Over the past two years, the never-ending lockdowns and self-quarantines, work from home emphasis, distancing from family and friends has resulted in a three-fold increase in anxiety amongst adults and a 36% increase in disorders.
This continued widespread lack of interaction didn’t just affect our joie de vivre. Research has shown that productivity fell between 3-6%, and 38% of employees felt their mental health had suffered.
It’s clear that managers and team leads across businesses worldwide face a new challenge—how to help their employees and team members overcome the isolation barrier and enhance productivity.
It’s time to stop struggling and start doing. And we’re here to help you discover simple ways to make your employees feel their best so that they can do their best at work and in life.
Ready?
Show Gratitude
As per a study by Reward Gateway, around three in five employees prefer to work for an organization where they are regularly praised and thanked for their efforts. Considering that the Great Resignation is a real threat to businesses in this pandemic-hit world, retaining employees using best practices is important.
You don’t really need a costly reward and recognition program to show your gratitude. A simple gift card or even appreciation shown to your employees on a public platform is a great way to make them feel valued.
Other ways to show gratitude include a thank you note, paid time off, a team lunch or dinner, and so on.
Listen
Listening is an important people skill but not commonly used, especially in companies. To succeed, a company needs to not only listen to its customers to be able to address their pain points, but it also needs to listen to its employees actively.
To do that, ask open-ended questions that encourage your employees to share more about themselves and their difficulties at work. This can help you meet them where they are and find solutions to the challenges they face in a better way.
De-stress As a Team
A team that destresses together stays together. Provide opportunities for your employees to unwind together by enrolling them in a group meditation class, fitness class, dance class, cooking class, or anything else that they enjoy collectively.
If that works for your team, you could schedule the destress sesh at the end of a day, the middle of the workday, or even the beginning.
Foster a Growth Culture
Companies that value their employees and focus on enhancing their work engagement enjoy an 81% lower absenteeism rate and a 58% reduction in accidents.
People tend to feel great about themselves when they learn and grow. So make sure you provide growth opportunities for your team to improve themselves, whether it’s delivering a presentation to a high-profile client, networking at meetings and conferences, or enrolling for different professional courses.
It’s also important that you show grace when they err, as it’s natural to make mistakes when one is learning. But reprimanding them for even small mistakes may make them hesitant about trying again and succeeding. Also, provide them with constructive feedback to help them improve their performance.
You Don’t Have to Do Everything Alone
Running a business is not easy, we know. We at JFS Partners understand running a business is hard. We can help you attract and retain the right talent. Contact our team to learn how we can support you.
