Covid-19 hit everyone hard and left many businesses in a predicament. Some places aren’t opening back up, some are open, and some are just now opening. This time has been a struggle for many people and businesses to stay afloat.
On the other hand, it has given places a chance to have time to think about the way things are being done inside of their business. Rules may change, policies might be different, or upgrades could have been made. Whatever is going on whether it’s the same or changing, communication is the key to running a successful business.
Communicate With Your Employees
During this whole pandemic, people have lost their jobs and didn’t have anything to fall back on. This has left them in a stressful situation during the shutdown. Things took an abrupt halt in life and left some people completely unprepared. That is a scary situation and it isn’t over yet even though things are opening back up.
As you begin/continue to bring your employees back into the workplace, make sure you keep open communication with them. They need to know what to expect at this time when no one knows what tomorrow holds. Even though there may still be uncertainty about the future, let them be aware of as much as you can tell them. For instance, make sure that they are clear about protocols and policies that may have changed. Also, what happens if there is another shut done and what your business plans to do if that happens.
How To Communicate
As you navigate with your fellow co-workers and employees, it is important to be open and communicate often with them. Everyone is experiencing the same uncertainty and has similar concerns. Some ways that you can communicate with them is:
- Make The Plan To Return Very Clear To Employees
- Communicate With Them About How They Can Ask About Concerns
- Talking To Employees On A Regular Basis To Check In
- Accept Feedback From Employees
- Make Their Wellbeing The Focus
- Let Employees Know Where They Can Go For Help If Needed
You may not know what to say or how to say it, but that’s okay. The only thing that can be done is to go about it with an open mind and truthful communication. People are going to be returning to a whole new atmosphere in some cases, and some may not be returning at all.
Listening to your employees’ questions and concerns will help everyone reduce stress & anxiety.