Don’t let Social Distancing stop Employee Engagement

by Stacey Mc Grath, Digital Marketing Executive with Intelligo Sofrware who provide Corporate HR Software and Payroll Software

As the aftershocks of COVID-19 continue, employers are laser-focused on safety for their employees. That means postponing or cancelling business travel, working remotely, or keeping employees on-site apart to ensure their safety. Although the business will eventually return to normal — or at least some new version of normal — it could take a long time. When it does, employers will face the reality of a tougher world. Likewise, employees will have survived disruptions at work, illness, or worse. This is where the evidence of low morale amongst employees will have crept in and affected your business.

To prepare for the future, employers should double down on their investment in employee engagement now by developing a significant strategy that will hopefully bolster moral so that when the ‘new normal’ does arrive, businesses can take off on the right path once again. Here are two ideas you could consider to get you started.

Idea 1: Share Business News
One of the most prominent disconnect employees might feel working remotely, or separated, is the lack of visibility. Unlike a conventional workplace where employees could walk up to other teams, departments, and colleagues, employees may be feeling uninformed and out of the loop. To prevent this, ensure you share as much business news as you can, such as new customer acquisitions, project completions, and more. Your HR department can also introduce new employees, programs, and other operational updates.

A convenient way to do this could be with an intranet site. This will help employees to be on the same page as the rest of the organisation and there will be no ‘fear of missing out’. In a time when management is being asked to provide a regular flow of communication about the company, an intranet is a convenient way to do this.

Ideas 2: Host Fun Activities – Virtually
Every employer cares about the bonds between their employees and knows that friendly team building activities are an excellent way to improve team morale and make employees’ relationships more solid. The connections within teams when separated are hard to establish and uphold. You can, of course, encourage them to connect via email. However, to bring them closer, you should think about fun activities. With social distancing, it is more important than ever to maintain some of the fun elements that your business encourages.

No matter your industry, team building will surely enhance your team and business. But how do you do this considering social distancing – the answer is virtual! Virtual team building includes organising online games and activities that allow employees to socialise and communicate with co-workers online. These can range from online bingo, to photo contests or just about anything you can imagine – so get your thinking cap on and get creative!