Without complete commitment from your employees, even the most well designed strategies will face some form of adversity.
Without complete commitment from your employees, even the most well designed strategies will face some form of adversity. Employees who believe in the systems and policies in place will be more confident to return to work and will buy into the new policies. Empathy and clear communication is recommended for management. Understanding that while all employees have experienced this crisis, they have not all handled it in the same manner. A variety of factors play significant roles as to how each employee responds to returning.
For example, employees who have conditions that increase their risk of critical COVID-19 infection may be more reluctant to make their way back to the office. While on the other hand others may be eager to escape their quarantine responsibilities but cannot due to the health of their family members. Sensity to this reality cannot be an option.
Additionally, it is important to understand that employees will need time to assimilate to the ‘next normal’ of working in the post pandemic environment. For office employees particularly, a return to work will require a mental shift for those who have adjusted to working from home
In order to traverse these changes it is vital that management ensure their employees comprehend what is being asked of them and what the company will do to safeguard their wellbeing. Embracing a shared vision of what comes next will prepare executives to handle the challenges of re-acclimating their onsite workforce.
Communication is always a useful tool in any professional or social sphere. Allowing employees to make their challenges and concerns known may help to identify issues which may surface in their return-to-the-workplace plans. By creating an avenue for transparent discussions leaders can leverage the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity to embolden their corporate culture, increase employee engagement and optimize productivity and loyalty for the long haul.