Unique to every organization, the right leadership inspires people and guides them rightly in every situation. We had witnessed many such commendable examples of leadership in the last year during the pandemic when workplaces had to go completely remote. After a year of working from home, just when the organizations had started to re-open, a second wave of the coronavirus appeared, forcing the organizations to go remote again.
Even though the pandemic had given the employees a chance to work from the luxury and convenience of their homes, it had destroyed their work-life balance. As a result, burnouts had become quite common. A study reveals that a whopping 73% of working professionals are already burned out. And if not led properly, the forthcoming surveys are going to present even scarier figures. At this point, the right leadership needs to step in; to keep the employees engaged, to help them recover from burnouts, and regain the lost balance.
Speaking of employee engagement, here’s what leaders might consider doing during this second wave –
Co-create virtual experiences for spiking up interest
Be it hosting an open mic session or a scavenger hunt or Friday night watch parties or even a yoga session, the leaders need to look for various ways to keep employees engaged. This whole ‘co-creating a virtual culture’ with the employees is known to spike up their interest in showing up. The attempts to mimic the activities of other companies will fail. All you need to do is co-create experiences with your employees in their unique ways. Remember, the idea is to keep them engaged and churn out some positive responses from these activities.
Promote affinity and create a safe space for speaking up
Who doesn’t want to feel included? Craving connections and building relationships are what make us humans. So, when you promote affinity, you create a culture of inclusiveness. Your remote workplace consists of people from various cultures, mindsets, and interests. The key is to recognize all of them as your own, build connections with them, and hear what they have to say. Your employees need to feel safe and reveal their true selves in the space that
you create for them. These tough times demand you to be a little easy with your employees, offer a helping hand at times, and be approachable. The right leadership calls for kindness.
Acknowledge and appreciate the efforts
One should always appreciate genuine efforts. None of us had signed up for full-time remote work, and so we did not know of the baggage that would come with it. When every employee is striving to keep the business uninterrupted, you must acknowledge their efforts. Showing small gestures of appreciation goes a long way and is proved to generate a huge engagement.
Your workforce is your biggest asset. It is the time when you need to show that you care. Your care will be the biggest driver of employee engagement at critical times like this. Remember that the right leadership now will make your employees go far and beyond for you tomorrow.