5 Ways To Keep Your Employees Motivated During Covid-19
Struggling to motivate your remote team during the global pandemic? Discover the 5 Ways To Keep Your Employees Motivated During Covid-19 to boost productivity and morale of your team.
5 Ways To Keep Your Employees Motivated During COVID-19
It’s safe to say the pandemic has significantly reduced the quality of our personal lives. And it wouldn’t be wrong to assume it has same impact on our professional careers - because the lines are simply too blurred.
Work and play have been intertwined, too much apparently, as most employees find themselves working longer hours, feeling like they’re constantly on standby.
Either looking out for the next email, or any abrupt but mandatory Zoom meetings.
The result? Unmotivated and disheartened individuals.
Companies are well aware of what’s going on, but have either decided to turn a blind eye to, or come short of rectifying the situation despite their best efforts.
If you fall in the former category, this is your wake up call. And if you’re the latter, here are 5 ways you can keep your employees motivated during COVID-19.
Encourage employees to take leave
Let’s face it – we aren’t travelling anywhere anytime soon. And one way or another, that is indirectly resulting in employees not actively using their leave days.
The off days used to be reserved for year-end vacations are now left in the “leave bank”, underutilised.
In an unprecedented pandemic like this, leaders are implored to implement compulsory off days, allowing their employees to disconnect and properly recharge.
As much as one may try to keep the motivation levels high at work, sometimes the best way to regain some of that enthusiasm is to actually take time off from work.
Dedicate time for social interactions (non-work related)
Remember the casual lunch conversations, Friday night gatherings, or even the water-cooler conversations in office?
They made work less boring, more tolerable, and the being around one another just promoted a whole lot more camaraderie – that which is absent in today’s remote working setting.
It is good to dedicate a specific time slot, usually once a week, for employees to hang out with one another and talk about anything that isn’t work.
Effective or not, it is a considerable attempt at promoting that closeness employees used to share when working in the office was a viable alternative.
Tip: If you have been trying those weekly virtual hangouts and the morale of the team still seem to be dwelling at the lower levels, try Trally Games.
Instead of hanging out talking through a screen, where most of them are on mute, you could have them go on a virtual Amazing Race that will actually take place somewhere in another country.
How it works: Just like an Amazing race, your team will have to solve puzzles and race to the end point as quickly as possible. A host, someone that is living halfway across the globe, will be your proxy as they will execute the decisions on behalf of your team.
Being an interactive game, chances are you won’t find any of your team members on mute, and it will definitely serve as a good session to de-stress after a long week at work.
Learn more about Trally Games.
Reward and recognition
The primary reason for feeling unmotivated, aside from the other countless reasons, is the lack of recognition or appreciation.
And even more so, when more and more employees are feeling like just a cog in the machine – churning out work, one document after another, only to have the same cycle repeat the next day.
Management should take the extra steps and encourage whenever necessary, or give credits when it’s due.
It may not take a lot out of you to do it, but make no mistake – it goes a long way for your team.
Promote autonomy at work
It is a trying time for many of us – rightfully so.
Instead of doubting their productivity and having spontaneous spot checks to make sure they’re getting the work done, try to have a little more faith.
Trust that when the company hired these talented individuals, that they are responsible for their own doings and are sensible enough to make sure the work gets done.
Give them all the direction you can offer, and let them take it from there.
Give them the trust to allow them to do their job without someone looking over their shoulders.
Give them the necessary resources, and in return they will deliver quality for the company.
Conduct regular 1:1 check-ins
It is impossible to check in with every single member in the company. Well unless you’re working in a start-up, but that’s beside the point. Which is why the onus is on each department’s lead to conduct regular individual check-ins with their members.
Here’s the deal with remote working: Messages are being conveyed through texts – which as we all know, carries as much emotions as their laptop can offer – almost none. We don’t get to see each other, and when have this wall between one another, misunderstandings are bound to happen.
Which is why having these regular check-ins is one of the most valuable investment that a leader can make.
Check in on their work progress.
Check in on their mental health.
Check in on their personal life, especially.
And well they are able to feel that they are being cared for and appreciated, best believe that you have another member of the team that will go the extra mile to make things happen at work.