As the world continues to rock and reel through concurrent stressors, companies need to reset and reevaluate their employee experience. In the wake of change and uncertainty, employee engagement programs are failing to meet employee needs.
It’s easy to understand why. There’s not an organization anywhere that’s escaped the pandemic and few signs point to us going back to what we considered normal soon.
Now the question is: How do we move from survive to thrive while continuing to live and work in uncertainty?
With fewer than 20 percent of leaders prioritizing investment addressing emotional health, equity & inclusion and culture, part of the communicator’s mission in 2021 is to find ways to inspire creativity, positivity and hope, and help employees find balance.
There are key questions organizations and communicators need to reflect on as they move forward:
- How can we cultivate collective strength?
- How can we stay committed to core values and beliefs?
- How can we maintain and strengthen culture while working remotely and apart?
- How can we encourage connection when distancing?
- How can we support employees’ well-being?
Even before COVID-19, there was demand for a new way to lead, communicate and work—one grounded in continual dialogue with all stakeholders. This is even more critical today. Below are engagement strategies that will help internal communicators set a course for a successful 2021.
Ask How They’re Doing
It’s obvious, but overlooked: To know what people want, listen. And do so with intention to act. What are the organization’s listening mechanisms? Company surveys and requests for feedback can feel daunting. Don’t let the process get in the way of the priority.
Shorter, more frequent and informal pulse surveys may be easier to collect employees’ responses. Then, leverage any chance you have to encourage two-way dialogue.
Ensure Q&A is a part of every meeting, use internal collaboration tools to post short polls or invite feedback and encourage frequent one-to-one conversations.
Remember the most crucial step: when employees take the time to share input, follow-up is imperative. Let them know they’ve been heard, then provide a road map for action based on the input. This is key to creating trust.
Help Managers Manage
Leaders and manager play an integral role in the wellness of a team. Managing in a virtual environment, with myriad stressors, means additional workload and strain. Plus, some leaders might find themselves wading into emotional territory far outside their comfort zone.
Take off some of the pressure. Arm leaders and managers with coaching, resources and tools to direct and handle difficult, even sensitive, conversations. Remember many managers are reporting high burnout rates as they struggle to provide extra empathy, agility and resourcefulness to support teams. Help them.
Employees juggling family life can find the pandemic as challenging as single people fighting feelings of isolation. This is true for everyone in the org chart. So, avoid making assumptions. A good rule of thumb is to remember we’re all in the same storm, but not the same boat.
Feeling Vulnerable is OK
Situations we’ve never faced are part of our daily lives. We must consider safety in new ways, from errands to play dates to family gatherings. Parents are pushed to the limit with full-time work and kids learning from home.
Living with the unknown is the norm now. Only when communicators listen and understand employee challenges can they create steps to manage those hurdles.
Every company is different. Same for employees. Leaders need a clear picture of what employees really are facing. This can help lead organizations to empower staff to learn to ask for help and reinforce that feeling vulnerable is OK.
The goal is to create safe spaces where staff can speak about their struggles and encourage colleagues to do the same. Again, this is not easy, yet it’s critical. Create opportunities for employees to connect with colleagues. Safe havens where they can share and support each other.
Set Boundaries & Realistic Expectations
Communicators need to mindfully identify what we need to be our best selves. Use the new year as a time to prompt staff to take personal and professional inventories to determine what they need to operate with purpose. These can be reviewed one-on-one or as group exercises. Challenge employees to listen to and learn what each team member needs to perform their best work.
What new rituals can we build into our days to give ourselves the space to thrive? What is working to help keep you sane, focused and positive? What will keep you protected from the negative? Is this a good time to reevaluate social media uses and exposure to breaking news?
Organizationally, consider incorporating mindfulness and relaxation exercises into group meetings. One fail-safe approach is to do what works: Lean hard on calendars. Block and prioritize time to make sure staff is meeting the need for balance, whether it’s a workout or walk, spending time with children doing schoolwork, making time for midday meditation, or checking out with a favorite book or podcast. Promote the idea that the organization believes these ‘appointments’ are as sacred as meetings and staff will be more likely to honor them.
New Ways to Connect
As we emerge from survival mode, companies need to think about how to illuminate positivity and celebrate great work people are doing during—and despite—a challenging time.
In our remote lives, we’ve lost a lot of the camaraderie of sharing with our office families. How can you recreate the bonding of the watercooler? Or unplanned hallway chats?
Consider scheduling timeouts. Arrange for 15-minute small-group meetings that pair different employees with one rule: No work talk.
Make fun and creativity priorities when it comes to fostering new ways of collaboration and processes. Invest in putting team bonding on agendas, whether it’s virtual happy hours or group education workshops. Consider creating activities that help build gratitude muscles, where we take moments to celebrate what’s working and to honor accomplishments and small victories.
How are we up-leveling opportunities to inspire each other, and sharing pandemic tips and tricks, including new hobbies, talents, interests and skills that bring joy? Learning from one another can inspire goodwill and positively impact teams.
Learning New Ways Requires Grace
Individuals and brands must move to a place of empowerment, where we embrace the unknown and new ways of working. This space will manifest what we need as individuals to feel supported, do our best work and create more balance. It’s not easy, and progress might not be as apparent as we’d like. But, it’s possible we’re at a tipping point.
It’s time to double down on empathy and connection. To look backward at last spring, and marvel at how far your organization has come. To take stock in collective resilience and learning. And share that with work communities.
Making it through 2020 is reason for pride. Now, set your course for 2021, so that our future selves—and employees—can look back and say, ‘I’m grateful for the changes and new approaches that were put in place.’
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