How to Stay Connected with Your Staff During Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for businesses across America. Those who had a hybrid setup where employees worked from home and at the office had some understanding of how things would work. Those who never had a remote setup had to learn the hard way.

In the end, 82 percent of companies setup flexible schedules to establish proper work-life balances for their employees. Nevertheless, there was still an issue -- communication. Managers had a harder time connecting with their staff then they did when they were in the office.

Eventually, they figured out the best ways to keep up with everyone and make sure they covered all the potential issues. Here are a few ways they came up with to connect with their staff during COVID-19.

Weekly Meetings

The weekly meeting was already a critical component for workers and management before the pandemic. The staff would get together in a real or virtual conference room to catch up on the latest requirements and changes. In the world of COVID-19, these meetings became much more.

They're now a way to find out how everyone is doing both with the workload and in their personal lives. It gives managers a chance to see their employees and detect potential issues. It also provides an open forum for all to make further suggestions on how to handle work during the coronavirus.

On-Going Chat Group

A good way to feel connected to your staff is with a text messaging service for business. If this is something you've considered for down the road, it should be made a priority today.

Products like text-em-all, Skype, and Microsoft Teams have capabilities to design regular chat rooms where you can meet up with employees on a daily basis. They can be used to report issues or help troubleshoot problems. If a chat gets too crowded, people can separate themselves into individual virtual rooms for further discussions.

One-On-One Meetups

The craziness of COVID-19 sent many companies into a panic mode. As they worked to ramp up remote work platforms, interactions with employees were pushed to the side. In turn, some of these workers felt they were no longer valued by their companies.

This is why one-on-one meetups with your workers is of utmost importance. It not only gives them a chance to vent but also an opportunity to present new ideas to managers to smooth operations during the pandemic. Thought the meetups might be 10 or 20 minutes, it gives employees time to feel better about their situation.

Virtual Non-Work Meetups

To create a good work-life balance, companies might want to consider some virtual meetups that aren't related to work issues. This gives the staff a chance to see how their former officemates are doing and determine if they need anything.

A good example of this type of meetup is a movie night. Everyone gets together to watch an online movie. Then, they can have a discussion about it once the film ends. The same thing can be done with a popular television program.

Small Live Gatherings

If most of your workforce is local, a small gathering is another way to connect with your staff. This can be held at a park or in someone's backyard.

To make people safe, you want to ensure you're following proper health protocols. This means proper social distancing and, if needed, face masks. Try to set-up an area where everyone can see and hear each other. The ability to get people outside in a live environment can help boost their morale.

The COVID-10 pandemic has certainly changed the way we socialize. However, it doesn't mean your staff needs to work in total isolation. There are ways, both virtual and live, that you can stay connected with your staff.

The main thing is to prioritize these meetups. Don't let the volume of work cause them to be eliminated. Today's staff members want to feel connected more than ever. Canceling or rescheduling even can cause a decrease in productivity.

Overall, reach out to your staff as much as you can to ensure they have a proper work-life balance and their not experiencing strain due to the pandemic. It can make your workers happier and more productive as this situation continues.