The last several weeks have ushered in a “new normal” for workers worldwide. As many employees adjust to working from home amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, we decided to survey 1,000 US employees and 400 managers to understand the challenges and emotions they’re facing as a result.
Here is what we learned.
1. People are anxious, fearful, and stressed.
2. Financial fears and disruptions to routine are the most common challenges employees are facing at work.
3. Motivation, accountability, and morale are among managers’ top challenges as they adjust to managing their teams remotely.
4. While so many employees are feeling anxious, fewer than half of managers are confident in their understanding of how employees are handling the COVID-19 outbreak.
5. Over 1 in 4 managers are finding it harder to communicate.
If any of this sounds familiar, know you’re not alone. But as we adjust to the changes the COVID-19 outbreak has brought about, it’s crucial that employees know their manager has their backs. Here are three ways to do so:
Gather anonymous feedback on the team’s well-being.
Mental and emotional well-being are sensitive topics in the best of times, so putting employees on the spot is not the way to go. Instead, give people a safe place to be candid about how things are going. If you’re unsure how to go about it, we recently launched a tool with pre-vetted questions that can help.
Communicate, then communicate some more.
Now is not the time to hunker down in your inbox. Make sure you have a plan in place for daily and weekly communications with each employee and the collective team. If you aren’t sure where to start, here’s the template we’re using.
Make room for a little fun.
Virtual happy hours, pet photo exchanges, and friendly competitions do wonders for team morale. Taking time for light-hearted activities provides a welcome distraction from the negative news cycle and brings teams together.
