It’s been half a year since the initial news of a possible virus and several months since the pandemic went global and shut down countries across the world. It has caused stress in our businesses and, for many of us, the virus has struck close to home. While health and happiness of our team should always be a top priority, it’s critical now more than ever that we’re taking care of our employees as we navigate the uncertainties of 2020.
Turn on the news and you’re instantly bombarded with numbers and statistics that are just plain scary. There’s confusion about who to trust and what is deemed as accurate. For many of us, the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t just been an attack on physical health but on mental health as well. Although there’s little we can do on a grand scale, we can still make a difference in our communities and in our business by helping to lift others up as we see this one through.
Although we’re at a stage where we can discuss returning to work, the pandemic is not over and we need to continue prioritizing our team’s safety and morale. Leadership is showing up for those who look to you for guidance, so let’s look at a few ways you can spread the positivity and ensure every team member stays safe and sane.
Take your time first
Think about the oxygen masks we learn about on the airplane every time we fly. Leadership is a lot like that: You must take care of yourself before you can help someone else. Before addressing your team, make sure that you have your own feelings in check. Your employees will respond to your reactions, so you need to come to them with compassion and a plan in place. Remain calm and avoid rushing to make any major decisions.
Hear them out
Your employees are experiencing different reactions to the pandemic, so you need to take a moment to check in with each one personally. Ask them how they are feeling and how you can support them best in these times. If you’re considering reopening soon, speak to each team member to see how they feel about returning to work. Some may be ready to get out of the house, but others may be understandably wary about returning to ‘normal’ at this time. Accommodate them to the best of your ability, with remote work options for those who aren’t quite ready to return to the office.
Lift their spirits
Much of the pandemic is out of our control, so dwelling on the negativity doesn’t serve anyone. While we should be talking through our feelings, we can also help to cheer up our employees by bringing more laughter and smiles to their day. If you’re in the office, it could mean having a kitchen competition or a team break to watch silly videos on YouTube. On a remote level, consider hosting a team happy hour on Zoom, organizing surprise deliveries of treats, or sending a virtual gift card to your employees to treat themselves. A little bit of self-care goes a long way and, as the leader, you can help them feel better wherever they are.
Implement safety procedures
Returning to work will be difficult for many people, but it will be much easier if they know that there are new policies and guidelines put in place to protect their health. Consider staggering schedules to start, limiting the number of people in the office each day. Hanging out masks, providing sanitizer, and employing temperature checks are all simple ways to safeguard your team and ensure that they feel as comfortable as possible when going back to the office.
At the end of the day, we’re all going through this together. If we want to come out stronger on the other side, we need to show up for our people and keep pushing forward one day at a time. It starts with a positive attitude and, in your business, you can make a difference that will have ripple effects throughout your community.
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