Don’t Ignore the Needs of Your Employees By Robin Seidman
COVID has changed our personal and business lives drastically and while we wish we could return to business as usual, that is not likely to happen any time soon, if at all. Here is what we’ve seen since the pandemic hit: • Businesses re-inventing themselves to survive in this new climate. •
Employees working remotely – many from home – while their school-age children are distance learning in the next room.
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Downsizing in the workplace, shifting responsibilities to fewer employees, creatively deploying field employees to worksites while keeping their health and safety in check.
You as the business owner can make the changes needed to weather this storm. But how are your employees feeling? If you haven’t considered your employee’s physical and emotional health while redefining your business strategy, you are probably making a mistake - a mistake that can cost you a good employee as well as the profits attributed to that worker. Most business owners are providing personal protection equipment to employees, such as masks, face shields, hand sanitizers and workspaces (some with plexiglass) that are the suggested 6 feet apart. That ON THE LEVEL:
shows your teams you are committed to preventing the spread of the disease through your premises. If you require visitors and vendors at your buildings to wear face masks and stay at least 6 feet away from your employees, you are showing an elevated commitment and respect to the health of not only your employees but your customers. That is only half the battle. We know workers are worried about their families and the stress that results from those concerns can be debilitating and affect job performance. Parents are juggling jobs, helping children at home with distance learning, childcare issues for non-school age children, caring for elderly parents... the list can feel endless at times. According to news reports, workers have quit or are considering quitting their jobs to manage the household disarray caused by COVID. The stress is causing physical and mental issues for families and this is important for an employer to recognize.
Here is what you can do: • Talk with your employees often. Find out what is going on in their lives. Be empathetic. Listen. •
Design work practices that can assist the employee. Give the employee work from home options if possible, in your business.
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Expand your sick leave policy. Consider flexible scheduling. Support mental health by teaming up with local resources.
Robin Seidman specializes in NYS Sexual Harassment training and general HR policy and procedures. robin@rjshrsolutionsllc.com
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Set up a room with Wi-fi connectivity and allow an employee to bring the children into the office one day a week for remote learning.
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Hold employee recognition events. It does not have to be fancy – pizza Fridays, bagel Tuesdays, employee-of-the-month awards, etc.
Whatever your approach, remember that engaged employees are the bedrock of a successful and profitable business – even more so during these challenging times. Work with them and build their loyalty to you.
The pandemic, while it has changed the business landscape this year, will eventually wind down and the pro-active business owner will be in the catbird’s seat with seasoned employees ready, willing and able to help the company regain its momentum.
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