Guest post by Robert Marshall – Organizational Health Consultant @ CSR
A guide for establishing a critical connection to your teams and employees
I hope this finds you well considering the unprecedented disruption of our personal lives and the negative effect it has had on the economy of this country. That we have collectively endured these last few months is a credit to our resilience. The one thing we know, is that companies are going to come out of this better and stronger or worse and weaker. But certainly not the same. How we lead during this time will determine our fate and long-term impact of this short-term disruption to our business and our lives.
Working capital is tight. Companies will return to regular operations soon with a philosophy of cautious austerity. While some have already adjusted to working with fewer people, others have fought to stay intact and keep their people in place. Whether future measures include a thinning of the workforce or are simply new policies designed to run leaner in the aftermath, chances are good that employee morale will be the big loser.
But what if there was a way to energize your workplace? What if there is a way to show your employees that you truly value them in a time where most have been shaken to the core? What if you had the opportunity to not only weather this storm but also reset the company culture. You can dramatically differentiate your workplace from your competitors by developing a “Branded” people program now.
Your employees need to know that they are valued. When you as management, operate from a place of caring and COMPASSION, this will be recognized. Your company will reap the rewards with increased productivity, improved morale, and individual loyalty. Brand your program, “People First”. This is your competitive differentiator! The way your people see you and the company, interested in their welfare, will re-engage them, and cement the foundation of your plan. Investing in the future of your company this way, will bring added credibility and allow you to maintain and/or ramp up your expectations with a positive response. The only way 2020 can be salvaged into something positive is if your employees are properly taken care of now.
Invest in the individual and watch their value as an employee grow. Make it about them. The way they function better as individuals, with a heightened sense of self-awareness, will make them better team members as they strive to achieve the team goals. More than ever, we “need them” on the team. A targeted, personal people program will address individual needs for the greater good of your entire organization and long-term health of the organization. We can do this now or miss the opportunity and pick up what is sure to be the more expensive pieces later.