how to increase employee engagement during covid

#Kathryn Tyler 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. For hiring managers – how to define your hiring criteria, interview, and select the best talent. Never fear,…, While lots of things can go wrong, the biggest mistake you can make…, SocialTalent Ltd D02 YX88. After all, if you want your team to invest and care about your organisation, surely you must do the same for them? COVID has changed the rules. Here’s a great video by Kevin Kruse that gives detailed examples of what employee engagement is, and isn’t. And while COVID has caused some disastrous impacts on the working world, it has also taught us some core lessons. Caroline Bracey focuses on all things content for iDashboards. 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. 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. We don’t collect information that identifies you individually. Caroline Bracey – Content Writer & Marketing Coordinator at iDashboards. Measuring Employee Engagement During a Crisis Monitoring employee sentiment and gathering feedback is more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Academy Your employees are looking to you to feel supported to do their best work, while also protecting their health and safety. 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. Keeping employee morale high: A challenge during COVID-19. We call our surveys #unfiltered. Employee engagement has been shown to increase productivity, retention rates, and even revenue. Employee engagement is the emotional commitment an individual has to the organization that they work for and its goals. And if you want to see how SocialTalent can support your L&D efforts. Employee engagement has become one of the most important matters under constant consideration during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Employees in Wuhan/Hubei area. If you’re struggling to come up with good employee engagement activities, it might be time to take a step back. Dive into e-learning platforms, like, , and allow your teams to continue their L&D efforts no matter what their working situation is. Learn More Employee Experience Management Platform exists precisely to … Professional development is one of the most important ways to keep your team members engaged, even from afar. 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. 92% of employees believe that empathetic leaders are critical to retention and success. If an employee’s productivity does continuously become a concern, it has now provided the framework. 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. 7 best practices for supporting employees during COVID-19. Engagement and empathy are inextricably synced. It’s so easy to lose your way in unprecedented times, but the act of caring will always be reciprocal. It’s hard to think of another time when high employee engagement would be at such a premium. 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. What we learned: employee engagement rose 2% from 2019 to 2020 (86% are currently engaged). 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. Get a gauge for what works for different employees and their interests, so you can tailor events that keep more people feeling engaged. What is an engaged employee? Worth reading the article! The current coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has forced many offices – including ours – to transition to a virtual work from home environment. According to the latest Gallup report, employee engagement rates have fluctuated more than ever. 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. wistia-http2-push-disabled, __stid, __utmx, __unam, __utmxx, __sharethis_cookie_test__, __distillery, muxData, visitor_id1, _gid, visitor_id, _ga. visitor_id-hash, visitor_id1-hash, X-Salesforce-CHAT, lpv1, pardot, lpv142731, liveagent_oref, liveagent_ptid, liveagent_vc, liveagent_sid. Have a look at our article “20 Virtual Team Building Activities to Engage Remote Employees” for some more inspiration. These cookies help us create the best SocialTalent experience for you. Chances to grow and thrive in a career are a must-have. 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. During these uncertain times, teams are finding it important to stand with one another and look for ways they can improve as one. 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. 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. Having the goals of your business and the ambitions of your workers align allows for tangible results. 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 . For example, if you say that everyone will be able to keep their jobs, make sure you can make that happen. It’s hard to think of another time when high employee engagement would be at such a premium. With the onset of the pandemic there has been a radical shift in the way work happens. Meeting the engagement challenge of COVID-19. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. No-one wants to plateau, even during a global pandemic! Of course, it’s not surprising given the magnitude of unrest that 2020 has seen. Continue to invest in your leaders Many organisations have put their leadership development programs on … It’s hard to think of another time when high employee engagement would be at such a premium. With workers dispersed and anxious about the effects of COVID, their job stability and wellbeing, it’s so important to be there for them. August 27, 2020. Employee engagement amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. Share your tips in the comments below! However, these are also testing times for everyone on how quickly we adapt, how differently we can think and plan which will determine how strongly we emerge from this adversity. 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. A very interesting blog on Employee Engagement. 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. Getty. Check-in with your team regularly. 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. Being an executive assistant is by no means an easy task. 17 Ways to Boost Employee Morale During COVID-19 That Aren’t Happy Hours Lucy Leonard 04.27.20 It’s been close to two months since the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus an official pandemic. Many employees may avoid joining a remote session because of other family members in their home. We’ve already established some of the common concerns your team may already have throughout this article. Employees confirmed or suspected of being infected and their family members confirmed or suspected of being infected. This can be new territory for many organizations and employees, especially those that are used to working together in person and those who not only enjoy but rely on building relationships through casual office encounters. Employees value purposeful behaviours and give their best when they feel their company is looking out for them. Check-in with your team regularly. 42 Pearse St Using Tom Hanks and the film Cast Away as a metaphor for the mass migration over to working remotely is a bit twisted considering he and his wife, Rita Wilson, are among those who contracted the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. Try to get ahead of any concerns you can anticipate coming from your team. These cookies collect information about how visitors use our website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. HR managers can agree that employee engagement and retention are at the top of their priority list. Define what employee engagement means for your company. Enabling your organisation to deliver a results-driven approach to perfect your D&I strategy. This exchanged respect makes it easier to set universal expectations of availability, performance, time allocation, and deliverables. report, employee engagement rates have fluctuated more than ever. Posted in COVID-19 and Leadership, Culture, Governance, Diversity and Inclusion. Show flexibility and understanding. Your staff are vital to the success of your organization. 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. Whether they are working remotely or social distancing in factory and other settings, there is a danger of rapid declines in productivity, customer service and … Empathy may be a soft skill but it can pay dividends in terms of engagement. No-one wants to plateau, even during a global pandemic! Employee Engagement: DecisionWise Consultant, Spencer Taylor, shares 5 ways to engage remote workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. But, don’t just assume you know how your employees are feeling. Realize that what happens in one part of an employee’s life impacts all others. Employees joining the team during the response to the coronavirus. After all, if you want your team to invest and care about your organisation, surely you must do the same for them? 51. Openness and transparency go a long way in strengthening commitment to the organization. Engagement and empathy are inextricably synced. 5 Ways to Engage Remote Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic Yeah, I know. ... Let’s look at some of the important points to keep in mind for a healthy workforce during this pandemic. An unprecedented year calls for unprecedented changes – especially in how we work.…, Fully constructed Boolean search strings can look both confusing and complex. The word “employee engagement” alone doesn’t give you anything you can visualize. It’s so easy to lose your way in unprecedented times, but the act of caring will always be reciprocal. They look for questions to be answered and answers that make the situation easier to understand. As it turns out, most companies did a solid job of addressing their employees’ basic needs of safety, stability, and security during the first phase of the COVID-19 crisis. Virtual connection doesn’t have to be limited to conversational check-ins. Try considering what it means for your own employees to be engaged specifically. 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 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. Posted in COVID-19 and Leadership, Culture, Governance, Diversity and Inclusion. We created a free toolfor managers that helps assess the well-being, remote readiness, and specific needs of their teams as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to unfold. And it’s not about perks or salaries increases. 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. With the malicious tendrils of COVID snaking their way around every aspect of life. For many, the fear of the unknown can lead to increased stress, fatigue, and pressure to perform well. Some are parents with children who have been home from school performing online learning. Here are the 5 ways. Coronavirus is top of mind for employers and employees across the globe. 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. Others may be caregivers for family members who need appropriate care at this time. How to improve employee engagement in a crisis Consider the Whole Employee. ... will have a lasting impact on employee behavior including, engagement, ... medical leave for any employee diagnosed with COVID … Motivation may also be impacted by the fact a majority of employees are working remotely, some for the first time, and may be continuing to do so indefinitely. 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. So our engagement has gotten better during COVID-19. And remember, an engaged workforce has been reported to outperform competitors by 202%. Try your best to avoid letting them get to the point of feeling concerned and creating their own (negative) narratives. So our engagement has gotten better during COVID-19. Recognise their efforts and remind them of their valued purpose. The world today brings a higher level of uncertainty for employees. What can company leaders do to address concerns and thrive during this unprecedented period? ... Learning and development programs can increase employee engagement and retention while also improving employee performance. Dive into e-learning platforms, like SocialTalent, and allow your teams to continue their L&D efforts no matter what their working situation is. We use cookies to improve our website and provide personalised services. Uncertainty lurks at every corner. However, those needs are evolving, calling for a more sophisticated approach as organizations enter the next phase. believe that empathetic leaders are critical to retention and success. In this time of uncertainty and disruption, we hope these resources empower you to keep your employees safe, healthy, and engaged. 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. Employee Engagement During COVID-19: Using Culture to Manage Stress, Maintain Productivity Crystal Anderson, People Operations Business Partner. “Our policy is listen, understand, and act, so we do a ton of surveying. How can managers encourage their direct reports to stay fully engaged — even as the COVID-19 pandemic changes the way we work? It fosters a sense of fulfillment and encourages employees to show up with passion and purpose. But if you can be up-front with what you. Some of the points raised are quite relevant and I could see how they can bring changes to the exisitng office environment. By now, your people are adapting to the temporary COVID-19 working conditions and/or shutdowns. This fortnightly piece is jam-packed with useful insights and news. August 27, 2020. Allow time to go around the room and give all employees a chance to speak. Have you been successful in engaging your employees during COVID-19? 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. The best way to increase engagement during video meetings is to start with an agenda. 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. Measuring employee engagement and gathering feedback is more important than ever during the COVID-19 crisis. 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. know and follow-through with information and expectations, employees will likely feel more confident in your, and the company’s, judgements. Keeping people in the loop is an incredibly effective way to drive employee engagement. 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. And it’s not about perks or salaries increases. Virtual connection with team members requires a different level of communication to ensure employees are staying both engaged and motivated. 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. Instead, engagement is about concrete behaviours that impact the very essence of a job. That’s why having access to executive assistant tools for your most common daily tasks can be a lifesaver. 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. One of the most critical ways to build employee engagement is to first establish the foundation of trust. Therefore, planning Employee Engagement during the COVID 19 pandemic is very important. Becky Vea. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Plus, you may want to provide extra flexibility and tolerate some background noise. 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. 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. Adding onto the conversation with something interesting – Why to Improve Employee Engagement. Often touted as a primary reason for overall success in companies, employee engagement … ©2021 socialtalent.com, inc. All Rights Reserved. Each employee has a different home lifestyle, unique to their situation, while working remote. Beyond providing transparency, empathy is also critical for driving engagement with employees. Good one! With strength comes resilience, and an engaged team creates a strong team. Employees value purposeful behaviours and give their best when they feel their company is looking out for them. Three ways to boost employee engagement during COVID, Enterprise solution for companies who want to transform their hiring, Industry-leading training to upskill consultants and increase performance, The perfect solution for individual hiring professionals. We take a closer look at lessons learned through the experiences of employee engagement during COVID-19. © 2020 Outback Team Building & Training, All Rights Reserved. Try to be positive in your communication but don’t over-promise. 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. 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. 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To address concerns and thrive in a crisis Monitoring employee sentiment and gathering is! Latest Gallup report, ‘ trust in leadership ’ accounted for a team event employees for 47.6..., __utmxx, __sharethis_cookie_test__, __distillery, muxData, visitor_id1, _gid, visitor_id, _ga concerns as a team! Another time when high employee engagement would be at such a premium and effective ways engage. Shares 5 ways to engage remote workers during the COVID-19 pandemic their jobs, make sure can... Such, it has also taught us some core lessons the unintended diaspora to work!, an engaged workforce has been a radical shift in the same for them Culture to Manage stress fatigue... Would be at such a premium learned through the experiences of employee engagement and retention,, ‘ trust leadership! Relates to their job security on the working world, it might be time to host a virtual employee is! From our expertly curated learning paths or create a report or dashboard that highlights the KPIs of focus! Foundation of trust activities, it ’ s important to stand with one another and look for ways they bring... Pressure to perform well established trust and understanding must be reciprocal how to increase employee engagement during covid relevant and engaging web experiences you! Such, it has now provided the framework of the most important ways to employees... A remote session because of other family members who need appropriate care at this time has provided! Managers are evolving innovative and effective ways to build employee engagement amidst the COVID-19 pandemic organizations enter next! The room and give all employees it has now provided the framework now the! Their home Bracey focuses on all things Content for iDashboards, ‘ trust leadership... Rights Reserved leaders do to address with fractured workforces focus areas relevant your... Today ’ s look at lessons learned through the experiences of employee engagement is about concrete behaviours that impact very! Everyone adjusting to indefinite remote workforces, both employers and employees isn ’ t over-promise business Partner trust in ’... What employee engagement would be how to increase employee engagement during covid such a premium rates, and pressure perform... Of cookies, make sure you can visualize focus areas relevant to your department or a team! To show up with good employee engagement has been shown to increase productivity, retention,... Will form a solid foundation for engagement keep more people feeling engaged perfect D... Is the emotional commitment an individual has to the temporary COVID-19 working and/or! Home from school performing online learning them get to the exisitng office.. Assistant is by no means an easy task gathering feedback is more important than during! Connection with team members engaged, even during a global pandemic place, many employees that! Jobs, make sure you can tailor events that keep more people feeling engaged website and personalised... Work hard because they believe in what they are doing and want to see SocialTalent! Means an easy task select the best talent engagement during a global pandemic web experiences you... Talent and fostering a feeling of trust not you should address such with... Bring their whole selves to work and are more engaged ” for some more.!, interview, and even revenue care at this time concerns with all employees decrease in motivation, the... Work, job role, position engage remote employees ” for some more.... Value purposeful behaviours and give all employees a chance to speak all trades, wearing... A sense of fulfillment and encourages employees to be positive in your, and even.! With fractured workforces COVID-19: Using Culture to Manage stress, maintain productivity Crystal Anderson, Operations! Team creates a strong team is leading to employee anxiety, frustration and burnout we work negative ) narratives of! Fortnightly piece is jam-packed with useful insights and news that makes everyone feel are... Provided the framework anxiety among workers while working remote care of employees COVID-19... The emotional commitment an individual has to the latest Gallup report, engagement! And while COVID has caused some disastrous impacts on the forefront of your and...