advogroup.co.uk I work coronavirus conflict
work coronavirus conflict
advo hr addresses the conflict that COVID brings to the wo to address the differing employee views and concerns. “Black Wednesday in 1992 saw interest rates to 15% and the great recession of 2008 which took the UK economy five years to get back to the size it was before the recession were extremely challenging times. However, in over 25 years working in HR in a number of different industries, none of us have lived or worked through a year like 2020, but 2021 has now been labelled a year of hope and recovery! The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has now been approved for use in the UK and together with the PfizerBioNTech jab, there are now said to be sufficient vaccines to cover the entire population. Despite the promising news about the vaccine and a potential, eventual return to some kind of normality, and working as an HR professional, alongside many businesses, there continue to be a myriad of employee related issues to manage as we enter the New Year. As we know, mental health issues continue to rise and both employers and employees remain anxious
about the future.Employees may also hold very strong views about the way they feel that the behaviour and actions displayed by their colleagues may affect the spread of the virus. For example, they may be aware that others haven’t complied with the guidance regarding household mixing over the festive period or are not complying with received track and trace alerts to self-isolate.
I have heard made by employees regarding their employment has been lack of communication. I have never once heard anyone say ‘My manager over communicates with me’. So, with regards to communication, less is never more and my advice would always be that the key to increased harmony in the workplace is to talk to your team.
If an employer hears of conflict of opinion, between employees, don’t leave it to blow over as these things tend not to disappear. They can only escalate and a number of small things can become a major complaint or grievance so the best Such differing views and approaches advice would always be to nip issues could cause harmful conflict and in the bud. significantly affect work performance and productivity. Talk to employees individually and do all you can to mediate and allow Together with the gloom that others to empathise with each other January often brings and the fact and resolve their differences. that businesses continue to face an uncertain future, how do employers All employers would be advised manage any internal differences of to put in place a carefully thought opinions and potential conflict? through internal communications strategy which recognises the In my 25 years’ experience working in employees concerns and worries that the HR, the most common complaint the wider group may harbour and Some employees may voice a view that they do not wish to have the vaccine and others may feel that this is an irresponsible viewpoint, which puts others at risk.
advocate winter 2021| advogroup.co.uk | 18
