Keeping up team morale amid the second wave
Keeping team morale up amid the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to have been one of the biggest challenges faced by employers.
Although some employees may be enjoying the prolonged period of working from home, it’s worth noting that not all team members or their home environments are suited to remote working. Quite rightly, mental health has been highlighted as a potential issue as a result of the pandemic; with those who have been forced to work from home without the usual interaction of working with colleagues being amongst those that may suffer.
So what steps can employers take to ensure that team morale is maintained?
Communication
Good communication is one of the cornerstones of effective HR in any event, but has become even more important over the pandemic. Regular communication not only helps to ensure good workflow and productivity, it can also go a long way to promote morale.
As well as team meetings, employers or line managers should be sure to put regular one to one meetings with their team members in the diary. These should allow staff to discuss any issues they may be having, and for managers to identify any issues they may need to act upon.
Staff that have been working remotely since the start of the pandemic may miss the social interaction with colleagues, and employers may wish to encourage informal chats or organise remote social events.
Recognition
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a struggle for many people in many different ways, and sometimes, showing employees a little bit of recognition for the stresses and strains they may have experienced can go a long way.
This could come in many forms, for example an email or a small gift. Employers should also remember that even though this year has been an unusual one, staff development plans should not be forgotten. Any employees that had been in line for promotion and have continued to meet expectations should still be promoted. Employers that have been able to make savings from office costs whilst still turning a healthy enough profit may wish to reward staff with a pay rise, even if modest.
Promoting wellbeing
Many employers may pay lip service to promoting employee wellbeing, but not all go that further step of actively promoting or facilitating it. Allowing staff time within their working week for exercise or personal time might be one option. Providing access to an online programme of physical activity might be another.
Don’t forget those left behind
Making staff redundant can take its toll not only on those affected, but also the team as a whole. The team members left behind may find themselves with an increased workload, which could have a further knock-on impact on morale. Employers will need to ensure the careful management of employees that may be affected.
Keeping on top of employee issues whilst trying to manage a remote workforce can be a struggle. Seeking external advice can not only ease the burden of this role, but also allows for valuable external input.
Agenda’s business consultants are able to provide advice on employee matters and also offer specialist services such as psychometric profiles, which can significantly help to tailor the approach to the management of employees.
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