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Crises like coronavirus have shown even your key employees can succumb to fear and stress.
Indeed, the National Institute of Mental Health has warned about issues related to mental health such as depression, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse and even suicide.
Published reports indicate many people are relapsing from their addiction recoveries.
Many analysts believe mental-health resources will suffer cash-flow losses to become casualties of the recession.
With the pandemic causing double-digit unemployment to sweep across the nation, those who are fortunate to keep their jobs may be happy to be working.
But that doesn’t mean they aren’t concerned about their financial-security and health. Both adversely affect job performance.
Anxiety, fear and stress create challenges and hurt performance. They’re also catalysts for workplace conflicts.
For High Performance, 10 Steps to Manage Conflict
This means managers should assess their own skills for empathy to help their workers feel comfortable, secure and stable.
Here are some recommendations:
Promote hope
Firstly, realize employees are looking for hope whether they’re working at your location or at home. They’re fearful about keeping their jobs and worry during shifts about their personal lives and families.
Listening Skills to Improve Your Relationships and Business Performance
Walk the floor twice per day. Inquire about your employees’ welfare. Listen carefully to their answers.
Engage them. Help them to feel important. Be transparent. Answer their questions and dispel rumors.
Alleviate uncertainty for stability
Because employees have a tendency to be preoccupied on-the-job, help them to stay focused.
You can if you take care in issuing instructions and in reiterating priorities. Leave no doubt about procedures, but do it with patience.
In a worried frame of mind, the typical employee will respond favorably to stability and a daily routine.
Depending on your workplace situation, until life and work return to normal, prepare your employees for performance by starting the work day with a staff meeting.
Tips for Productive Meetings to Improve Performance
Be as gracious as reasonable, recognize good work and be sure to give employees a heartfelt thank you.
Show flexibility and encouragement
Hold your employees accountable in their work, but be realistic about it. If long-time employees suddenly falter, listen to their explanations and cut them some slack.
Again, when employees do well, make sure to go out of your way to give positive feedback.
HR – 5 Best Practices to Manage Flexible Work Scheduling
Flexibility is in order, too, in other ways. If employees ask for accommodations, such as in work schedules to help family members, keep an open mind.
From the Coach’s Corner, related editor’s picks:
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A Marketing Priority: Enhance Your Internal Communication – Businesses have two communication sources that are expenses but conversely are sources of profit – the external marketplace – and internal factors, their human capital. But all your money poured into marketing doesn’t accomplish much unless you devote equal resources to employee programs and communication.
Human Resources — Red Flags You’re Losing an Employee – In employee retention, you never have to be surprised again. There are common traits among employees who are likely to quit — even those who are secretive about their plans. Surprisingly, workers who are reading job listings in non-work hours, leave work promptly at the end of the work day or who start taking more vacations — aren’t necessarily going to quit.
HR Management – 8 Best Practices in Employee Delegation – Delegation is a fundamental driver of organizational growth. Managers who are effective in delegation show leadership. Here are eight best practices.
“One of the most obvious ways dogs can improve our physical and mental health is via daily walks.”
-Andrew Weil
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