COVID: 5 ways you can support your employees through this time
1. Support Essential On-site Staff
As states implement shelter-in-place mandates, many companies are forced to shut their doors indefinitely. However, vital industries are able to remain open, and this often includes the production of consumable and protective goods, along with the warehouses and transportation services that need to ship them.
Whether it’s within an office environment, in the warehouse, or in a manufacturing plant, employee health and safety is exceptionally important for those who can’t self-quarantine. Proactive measures, such as providing personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitization products, should be taken. At the same time, encourage any employee who is exhibiting any symptoms of illness (COVID-19 or otherwise) to stay home immediately.
Social distancing is important in every environment, especially at work. Discourage employees from using lunchrooms and breakrooms if at all possible and if that isn’t feasible, impose the six-feet-apart guidelines set by the CDC. Space out warehouse and plant workers as much as possible, relocating staff to other duties if necessary.
2. Lighten The Financial Load
When you make the move to working from home, you quickly realize how luxurious some office amenities can be (and we’re not just talking about the coffee maker). Not everybody has a ready-to-go home office setup and, while it’s alright for a day or two, working at the kitchen table isn’t ideal in the long-term. A reimbursement program can encourage employees to convert a spare bedroom or turn a corner of their living space into a viable remote office.
3. Educate And Communicate
Senior leadership, middle management, and human resources all have a trusted, strong voice within any company structure. During the most difficult times, as the crisis escalates, and once operations begin to return to normal, providing a concise source of communication is key.
Naturally, bulletins, memos, and announcements should communicate what your company is doing to prepare and protect the workforce. Further, providing a source of objective, well-researched knowledge about the COVID-19 pandemic can ensure that everybody is well-informed and on the same page.
4. Check In With Employees
For managers and supervisors, candid contact becomes more important in trying times. Even amid the chaos that COVID-19 has brought to the workforce, this isn’t the time to put off your one-on-one meetings or quick check-ins. Schedule online meetings or phone calls with your direct reports and be sure to take the conversation beyond work while staying in an appropriate (and legally compliant) place:
See if they feel well-supported by their peers, management, and senior leadership. This includes whether or not they feel like the company is being transparent and responsive as situations change.
Make sure that your employee has their working needs met, including supplies, hardware, and any physical files they may need.
Ask how employees are doing on a personal level and be receptive to wherever that answer may lead.
Remind them of any behavioral healthcare services available, including Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) or over-the-phone counseling. This is a sensitive subject and can be positioned alongside other vital healthcare services to make employees feel more at ease.
For employees, keep up the water cooler chat. After taking care of tasks over chat or while you’re wrapping up a call, a simple “how are you?” and a minute of casual conversation can instill a sense of normalcy that gets lost while working remote.
5. Anticipate Secondary Effects
Parents who depend on daycare centers and schools have found themselves scrambling to find childcare and, in many cases, there aren’t family members or services that can step in. Allow for modified schedules, alternative shifts, or time off for parents that may suddenly become sole caregivers or homeschool teachers.
Some households may be going from double-income to single-income as companies have to shut their doors and implement temporary layoffs. For employees going through a financial downturn, any amount of relief or aid can be a godsend, whether it’s just in workplace flexibility, financial aid, or help with seeking outside assistance.
For your peers, your employees, your loved ones, and yourself — remember, this will get better. Just as we’ve seen the wonders of corporate agility, we’ve also seen the remarkable power of compassion and kindness. In turbulent times, support from one’s employer can dramatically affect an employee’s livelihood. As we overcome the effects of COVID-19, this support can make for a smoother transition back to normal life.