Tips on Promoting Healthy Work Environment During COVID-19

Even as we approach the end of April, it’s hard to avoid any headline that mentions the coronavirus. As more and more offices transition their employees to working from home, many organizations are left grasping at how to provide a positive, engaged, and productive work environment. 

While everyone reacts to distress differently, we wanted to provide a few general tips on how to create a healthy work environment that helps everyone feel supported and encouraged during such uncertain times. 

Establish a culture of transparency and honesty

The COVID-19 pandemic has sent waves through the lives of every individual, both personally and professionally. During a period of such acute upheaval, it is vital that organizations create a culture of transparency and honesty.

If there are potential disruptions to business due to the pandemic, let employees know. If things look promising, even better, let employees know. Keep everybody as up to date on the state of the company as you can; nearly everyone knows someone who has experienced a round of layoffs by now. Assuage any worries and let employees know they are as up to date as possible by regularly communicating the state of affairs. 

Conduct regular check-ins

Communication is perhaps the best tool at your disposal to combat anxiety and foster togetherness, productivity, and engagement. It is essential for organizations to regularly check-in with employees during this time. 

Establish a cadence (weekly, or daily, if possible) for teams to touch base with one another. This can even be simply a 20-minute “hang-out” where employees can socialize, encourage, and check-in. Getting any amount of extra face time can dramatically help to boost engagement and ease collective stress. 

Taking it one step further than these huddle-type sessions for teams, stress to management the importance of scheduling one-to-ones with individual team members. As helpful as the group meetings are, some concerns are best addressed personally. One-to-ones provide employees an opportunity to air out any concerns or fears and address any issues related to the current pandemic and how it may be affecting their work. Everyone is handling this situation differently, and even if there are team members completely unaffected, these one-on-one meetings help show your organization’s support and care for everyone. 

Continue to acknowledge employee success

A few things can fall by the wayside when workplaces are dealing with disruption on such scales. One thing we urge everyone to continue doing during these times of social distancing is to keep acknowledging employee success. 

If you usually run an employee of the month initiative, make sure you continue to do so. With everyone working remotely, you can get a little creative with you present the award (maybe even drop off a gift box and have them check the front door while they’re on the call!). 

You can also incorporate a peer recognition section into your weekly/bi-weekly meetings. Have team members submit “shout outs” which acknowledge the help of other team members, whether they be personal or professional. 

These simple acts can help promote cohesion and a greater sense of purpose throughout teams while everyone is grappling with considerable upheaval in their lives. 

RHM Staffing Solutions

Finding it hard to confidently hire the talent you need in these challenging times? You’re not alone, and RHM Staffing Solutions is here to help. 

Our team of dedicated recruiters has the networks and industry know-how required to help great organizations find great manufacturing, light industrial, and engineering talent.

Give us a call today to learn how we can do it for you.