5 Ways to Positively Impact Employee Relations During Covid-19

by Adebayo Onafuwa - Founder | Brand & Talent Consultant | Speaker

“It is only as we develop others that we permanently succeed” - Harvey Samuel Firestone

Managing Employee Relations in a positive way has become more critical to the success of any Organisation especially in this current Covid-19 crisis. There’s a lot more going on mentally in the minds of employees beyond just their expected work duties. Yet, they must bring their A-Game and focus on delivering their objectives. 

These are just 5 ways Employers can help continue to make the work relationship positive.

1. Appreciate What you’ve got.

• Make the work environment welcoming by creating a welcoming culture. Treat every employee as a guest in the manner in which you welcome and engage them.
• Where possible, be the first to say hello. Ask about their evening or journey to work. This helps them feel a bit relaxed which helps ease their brain into work mode.
• Let them know you appreciate the fact that they made it to work, either in-office or online. The fact that they are at work and not off sick means that hopefully more value is being added to achieving the mission and vision for that day.
• If you are their Line Manager, try and discover their morning routine. Are they a ‘grab coffee before settling in’ kind of employee? or maybe a ‘I need 10 minutes to catch up on emails before any face to face conversations’. Knowing their routine and showing them that you respect that creates trust and a buy in that once settled, they are focused and good to go.
• Start your conversations with positives even if there are issues to be discussed. A positive start to a conversation allows the mind to open up and be more receptive to negative follow ups. Also, do try to end the conversation with positive ‘Action/Next Steps’.

3 Immediate Benefits:

1. Employees who feel appreciated to be part of an organisation will likely show up more. You can almost count on their attendance to work. You will see a huge reduction in lateness, absenteeism and sick days.
2. Their energy levels to perform will be higher and they will be more focused on the job because they feel a strong sense of duty.
3. There is an increase in loyalty as they feel they have a stake in the business and this often leads to them going the extra mile in order to show that they are playing their part. A happy employee is not in a hurry to leave their company for another even when offered more money simply sometimes just because they like the way they are being treated.

2. Applaud every key effort or value added contribution.

• We don’t say thank you or well done enough. This makes a massive difference.
• The fact that they are trying means they truly want to succeed. Recognizing their effort encourages them to even try better. Tell them what they have done well, tell them where they have gone wrong and help them think of how they could have done it better, then encourage them to get it done.
• No one becomes perfect overnight but can improve overnight...every night. Over time with practice and hard work, employees will get it right. You just need to nudge them in the right direction positively.
• Appreciating their effort while giving them constructive feedback helps them receive criticism better. The objective of criticism is not to put them down but to stir them up.
• Create a culture where mistakes are acceptable as long as they are not often repeated. We learn best and grow from mistakes, it should not be seen as unacceptable because employees will start hiding them or finding shortcuts that will eventually lead to bigger failures.
• In a nutshell, ‘What went well? What could be improved? How can it be done better? And What more support can you give?

3 Immediate Benefits

1. Not being afraid to try or make mistakes is a true secret to success. By applauding what they have done well and guiding them through their mistakes often leads to them choosing to improve rather than been forced to.
2. Recognition leads to more confidence which leads to better creativity which in turn leads to improved results.
3. Feedback is easier to take on board and reflect on if it is accompanied with recognition for efforts. Remember, you also want them to succeed therefore would prefer a more motivated employee than one that feels downcast.

3. Be Truly Fair.

• Say what you mean, mean what you say and do it transparently. Let there never be one rule for some and a different one for others. Even when it comes to the little things like who is allowed access to the office biscuits and fruit baskets. 
• Favoritism is a disastrous Corporate disease. Make sure the same rules apply. Nothing creates disengagement more than to feel like a lesser colleague. If smokers are allowed 2 to 3 15 minutes cigarette break, shouldn’t non smokers be allowed the same time opportunities to step out and breathe clean air?
• Fairness is a Critical Success Factor that only needs to be broken once to lead to disloyalty. And once broken it becomes terribly hard to mend the trust. If I feel you favor others above me, why should I give you my 100%?
• Transparency is Gold, keep it safe and Never sell it.
• Work hard at creating a culture of ‘We are in this Together’ or T.E.A.M - Together Everyone Achieves More.

3 Immediate Benefits

1. People work harder together if they know they are truly ‘Together’. Transparency allows for better Team flow and understanding that promotion between colleagues is more based on merits and performance appraisals rather than whose smile you like better.
2. Employees are genuinely happy to celebrate another colleagues’ promotion if the process was fair. There will be no tension or reservation toward the promoted colleague. In fact, it could inspire the employee to work even harder or show you their interest in developing.
3. Employee surveys receive more positive results and feedback. Where there appears to be a culture of ‘Oneness’, Teams move forward Together.

4. Discipline with Love

• It is important to make policies and procedures clear and easy to understand. Schedule policy refreshers for all employees so they are abreast with any changes and duly reminded of their expectations at work.
• Should an employee be required to go through a disciplinary procedure, show fairness and transparency using clear language and calm choice of words. Rather than saying you have ‘failed’ to deliver expectations, you can say ‘unfortunately, you have not met with the agreed expectations’ or your actions have sadly not been in line with our policies.
• Engage, engage, engage. Help them understand why the outcome is what it is and what the next steps for improvement [where possible] could be. Most employees would be satisfied with the outcome if they clearly realize that they have made that error of judgement. They will also be more open to any improvement support.
• Put yourself in their shoes. What could they have done differently to have avoided the outcome. Can this be a case by case process? Just because they have hit the absence trigger does not necessarily mean a Final warning. What were the circumstances leading to each case?
• Follow up, support and show that you are there to guide them should they desire to improve. Even when you have to let them go, still do it with sympathy because they are the ones that will either praise or pull down your company brand on Social Media. Any bad News even if fake is no good News for your brand.

3 Immediate Benefits

1. Most outcomes that are dealt with in a fair, transparent and empathetic manner are accepted without requests for an appeal.
2. If done right, most times the employee truly seeks to improve because of the manner in which the procedure was handled.
3. Even if the outcome was a termination of contract, exit interviews and public reviews are seldom negative.

5. Training and Development

• Don’t only tell me what to do, tell me how to do it, show me how it is done, give me the tools to get it done, tell me how I am doing, advise me on how to do it better and when it is done, rate me fairly on how I did.
• Invest in your employee and they will pay dividends that lead to long term profits.
• You have to create a plan for growth. It is one thing to ask your employees where they see themselves in 3 to 5 years, but really, where do you see them in that period and do you have a plan to help them get there?
• Build a ‘Transferable Knowledge’ Culture. Does your Manager already have a Supervisor trained? Does that Supervisor already have a Team Leader trained? And does the Team Leader already have Key Colleagues trained?
• Don’t break the chain. For one to move up, there must be another to fill the gap and another to fill their gap.
• Don’t think about the training costs or time. Rather think about the costs of not training and the deeper costs of losing employees. Focus on the Growth Benefits, absence and holidays can better be covered. Besides, if it makes you more money and wins you more Clients then it should be worth it.

3 Immediate Benefits

1. An actively pursued career path is critical to an employee’s loyalty.
2. Loyalty gained through training and development leads to long term service.
3. My life long favorite quote: ‘It is only as we develop others that we truly succeed’. - Harvey Samuel Firestone.