Across the world, COVID-19 has brought so many challenges to people, and at a business, it can be hard to keep employee morale up during this time. Most companies and organizations have encouraged their staff to work from home to stop the spread of the virus, but it can be challenging to keep employee morale up while employees are virtual. However, simple acts like staying in regular contact with employees, hosting virtual events, and showing your appreciation to employees will make a large difference in your company’s employee morale. Having high employee morale is vital for your company because if employees feel engaged and encouraged, they will be more productive in their work and remain loyal to your company.
- Provide a Small Treat
Now more than ever, employees need to see that you care, and a simple way to boost employee morale is to provide a small treat to your employees. Sending everyone a $5 gift card for coffee or baked goods is an easy way to show your employees how much you value them. Your employees will be touched by your generosity, and it proves that small acts make a difference in employee morale too.
- Be Flexible
Working from home comes with so many distractions, and it may be difficult to have a strict working schedule that everyone must follow. When possible, relax the rules a bit on the hours one needs to work and also on the number of meetings you feel you need to have in a day. By doing so, you can let your staff plan their day and still deliver on the work without them feeling pressured. You should also consider that some employees might be dealing with children in virtual schooling or sharing the space with someone else working from home so it’s important to be accommodating. All that matters at the end of the day is that the work is completed to your satisfaction.
- Provide Resources to Ease Working from Home
One of the greatest challenges that employees face when working from home is gaining access to the resources they need for their jobs. While it might not seem like much, ensuring that your employees have access to the Internet and a computer goes a long way in improving their productivity. For example, some employees might live in rural areas where the Internet may not be easily accessible so you should be willing to accommodate your employees’ needs to keep everyone productive and working. If possible, you should allow employees to take home the equipment they need and open the office to those who would otherwise not be able to work.
- Help with Health Insurance Covers
Ensuring that your staff has coverage that caters to these needs is a great way to show them that you care for their well-being. Now is not the time to reduce insurance coverage or change to a plan that doesn’t offer as much coverage because knowing that they and their families are covered will go a long way in boosting their morale.
- Ensure Proper Communication
One of the easiest ways to keep employee morale up is to have proper communication with employees. Whether your employees are in the office, working from home, or both, they should receive proper communication from you and be kept up-to-date on company announcements and information. To avoid conflicting information, it’s best to send company updates and news through email so all employees have access to it. When employees are kept in the loop, they feel valued so it’s essential to keep up proper communication even if people are working from home.
- Listen to your Employees
During these trying times, there is a lot of uncertainty which could cause many people to have an increase in anxiety and stress. You should reiterate that you’re available to listen to your employees’ worries and concerns and that they can communicate openly with you. When you take the time to listen to your employees, you let them know that they matter to your company which will boost employee morale.
- Host Virtual Events
Hosting virtual events is a wonderful way to let employees interact with one another and break up the workday stress. You can hold a trivia competition, happy hour, show and tell time with pets, or simply a catch up time for employees to share what they’ve been up to since working from home. In lieu of an in-person holiday party this year, you could host a virtual holiday party so employees are still able to enjoy a piece of the holiday season.
Over the past year, COVID-19 has impacted our lives in a number of ways, but it doesn’t have to control your company’s employee morale. Whether your employees are working from home or back in the office, now is the time to look at how you can best serve your employees to keep their spirits up and reduce their stress levels. When employees feel positive about their work environment, they will have higher productivity rates and remain more loyal to your company.
About the Author:
Valerie Cox is a contributing writer for Franchise Direct. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, playing with her dog, and volunteering in her local community.
