In the midst of ongoing, world events, as a leader, you are likely thinking about the big picture, strategizing ways your department or organization will sustain itself during this time. You are looking for ways to bring balance and empathy to your team, while fulfilling the vision of your organization. It is your responsibility to find ways to move forward, while bringing your team alongside you.
When so many people are now working from home and the level of uncertainty continues to rise, employers can feel the pressure to provide means to help reduce the stress levels of their employees.
Here are some tips to help you and your team diminish stress and foster productivity while working from home:
Reach out to your team members, 1-on-1, and find out how they are doing.
Reaching out to your team members shows them that you care about them. Reaching out also helps you assess how their attitude has changed since being at home and you can adjust your communication strategies accordingly.
Reach out to your entire team to give updates and provide time for Q & A’s.
When you solicit real-time feedback from your team, it gives them the opportunity to buy-in and build loyalty to the organization and to you as their leader.
Give your team weekly tips on topics like self-care, self-compassion and staying safe.
There are many resources available on building self care techniques, increasing productivity and creating boundaries when working at home.
Here are a couple you can try:
OR
Direct your team to resources like employee assistance programs (EAP) or direct crisis lines.
Give them a reason to be responsive to these resources. Provide them with examples about someone who struggled and how utilizing these resources was beneficial to them. Help them to get beyond the stigma of talking to a professional or just talking about stress in a productive way.
Continue developing opportunities for team members to build relationships. Orchestrate non-work activities like an online book club, happy hour or game night. Have fun with them!
Promote work-life balance.
Help your employees understand what a work life balance looks like in this new working environment . If you are sending out emails at 1:00 AM, your staff will believe that they have to work around the clock as well . Even if this is not your expectation, people will follow your example. Model the habits you would like to see in your employees.
Provide seminars for learning about work and home life, including topics like budgeting, boundaries, productivity, financial planning, lessening distractions, or stress management.
Communication is is key right now. People are feeling out of control and need to know that you have their back. Your employees want to know that you are working just as hard as they are to keep your jobs. Focus on giving clear guidelines that are supportive and your employees will know you are on their side.
Give one of these tips a try today! Let us know in the comments what you tried and how it turned out.
And just a reminder – we’re here to support you! If you need more ideas, support, encouragement or help managing the stress of business life, we can help. Contact us at Terra@LifeWithLessStress.com to connect with us!
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