What to do as an employer to maintain an engaged workforce? Republished under license. That is the key finding of a recent survey undertaken by intermediary Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing (Howden). Although there is no silver bullet for changing the employee experience during a crisis, there are improvements and progress that HR leaders can make today to positively impact how their employees work from home as their organizations build out digital workspace strategies to meet remote-first goals. The effort that employers make now to remain connected to their teams will be rewarded as engaged employees will be more likely to return and contribute when the business is able to return to normal functions. What to keep in mind when disaster strikes. Lack of clarity can create huge unrest among employees. Keeping employees engaged during Covid-19 requires two things: connection and recognition. (02:50) At EFI, you Lead and manage the HR portfolio for organizations in the Asia Pacific region and your focus Areas are Leadership Development, Employee Engagement, Change Management, Manager Essentials, to name a few. 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. Based on our decades of experience teaching executives around the world, we have seen first-hand that every leader at some point will have to navigate a crisis or two. “When someone shows a red, we say ‘thank you for that visibility.’ When we work a red to a yellow, we thank everybody. Exercise Challenges. I've been working in the employee engagement field for 24 years now and I still find that one of the most interesting moments arrives when calamities occur, whether natural or human-made. When the time comes, let employees know what you are doing to prepare to ramp up operations and how much you are looking forward to welcoming them back. Striking a balance between pushing performance and maintaining morale will … Consider setting up a schedule for regular communication and invite employees to attend and contribute. Encouraging and providing employees with opportunities to learn and develop their skills while they are off work will show that you are still interested and invested in them. Focus on employee engagement.. Keep your door open--literally and figuratively--so employees who want to talk about... 2. As employees transition to remote work in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic, new insights on how to effectively manage virtual employee engagement during a crisis are emerging. Employee Engagement; Share this. Need help improving employee engagement? Conversations surrounding the future of work have been happening for a while. Start a practice of sending regular updates to your people (daily if you can), even if there’s not much new to share. The research suggests than more than … The good news is that, generally-speaking, employee engagement is moving in the right direction as organisations recognise the importance of emotionally-intelligent leadership. The result — by 2010, WD-40 had reported its best financials in its 57-year history. Managing Change During a Crisis During times of crisis, organizational leaders should establish feelings of trust with employees by communicating accurate and clear information continuously. Measuring employee engagement and gathering feedback is more important than ever during the COVID-19 crisis. Striking a balance between pushing performance and maintaining morale will be a crucial skill in the coming weeks and months. Conversations surrounding the future of work have been happening for a while. Bupa closely tracks global employee engagement with Glint during COVID-19 crisis. Organizational change can be a daunting challenge for people leaders who are also experiencing personal change. Employees will remember for a long time how they were treated during a crisis. As we look ahead, the world of recruitment will likely be very different post-crisis as impacted employers across the entire country will be challenged to recall and re-establish their workforces. Keep employees involved.. People just want to help, especially in tough times. Generate excitement around the return of employees and invite them to participate and contribute ideas to help rebuild the business. Allow employees to create posts, share funny jokes, photos/videos, Run a contest and encourage employees to create a fun hashtag for everyone to use and share on social media, Send out weekly newsletters, emails – encourage contributions (Employees at True Key Hotels & Resorts are encouraged to submit stories and photos for weekly Pet Profiles in their newsletter), Offer a weekly video drop-in call – set up groups on Zoom, Facetime, WhatsApp or Skype, Share/post inspirational videos or podcast. In tough times we have a built-in tendency to give more attention to problems and perceived threats than positive things happening around us. Employee Engagement Managing employee experience in times of crisis while maintaining business continuity. Eventually this crisis will pass and when it does, businesses will want to be prepared to bring their employees back and return to operations as quickly as possible. 7 Ways to Increase Employee Engagement During the Health Crisis. The return of engaged employees will not only mean reduced recruitment and training costs, it will also mean a speedier return to productivity and revenue generation as employees will be well positioned to welcome guests back and deliver a high-quality service experience that they will be craving. Say thank you. On the contrary, in times of challenge, keeping people motivated and optimistic is more vital than ever. Learn More About Talent Management During the COVID-19 Crisis During a crisis like Covid-19, show your employees how you’re making an impact as a company or as a team. This is probably one of the more pressing questions for leaders in Malaysia. However, those needs are evolving, calling for a more sophisticated approach as organizations enter the next phase. During the time of a crisis, sales would fall, cash flows from receivable accounts could slow down and supplies could become scarce or costly. Ongoing training or personal development during a lay off may also help some individual cope within a difficult situation, where much is outside of their control. And while employee engagement is … Projects that were on track were green, yellow indicated the initiative had issues, and red signaled a program was behind schedule. In the midst of the last global crisis in 2008, WD-40 Company chief executive Garry Ridge recalls that fear was beginning to consume his employees. It’s in the worst of times that great leaders are made. All other marks featured on this website are marks of third parties, used under license. ", Customer Service Certification on Diversity and Inclusion, 910-850 West Hastings Street Fostering Employee Engagement During a Time of Crisis Share this: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many tourism and hospitality employers have suddenly been faced with making tough business and financial decisions in order to comply with government legislated restrictions (e.g. Measuring employee engagement is a different practice during any recessionary period, let alone one as life-altering as this one. Email. Encourage employees to reach out and remain in contact with you and their fellow colleagues. research was to determine factors that lead to employee engagement, well-being, and work effectiveness during and after a crisis. How do you innovate during the COVID-19 pandemic? The existing literature on employee commitment, employee engagement and employee crisis management capability building is discussed to develop a model and the model is validated using a case study of Taj Hotel Mumbai employee initiatives during the terrorist attack on the hotel. Email: Contact Us. He put in place a policy of “no lying, no faking, no hiding conversations.” This would be one company, he said, that would actually up the investment in employee learning and development during the downturn. It speaks volumes of employee engagement in. For many employees, the workplace provides a social connection and when that connection is lost (or changed temporarily), people begin to feel isolated. Fax: 1-844-367-5163 Tips to Motivate Your Employees during a Lockdown Engagement through Virtual Contests and Activities. Let employees know they are making a difference in their work every day. Most of these are tremendously important for the ultimate employee experience, especially during a crisis. During a crisis, when external factors impact your employees, these factors may jump around in importance. Employee engagement levels may have actually improved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our deepest condolences to you, and Kathleen’s family. Employee development contributes to higher employee engagement, which is hugely important in our current state. Based on our decades of experience teaching executives around the world, we have seen first-hand that every leader at some point will have to navigate a crisis or two. Given this major change in working conditions, leaders need to incorporate innovative approaches to keep employee engagement and productivity high. Read later. … Develop a watercooler channel for posting random news, pointless debates, and GIFs to mimic the camaraderie that happens over coffee when everyone is together. That would be a difficult task given the state of the economy, but Ridge greased the skids by communicating with his people every day. For example, you could ask employees to share images of the lockdown in their locality. go2HR, SuperHost and Winning Pitch are trademarks of go2 Tourism HR Society. Jarrett Jedlicka, VP & Principal, Industry Advisory – Healthcare at Ceridian shares how organizations can support employee wellness and engagement during times of crisis. I've been working in the employee engagement field for 24 years now and I still find that one of the most interesting moments arrives when calamities occur, whether natural … All Rights Reserved. As employees transition to remote work in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic, new insights on how to effectively manage virtual employee engagement during a crisis are emerging. A celebration, particularly during this challenging time may also provide a welcome, and likely much needed, positive distraction for you and your team. Vancouver, BC V6C 1E1, Tel: 604-633-9787 In an environment where information is withheld or not communicated properly, rumours take the place of facts. Keep working with each person on goals aligned with their personal motivators to help them stretch. Let’s think back to why employee engagement became such a hot topic in the first place… Evidence continues to suggest that employee engagement has a significant positive effect on organizational commitment ; Engaged employees are likely to go beyond their expected amount of … To help managers maintain employee performance and engagement, Gartner Inc. has identified six initiatives HR can implement. Employee engagement is a proven leading indicator of productivity. While employee engagement might not be on the forefront of your mind during this crisis, productivity and employee retention should be. Provide Tips and Training to Help Remote Employees Manage Their Time. If the company successfully recovers from a brand crisis, they will ultimately be stronger and more resilient on the other side. But, how can managers afford not to spend more time attending to problems than looking for opportunities to be grateful? Studies also show that the longer people are off work, the less likely they are to return in any capacity. When employees aren’t sure what’s happening around them, it’s easy to become suspicious. Provide training opportunities that align with employee personal interests and/or development goals, help set them up for success when they return to work. “The whole thing is really based on gratitude,” he said. Employee engagement during disasters and moments of national crisis. Below are a few strategies leaders can use to help keep team members engaged and focused during this latest crisis we found ourselves in. Show employees how much they mean to you and your business by taking time to recognize and celebrate special occasions with employees. By withholding our gratitude in tough times, we end up shooting ourselves in the foot, said Mark Tercek, president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. A Brand Reachout Initiative Employee Engagement Keeping employees informed and connected during a crisis. Hold a weekly one-on-one with each employee to get an update about their accomplishments during the week and what they will be focused on the following week. Employee relationship management activity helps in strengthening the bond among the employees and ensures that each one is contented and enjoys a healthy relation with each other. Thankfully, there is a lot you can do to help your people move up from the first two levels in Maslow's hierarchy. ... During the time of a crisis, sales would fall, cash flows from receivable accounts could slow down and supplies could become scarce or costly. Published 05 September 2017 Tags. As employee engagement goes up, productivity goes up (as does retention and safety). Not only does this practice help employees feel valued, supported and engaged but it can help organizations identify blind spots, improve and frame communications and ultimately, improve their processes and policies. I had an opportunity to observe an organization go through a loss of business in one of the verticals. In fact, 90 percent of workers say they are more likely to stay at an employer that takes and acts on feedback. As devastating as the COVID-19 crisis has been, it has also highlighted opportunities to strengthen organizational culture, such as the transition to Collaborative Learning.. For Joe, Dermira’s learning playbook was a way to tell every member of their staff how much they were valued. “In stressful times, I’m sometimes not conscientious enough to be mindful of all the many, many people who are helping me. Ridge also instructed his managers on how to lead with gratitude by showing them the benefits of regularly expressing sincere appreciation to their team, helping keep morale high and his people focused on the right behaviours. Linked In . After restructuring or an acquisition, people's roles may undergo … Employee relationship management includes various activities undertaken by the superiors or the management to develop a healthy relation among the employees and extract the best out of each team member. It can provide a distraction, something to look forward to and work towards, and provide a sense of accomplishment (and another reason to celebrate) when completed. This vertical had employees located in both the US and India. An engagement strategy is essential during a recession. Where possible, offer assistance, share local resources and information that may be of help to employees (and encourage others to do the same). As founders of the global training company, The Culture Works, they work with organizations around the world to address employee engagement, leadership, and organizational culture. Employee engagement during a crisis How Athene Communications can help. Employee Engagement Strategies You’ll need to continue to assess employee engagement data in subsequent installments throughout the duration of the crisis. When I am more mindful, more aware, more thankful, everybody’s more engaged, focused, and productive.”. You may have to call in experts, but... 3. Tags: Adrian Gostick, change management, Chester Elton, COVID-19, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Pandemic. ICYMI: With a unique virtual stage setup, endless energy, & sharp insight @shawnkanungo has been earning high prais… https://t.co/0gkQxnhcks —Rahm Emanuel . How to engage employees during unstable times is not an easy feat. A lack of openness and honesty is going to lead to more fear. The world has an employee engagement crisis, with serious and potentially lasting repercussions for the global economy. The existing literature on employee commitment, employee engagement and employee crisis management capability building is discussed to develop a model and the model is validated using a case study of Taj Hotel Mumbai employee initiatives during the terrorist attack on the hotel. Employee distrust can grow during a crisis and can be the result of misunderstanding the intentions of others — especially leaders. That’s why so many organizations have made employee engagement a priority. Employee Engagement Specialist Axel Schiphof answers in a webinar. If possible, invite your employees to be part of any efforts or initiatives that allow them to feel they can personally make a difference or lend their skills to a solution. When employees aren’t sure what’s happening around them, it’s easy to become suspicious. Amid the current global pandemic, find out how workplace tools help replicate workplace engagement and productivity in the new universal workspace. What to keep in mind when disaster strikes. Bringing employees together through contests and activities conducted virtually is the easiest way to keep them on their toes. This has meant temporarily having to close their doors and/or scaling back their workforces through lay-offs and in many cases terminations. 1 day ago, @MarnieMcB Marnie, we are so sorry to hear this sad news. The, Start an e-card and encourage employees to add a personalized note, photo or other image (Check out, Arrange a surprise video call with the rest of the team, Coordinate employees to decorate their vehicles with balloons and signs for a drive-by celebration, Coordinate a surprise delivery to the employee’s home (flowers, pizza or other meal), Take photos of video chats and share on social media (use the hashtag from tip #1 above), Plan a welcome back/thanks for sticking with us event for employees, Post/share photos via emails or social media – “We are getting ready to open… all we need is you!” (Check out the Daily Greeting videos on Predator Ridge Resort’s, Host video calls and invite employees to contribute ideas for reopening activities or events, Send links and resources for training that you know may be of interest to them, A number of industry-related training programs are offering online training for free or discounted fees in recognition of the COVID-19 crisis, including, Consider other free learning apps such as. When employees aren’t sure what’s happening around them, it’s easy to become suspicious. physical distancing measures) as well as maintaining the viability of their business. How to improve employee engagement in a crisis Consider the Whole Employee. People are feeling ‘Wow. With that said, not only is it okay but encouraged, to connect with employees who have been laid off. 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. This is probably one of the more pressing questions for leaders in Malaysia. Below are 4 tips to help employers stay in contact and maintain relationships with employees who are on a temporary layoff: 1. … Remain connected, as individuals and a team. 2 days ago, RT @kwillism: "Build bridges, not fences." Employee distrust can grow during a crisis and can be the result of misunderstanding the intentions of others—especially leaders. Build on employee engagement during crisis times June 30th, ... Often in a crisis, employees of the organization step forward to take on roles outside their normal activities as they are needed to respond to the crisis. Celebrations for each step forward show the team that it’s expected to make progress. Scanning the Savannah for potential problems in no way precludes a leader from paying sufficient attention to the contributions of one’s team. Let your employees know how much you appreciate them. ... How engaged are employees during the COVID-19 pandemic? In an environment where information is withheld or not communicated properly, rumors take the place of facts. Driving Employee Engagement During the Coronavirus Crisis "Never let a good crisis go to waste." How do we increase employee engagement during the current COVID-19 health crisis? Leading with empathy, respect and support is not only the humane thing to do, it’s also a powerful way of reassuring employees yours is an organisation worth belonging to for the long-term. This article may be republished for non-commercial purposes subject to the provisions of the Website Use Agreement. He explained to us that rewarding small wins in such tough times shows that a leader knows what’s going on and is appreciative of every step forward. But, motivators like compensation and benefits are only short term, and real dividends will be paid by focusing on long-term motivators like professional growth or peer connections. Copyright © 2021. go2 Tourism HR Society. As employees transition to remote work in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic, new insights on how to effectively manage virtual employee engagement during a crisis are emerging. 5. Family, hobbies and stressors are overlapping in unexpected ways. While many of these tips involve little to no financial cost, they will require time, creativity and meaningful intent to make them happen. 3. Provide or share opportunities for training and/or personal development. 2 Employees were classified as engaged, passive, or disengaged based on responses to questions measuring work, organizational, and social engagement. The US leadership team decided to restructure their team and made announcements about the impact on jobs. Ridge told us, “I decided, let’s not waste a good crisis. A lack of openness and honesty is going to lead to more fear. Twitter. The role of employees in seeing a brand through the tough times is invaluable. Employee engagement, which had been fairly static for the last 20 years, reached an all-time high of 40 percent in July, according to a Gallup survey of 3,127 full- and part-time U.S. workers. And the success has kept rolling. Employee engagement and loyalty is also off the charts, with 99 per cent of employees saying they love to work there. Employee engagement during disasters and moments of national crisis. To make sure your organization survives this crisis, it is important to be innovative. If you don't work proactively to relieve workers' concerns and let them know you value them, you risk lowering their engagement levels or losing them. Look for small wins. Invest in high-quality headsets for every team member. Realize that what happens in one part of an employee’s life impacts all others. Innovation in terms of your products and services, certainly; but even more important is an innovative approach to customer relations, engagement and employee satisfaction. Organizations have to work overtime to bridge the gaps in the cash flow to fund their internal operations such as salaries, rentals, utility bills, vendors and other payables. Share everything. With Achievers Listen and Check-ins, conversations are initiated to gather employee feedback. How do we increase employee engagement during the current COVID-19 health crisis? It is therefore necessary to find a path, a ridgeline between protective care and challenging growth . Employee engagement is basically that your employees are happy to work for you. Published ... Email. It presents numerous challenges, not least of which is … Recognize personal celebrations (birthdays, work anniversaries, personal accomplishments). From employee engagement to employee advocacy Last but definitely not least, an engaged employee is happy to spread the positive word about your organization and this is of big value for you. Employers have had to say good-bye to workers who are not just employees, but also friends and family. 7 Ways to Increase Employee Engagement During the Health Crisis Thankfully, there is a lot you can do to help your people move up from the first two levels in Maslow's hierarchy. We mean besides that. During times of crisis, it is critical for organizations to gather employee feedback and take action so employees feel heard and supported by their manager and organization. All Rights Reserved. To republish this article, you must include the following notice along with the article: "Copyright © 2020 go2 Tourism HR Society. Key Drivers That Promote Employee Engagement During a Crisis A significant number of companies are redeploying their employees to remote working during the pandemic.