During this time of uncertainty and turmoil it is critical to sustain communication and strengthen human connections. Americans across the globe are tasked with exercising social distancing and mandatory work from home initiatives. At Marketing Innovators we believe that employee engagement is critical to the success of your organization, it’s what we do. However, as we all face uncertainty amid these challenging times, we realize more than ever the value of our employees and the critical role they have in our success. Here are a few ways to not only keep yourself engaged, but encourage others to do so as well.
1. Routine: Does your daily routine include early morning yoga, meditation or singing Beyoncé in the shower? These already established routines don’t need to change just because you’re not heading out the door to work. Continue to practice your daily routine as this will help to keep things somewhat normal. Don’t have a daily routine or looking to try something new? Now is the time to try it! By starting simple you are more likely to stick with it. And you can always add to it as time goes on. Setting a daily routine saves time along with the added benefits of instilling good habits and reducing procrastination.
2. Communication: Are you a chatty Cathy? Do you thrive communicating via a social media? Or do prefer to communicate from behind your computer screen? Staying in touch is crucial to business and to life and now is the time to give them all a try. Keeping in touch with coworkers, vendors, and business partners, may require a different form of communication than those you’d use with family and friends. So find the communication form that resonates best with your audience. Host meetings, team happy hours or lunches via Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, or other web cams. Having these consistent check-ins are a great way to provide support to one another in these difficult days. Emails are great, but sometimes they can be misinterpreted or misunderstand, so don’t hesitate to hop on the phone to clarify what is needed.
3. Recognition: Are you searching for ways to help those who are in the front line or support local businesses? Or just looking to stay in touch with your employees? There are many forms or recognition from thank you phone calls and emails to monetary incentives that let people know they’ve gone above and beyond. In these trying times, e-gift cards are a great option for everyone. Send e-gift cards to thank first responders and charity organizations who are serving those in need. E-gift cards are a great way to help your employees adapt to their new work from home accommodations. Or better yet,send them a little extra incentive or recognition and let them choose items that will help them and their families during this time of isolation and social distancing. E-gift cards can be beneficial to everyone and have a variety of uses including purchasing essential items, family entertainment like board games and movies, or even supplies for starting a new hobby.
4. Have fun: As Bob Marley would say, “Don’t worry, Be Happy”… or at least as much as you can. Tensions are high and we don’t know how long mandatory social distancing will last. Keep things light-hearted and maintain a sense of humor. If you or a coworker has kids, family members or pets at home, laugh when you hear guest speakers joining the conference call or show up on the video chat. Be a team player if you’re asked to help with a task that normally isn’t your responsibility. Coworkers might be pulled away from their day-to-day functions to care for others or may be even feeling a bit under the weather themselves. Much of this is out of our control and we must embrace this change, which for now is the new normal.
We hope this time will be short-lived and everyone stays safe and healthy. Use these tips and tricks to support your employees, business partners, friends and family. Embrace the national work from home operation and social distancing as a time to learn, grow, and refresh our engagement practices with each other. Contact a Marketing Innovators specialist to learn how to support and recognize your employees. We’re here for you.
