The Covid-19 pandemic has shaken the world like never before. As we were locked up inside the four walls of our homes, the world around us felt like it was falling apart. Thankfully, the situation has gotten a lot better than before. However, normalcy is yet to be restored, especially in the business sector.
As most offices shifted to remote or hybrid working models, it has become crucial to find new ways to keep the employees motivated from miles away. According to research by Quantum, when employees feel appreciated, they’re more engaged with their jobs — in fact, they are up to 2.7 times more likely to be highly engaged. In view of that, we are listing seven best practices that you can adapt to boost the morale of employees while working remotely.
1. Regular Meetings
We agree that there is nothing that can make up for the warmth of one-on-one interaction, but regular meetings can at least help you cope with the situation better. It has become an integral function to maintain smooth operations within the organization.
Regular meetings ensure that everyone is on the same page. This avoids any major confusion that can land a team or an individual in a mess. It has become even more important now when things are a little gloomy in general.
The management can decide for daily meetings of each team and maybe an organizational meet every once in a week. This will go a long way in bridging the physical distance that is caused due to the pandemic.
2. Virtual Happy Hours
In order to keep the tone of your organization light and joyful, employees can plan dedicated happy hours where everyone in the organization joins in for a fun activity. There are a plethora of activities that you indulge in for fun.
For instance, you can dedicate some hours on Friday for a ‘Happy Hour’ in which people from all the teams will have a turn to host a fun activity. It could be in the form of games or just people doing things that they love, for instance, singing, playing some musical instrument, reading out poetry or sharing some recently acquired wisdom.
These happy hours can prove to be very instrumental in developing a sense of belonging in the employees. It will also bring to light the fact that their employer cares for them beyond their contribution to the organizational goals.
3. Grievance Redressal Committee
In view of the turbulent times that we live in, having a grievance redressal committee has become more of a necessity, than a CSR act. The kind of mental pressure people are grinding under because of Covid-19 is very dangerous and needs to be addressed.
Companies that already have grievance redressal departments should work towards expanding their operations to include general counseling in their KRAs. This would make the organization feel like a safe space to the employees where they can be transparent about serious issues beyond work.
4. Employee Recognition
Employee recognition practices can go a long way in boosting the morale of the workers in these difficult times. A personal thanks-giving note or a short video from the senior management could be as effective if not more than a lavish corporate event.
Honest and regular employee recognition efforts from the organization greatly help in achieving greater employee satisfaction thereby an improved effort from them. This acts as an effective source of motivation that keeps them inspired to work harder.
5. Gratitude and Positivity Sessions
Gratitude and Positivity are needed in every workspace today more than ever. To equip all the employees of the organization to fight the current situation, it is important to host gratitude and positivity sessions where they can reflect upon the good things.
As we focus more on the fortune and the blessings in our life, our mind automatically starts to program itself into seeing positivity in things. Team leaders can plan on having special gratitude and positivity sessions every once a week where the team members can share a list of things they were grateful for in that week.
6. Upskilling and Development
Close or far, upskilling of the workforce should never stop. Upskilling and development programs not only make the employees more competitive but also make them feel more cared for in the organization.
Regular upskilling and development programs can prove to be very effective in boosting the morale of the employees. Every new skill they learn makes them more confident about their job security. This is especially important now when things have become so unpredictable.
With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, while some things have paced down, new technologies are popping up every day. In order to keep up with the latest technologies, it is very important to have regular upskilling programs. Alternatively, you can also outsource important functions to experienced professionals, like Hong Kong cpa.
7. Regular Feedbacks
With the help of regular feedback, an organization can keep the interest of the employees satiated. A firm that welcomes regular and honest feedback is better capable of resolving internal issues without affecting the work.
Regular feedback is imperative for the steady growth of the organization. At present, when things are more complex than usual, a free flow of feedback from the employees can better equip the organization to help them efficiently.
The current situation requires a different cadence to our work. Hence, when the organization has up-to-date knowledge about the difficulties faced by employees, it will be in a better position to support them. It could be in the form of financial support or simply relaxing the deadline of a project.
Is that All?
Now that we have discussed some effective activities and practices that boost the morale of employees in a remote work setup, it is important to follow them in both letter and spirit. It is one thing to plan and another to execute.
Hence, it is very important that you follow these practices genuinely. You need not necessarily accept all the suggestions given above, but whatever you do, do it with utmost honesty and conviction.
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