These are trying times for all of us and it’s important that we stay deeply connected with our teams. Here are a few areas we should be proactive about.
Engagement:
In these times, communication via zoom and / or calls, engagement takes a whole new meaning. Our current available modes of communication demand strong listening skills. Companies have been proactively sharing information on how to stay safe and are leveraging communities to help and support each other. Efforts are being made to stay connected and upbeat in this period of isolation. Team competitive challenges that can work online might also be a good idea at this time.
Some interesting practices shared by some of our founders and HR folks, like a Zoom “chai pe charcha” (not necessarily on a work related topic - but teams doing activities, ideating or just plain catching up) have picked up.
Whatsapp groups sharing information related to basic amenities and other useful tips also seem to be picking up. People are coming together as teams to help those less fortunate.
Wellness:
This kind of isolation is unprecedented for most of us and it can take a toll on one’s mental and emotional well-being. There are many products today that aid wellness, from meditation & fitness to AI-based mental health support platforms.
Employee Assistance Programs are also getting more traffic. These are essentially counsellors on call. Some companies were already offering this service, some have adopted it in these tough times and there are third party offerings that one can look at.
Outside of COVID, people who have family members who are ailing or on medication right now and are not able to step out to meet a doctor, might need to explore tele-consultations. There are various service providers who are connecting people to doctors from multiple disciplines via calls/zoom. There are affordable corporate and retail offerings in this space as well.
An aspect of wellness that shouldn’t be ignored is the impact of learning. Research shows people feel more productive when learning new things. Many ed-tech companies are offering their services at discount, or for free, at these times. Sharing these with team members is also a good way to enable them to divert their minds into something that is useful and of interest. The programs range from job skills to self-improvement. For example, you can find some good options here and here.
Staffing considerations:
The scenario assessment that you do for your company may require some difficult actions to enable the company to sustain operations. We have gathered some insights on how various leaders have tackled this in trying times.
Things to consider