Energising employees to come back to work
The pandemic has impacted everyone globally in many different ways, some small and others life changing. With the restrictions continuing to be lifted many employees will find themselves once again needing to change and adapt. Employees may have been furloughed for a substantial period of time or may have been working from home throughout the pandemic. We’ve got a few suggestions on how you can energise your employees to come back to work whilst making sure they feel safe and comfortable.
Keep employees informed
Keeping employees up to date with key information and changes in the business will help them to feel a part of the bigger picture and wider organisational goals. Regular check-ins with employees can help to resolve any issues before they become a big problem. When it comes to employees coming back into work from furlough or from working from home communicate clearly on any new requirements well ahead of time and listen to employees’ concerns, taking them on board and making adjustments where possible. Some employees may feel nervous and coming back to the office may seem daunting, being empathetic and understanding to your employees needs and listening to their concerns will help build a successful employee / employer relationship moving forward.
When your employees are able to get together again in person ask them all to come in for a meeting and thank them for their hard work during these difficult times. Providing employees with a face to face update on the company goal and plans for the future is recommended, making sure that employees are aware of how crucial they are to the business. In this meeting you might want to include any potential new opportunities or rewards on offer for employees to motivate and energise them to get back into work.
Be flexible in achieving your goal
Some employees may have found working from home really benefits them in terms of both their personal life and their ability to perform their work duties. The pandemic has opened up many new ways of working that shouldn’t be disregarded as soon as they are no longer required. Some employees may need or want more flexibility in order to energise them to give their best performance. Take individual employee circumstances into account as what might work for one employee won’t work for another, flexibility is key as employees are more likely to go above and beyond for an employer who is flexible and understanding of their circumstances.
Ask for opinions and feedback
Getting employees views and feedback is crucial for a business to improve and keep member of staff motivated and energised at work. When employees’ opinions are taken on board and actioned it creates a collaborative culture in the workplace. Some employees will be happy to just do their job and go home but the best employees want to be a part of what the company is trying to achieve. Often these employees can have insight and knowledge of what will and won’t work in practical terms, whilst higher level managers may not know this level of detail.
Celebrate being back together
A great idea is to have a celebration with employees that you are all back together and can enjoy the social aspects of work. Throwing a small party or lunch for employees when possible and following guidelines can help get employees re-engaged with work and energised again. If a celebration isn’t possible a small gesture can be just as good, or even a personalised note or email to thank employees for everything they have done and to let them know you are available for any issues or concerns.
