The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the workplace on its head, with business owners, leaders and employees having to almost instantly revise and adjust their daily operations to fit in with the ‘new normal’ of working from home. From ensuring the relevant IT infrastructure was in place, to concerns around employee morale and maintaining high productivity, all businesses undoubtedly will have grappled with how to make the new workplace work for them.
Over the past four months, it has been more important than ever for companies to have an effective employee engagement strategy in place. Without the regular face to face contact and physical presence of being together many businesses, had to work quickly to ensure their culture stayed strong despite employees all being based remotely.
Giving employees the opportunity to socialise and continue their personal development, whilst also ensuring ways to celebrate success and communicate challenges that the business was facing was key. Lockdown was a time of uncertainty and anxiety for so many people, therefore, reassurance and support was important. Employers need to be aware that every employee would be having a different lockdown experience.
We know that companies have to work hard to put employees at the heart of the culture, therefore, if you have a structure which allowed for initiatives to be activated quickly, then you are ahead of the game.
A lot of companies have invested in technology – using apps and Intranets to help employees feel engaged with the company. Many companies have used regular e-shots to share company news and information. Some have used Zoom or 1-2-1 calls to support and connect with their teams. Others have sent gifts through the post that let their people know that they are thinking of them and keeping in touch.
The pandemic has shone a light on the necessity to have strategies in place that support employees with initiatives which are able to adapt to different environments.
As lockdown begins to lift, the future of working practices in UK businesses remains uncertain. Therefore, as well as implementing a safe return to the office and revised working from home policies, companies should ensure that their culture and employee engagement remains a priority. Using initiatives that have worked well in lockdown, learning from these and adapting as we all navigate the new normal will hopefully lead to a happy, healthy, successful and engaged workforce and a firm foundation for the future.
