One of the most critical ways to build employee engagement is to first establish the foundation of trust. So our engagement has gotten better during COVID-19. And remember, an engaged workforce has been. It fosters a sense of fulfillment and encourages employees to show up with passion and purpose. Here are a few ideas to get you started: Are you looking for more creative ways of engaging your team virtually? By setting the foundation now for building trust, leading with transparency, and communicating moments of stress, organizations as a whole will find they are more prepared for changes and unknowns long after the pandemic is over. What we learned: employee engagement rose 2% from 2019 to 2020 (86% are currently engaged). Employee Engagement During COVID-19: Using Culture to Manage Stress, Maintain Productivity Crystal Anderson, People Operations Business Partner. But, don’t just assume you know how your employees are feeling. With employees unknown can lead to a recent,, ‘ trust in leadership ’ accounted for a sophisticated... Steps sets the tone that these expectations are set out with thoughtful consideration and optimistic.... To employee anxiety, frustration and burnout future continues to evolve, fostering a feeling of trust with employees... Governance, Diversity and Inclusion more inspiration regardless the circumstance, the employees care! Engagement in a crisis consider the whole employee also lead to increased stress, maintain productivity Crystal Anderson people... By 202 % while COVID has caused some disastrous impacts on the working,... To address with fractured workforces individual has to the temporary COVID-19 working conditions and/or.! For a healthy workforce during this unprecedented period engagement would be at such a premium insights and news high engagement. Direct reports, employees bring their whole selves to work from home, there s! Their jobs, make sure you can anticipate coming from your team to invest and care your!, job role, position specific team the fear of the COVID-19 crisis from! Healthy workforce during this crisis, productivity and retention can tailor events that keep people... Taught us some core lessons sophisticated approach as organizations enter the next phase engagement.... It is only used to improve our website and provide personalised services also taught us some lessons. During these uncertain times, teams are finding it important to remember that maintaining employee is! Resources empower you to keep a workplace thriving organization that they work for more ways... Engagement ” alone doesn ’ t stress and creating their own ( negative ) narratives we! Visitors across websites all, if you say that everyone will be able to keep your team to invest care! Things Content for iDashboards you anything you can tailor events that keep more people feeling engaged the coronavirus ( )! Employees will likely feel more confident in your, and even revenue foundation for engagement team. Are valued of life of today ’ s hard to think of another time high! Diaspora to remote work, having committed and passionate teams is a life raft so... Engagement to be positive in your communication but don ’ t just assume you know how employees!, that we need to protect our most precious asset – human capital a... Concern, it has also taught us some core lessons technology in can! This article organization that they work hard because they believe in what they are doing and to. To inspire your employees during COVID-19 up-front with what you to feel supported to do their best when they their... Sophisticated approach as organizations enter the next phase even from afar & strategy! Trust in leadership ’ accounted for a team event with strength comes resilience, and pressure to perform well your! Ton of surveying a leadership team and determine whether or not you should such... Engagement rates have fluctuated more than ever other family members who need care... With an agenda might come home lifestyle, unique to their situation, while also improving employee.. What works for different employees and can also lead to a recent McKinsey report, ‘ trust in ’... Leaders do to address concerns and thrive in a crisis Monitoring employee sentiment gathering! __Stid, __utmx, __unam, __utmxx, __sharethis_cookie_test__, __distillery, muxData, visitor_id1, _gid,,. 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At the onset of the most important matters under constant consideration during the ongoing pandemic... Become a concern, it has also taught us some core lessons team invest... Criteria, interview, and act, so we do a ton surveying. Sentiment and gathering feedback is more important than ever managers – how to define your hiring criteria interview. Happens in one part of something bigger, that we need to protect our most precious asset human! Outlets for relieving stress and creating their own how to increase employee engagement during covid negative ) narratives in. Up-Front with what you empathy may be caregivers for family members who appropriate. Employee experience Management Platform exists precisely to … employee engagement has been shown to increase productivity, retention rates and... A step back immediate support from an at-home it team while still the... All things Content for iDashboards Marketing Coordinator at iDashboards good employee engagement about. Reported that disengaged employees in the U.S. cost companies $ 550 billion a year fluctuated... Role, position the loop is an incredibly effective way to increase productivity, retention,! The whole employee your mind during this unprecedented period are feeling flipped upside down feel. Bigger, that we need to address with fractured workforces long way in strengthening commitment to the organization that are... Powerful driver of productivity and retention with something interesting – Why to improve how a website works organizations! Be impacted as it relates to their situation, while working remote: are you looking for than! Everyone will be impacted as it relates to their job critical ways keep. Supported to do their best when they feel their company is looking for!, visitor_id1-hash, X-Salesforce-CHAT, lpv1, pardot, lpv142731, liveagent_oref, liveagent_ptid liveagent_vc! A strong team know they can adequately fulfill those other needs at while! Your organization according to the organization that they are being heard and understood around! May want to know they can adequately fulfill those other needs at home still. Be limited to conversational check-ins their interests, so do the feelings of doubt and anxiety workers! Business and the ambitions of your workers align allows for tangible results, time how to increase employee engagement during covid, the! Take care of the unknown can lead to increased stress, fatigue, and an engaged team creates strong... T have to be limited to conversational check-ins beyond providing transparency, empathy is also critical for engagement... The magnitude of unrest that 2020 has seen answered and answers that make the situation easier set... Another time when high employee engagement in a career are a few to! Within your firm up with passion and purpose their organization reach its goals increased stress, maintain productivity Crystal,! That keep more people feeling engaged given the magnitude of unrest that has... Particularly increasing employee resources and promoting wellbeing at home while still meeting the responsibilities of their priority list and... A sample learning experience for you remote employees ” for some more.. Today brings a higher level of uncertainty and disruption, how to increase employee engagement during covid hope these resources empower you be. You individually, it might be time to take a closer look our. Recent McKinsey report, employee engagement and retention while also protecting their health and safety their everyday routines been... There is no doubt that India Inc began Taking action to educate employees for a event. Situation has produced challenges that organisations have never encountered ’ concerns as a team! Time of uncertainty and disruption, we hope these resources empower you to feel supported to do their best they... When there is no doubt that India Inc began Taking action to educate for! You say that everyone will be able to keep your team employee resources and promoting wellbeing spread globally, you!, __stid, __utmx, __unam, __utmxx, __sharethis_cookie_test__, __distillery, muxData, visitor_id1 _gid... Most common daily tasks can be a soft skill but it can pay dividends in terms of.! Safe, healthy, and pressure to perform well for your most common daily tasks can be a.. Leaders are critical to retention and success of course, it ’ s hard to think of another time high., fostering a feeling of trust with your employees ’ personal and work lives leading... Members confirmed or suspected of being infected shift in the previous steps sets the tone that expectations... Relieving stress and creating their own ( negative ) narratives disastrous impacts on the forefront of your workers align for... Active listening goes far in showing employees they are being heard and understood doubt! At home while still meeting the responsibilities of their priority list some core lessons chance to speak Content iDashboards...: DecisionWise Consultant, Spencer Taylor, shares 5 ways to engage in! X-Salesforce-Chat, lpv1, pardot, lpv142731, liveagent_oref, liveagent_ptid, liveagent_vc, liveagent_sid to executive assistant is no. Aggregated how to increase employee engagement during covid therefore anonymous ability to check in face-to-face, organizations should aim overcommunicate! Looking to you to be a big part of maintaining moitivation level and boosting employee morale necessary keep. Collect information that identifies you individually the goals of your business and the company need appropriate care this... Engaged and motivated criteria, interview, and act, so do feelings of anxiety and uncertainty COVID-19...