The global COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we work. World-wide, people are grappling with its implications and the knock-on effects on their personal and professional lives.
The pandemic has forced the world’s largest work from home experiment, with many employees experiencing remote working for the first time. In this time of uncertainty, it is more important than ever for HR professionals to lead the charge in keeping employees engaged, informed and supported.
Research shows that business leaders and managers have a critical role to play in employee engagement, with 80 per cent of HR professionals linking trust in leaders to engagement. Keeping teams engaged as we navigate this new way of working should be at the top of every organisation’s agenda. Employees working remotely will be relying on their business leaders and managers to provide security and stability, and to keep them focused on the organisation’s most critical priorities.
Here are three tips to ensure employees feel engaged and connected to your business as they work remotely.
Maintain clear and regular communications between leaders and teams
A recent study shows three in four people globally are worried about ‘fake news’ and the spread of false information relating to COVID-19. Employees increasingly rely on their employers for trustworthy guidance and information. 63 per cent of global employees believe information they receive from their employers after one or two exposures to the information, compared to 58 per cent from government and 51 per cent from media.
In addition to fulfilling people’s need for credible information, maintaining clear and consistent communications with employees can go a long way towards ensuring they feel supported and connected to your organisation’s culture.
In times of change and uncertainty, checking in with your people once or twice a day is a great start. Check-ins can take different forms, such as direct messages, emails or video chats, but aim to have at least one connection a day via video. The benefit of video conferencing is that you have both verbal and non-verbal opportunities to communicate with your colleagues – and it’s as close to an in-person interaction as you can get. These video catch ups don’t have to be formal: personal check-ins are just as important as structured meetings, and can help strengthen the ties between team members in what can be an isolating time.
Leaders have a vital role to play in managing remote teams, and HR teams should support them as they look to navigate this complex transition. Remember that this new way of working is likely new to leaders as well, and they will look to HR teams for support and guidance on how they can keep team members engaged. Aside from daily check-ins at a team-level, consider weekly virtual all-company updates to keep people connected to the organisation and informed on the latest developments.
Keep learning and development on your radar
With many businesses focused on moving forward in the wake of COVID-19, things like learning, development and performance management tend to get deprioritised. But learning and development initiatives are effective ways of keeping employees engaged and connected to their organisation. Providing learning opportunities and setting up regular development conversations with managers will help employees feel valued and reassured that they can continue to develop and grow within your organisation.
Consider learning apps that can be accessed on mobile and web, so employees can proactively stay on top of their own learning and development remotely. You can push out new learning and upskilling opportunities so employees can continue their career development even from home. Share links to online learning modules on a regular basis so employees are aware of the avenues available for them to improve their skills or learn new ones relevant now and into the future.
Make flexible onboarding seamless for new starters
This is an unprecedented time for all of us, but it can be even more daunting for new starters. Joining a new workplace remotely means that new hires do not have the opportunity to connect in-person with colleagues, develop relationships easily or understand the dynamics of their new workplace.
As new starters navigate this situation, it’s important to ensure their onboarding experience is as seamless and positive as it can be. Effectively onboarding new starters virtually is key for them to prepare for their first few weeks remotely. Consider sharing pre-onboarding activities in the week before new joiners are due to start so they can prepare themselves for the journey ahead.
The first day of any new job is challenging, but you can help make sure it goes smoothly. Develop a schedule for their first week that ensures they are introduced to the right people and teams to start building relationships. New hires can feel lost during their first week in a role and not sure of what to do next. Sharing a schedule will help them navigate their first week without having to rely too heavily on their managers and team for direction.
The onboarding experience should also set clear expectations. This is unchartered territory, and they will likely have a number of questions about how COVID-19 will impact their role and the businesses’ expectations of them. Engage with them frequently so you can provide guidance and manage expectations in real-time. This type of proactive support will show new hires you value and take care of your people, even in challenging situations.
This pandemic will not last forever, and how you support employees through the coming weeks and months will have a big impact on their perceptions of, and loyalty towards your organisation in the future. Implementing these simple tips to keep your team engaged will pay off in the long run.
As the Head of HR at PageUp, Chelsie Hastings draws on over a decade of experience in strategic talent management across a range of leading organisations.