Over the past several months, it’s become increasingly clear that the impromptu moments of interpersonal connection that arise in an office setting are vital, and hard to replace.  As the months have stretched on, loneliness and pandemic stress has set in for many, and combating the negative effects of ‘the new normal’ will be crucial in the next phase.

Many HR Optimisation clients have asked for support in building their resilience and communication and engagement strategy in light of this ‘new normal’.  Here are just a few examples of easy to implement activities at a Company and Team level that can really help boost connection, resilience and engagement in these challenging times.

  • Share cadenced/predictable updates – Make sure there is a cadence to when and how employees can expect to receive updates. Even if we don’t know what we don’t know, its reassuring to employees when they can count on the predictability of an update schedule. Be sure updates have acknowledgements of emotion. Have ‘predictability of communication cadence even if uncertainty in content.’
  • Mix up the communication format – Interpreting tone in emails or instant messages is hard enough without all the extra stress and uncertainty you and your colleagues are feeling right now. Try pairing a written communication with a video or voice message that helps the recipient see and hear your tone. Keep up variety by exploring different iterations of your meetings, including different cadences and group sizes. You can also introduce a greater variety of ”fun” meetings to the mix: cooking and eating a meal together, a “walk-and-talk,” or a “game night.”
  • Stay Open about expectations. – You want your co-workers to know — and to know from your co-workers — expectations around:
    • working hours (this can be on a day-to-day basis as the situation changes)
    • response time to emails and instant messages
    • how progress and deadlines should be communicated
    • the “new normal” — Some aspects of life at home are going to intersect with work for the first time, like time spent on child care, or dogs barking in the background of video calls. Understand that everyone’s work life is going to have new “quirks,” including some you hadn’t thought of.
  • Establish group sharing outlets – Show employees where they can share their feelings and support one another. This can be a Slack channel, Workplace group, email thread, or virtual meetings. For example, a Slack channel called #authentic, where anyone can share what is on their mind.
  • Create 1-1 support systems – Ask managers to support employees emotionally (not just logistically) and/or offer other 1-1 support systems like external coaching (e.g., via HR Optimisation) or internal coaching for supporting well-being and engagement.  Share tips with all employees, with additional guidance for managers, execs, and HR on how to provide coaching and additional support.
  • Promote counselling services – During onboarding and then on a regular cadence, communicate to employees what resources and benefits are provided for caring for their mental health and how to gain access to these services (e.g., via inclusions in your private medical health plan, EAPs or professional body support tools).
  • Keep and create rituals and routines – In times of uncertainty, rituals and routines are needed more than ever. Make sure to keep all hands meetings, 1-1s, and celebrations consistent. Consider introducing new routines like a daily 15-minute virtual stand-up.
  • Keep it fun; keep it human. Don’t let the separation lead to isolation. Encourage your colleagues to keep the social aspect of work alive by being the one to kick off the daily conversation. Share what you’re having for lunch each day, or trade daily recommendations for books, TV shows, and podcasts. For example, asking “what’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?” can lead to some awesome photos and conversations.
  • Turn leaders into emotion role models – Share the importance of emotional leadership with execs, managers, and influencers. Leaders should model disclosure and vulnerability to position them as strengths and reduce stigma associated with mental health challenges and diagnoses.
  • Prepare your people leaders – Work with managers and HR team members in particular to make sure they feel ready to provide emotional support through normalising, validating, asking questions, emotional sharing, and knowing when to offer additional resources. Make sure these colleagues get to meet together as well to give one another support during times of heightened emotional labour.
  • Create a well-being task force – Don’t do it all alone! Invite employees to band together and crowdsource resources they can disseminate across the organisation.
  • Provide employees with a list of ideas – This list can be generated by a task force or a shared Google doc or wiki. (See list of ideas below.)
  • Casual Mentorship or Buddy-ups – Implementing a mentorship program facilitates strong relationships between leaders and less experienced employees; or buddy-ups between lateral career paths and team members who might otherwise not get to interact due to social distancing.  mentorship provides an opportunity for people to develop new skills and work toward their goals; it also contributes to belonging and connection.

If you would like support and guidance on boosting your communication and engagement strategy and developing organisational resilience please contact hello@HROptimisation.co.uk

 

 

 

Hannah Powell

Sources: Bravely| Life Labs Learning