For more helpful software solutions that can improve the lives and productivity of teams that are working remotely, check out this list. (RPA) can integrate with any existing business platform, to automate repetitive tasks. Swap out the facemasks for Christmas alternatives to break down that barrier, make customers feel at ease and say goodbye to low morale. by Rachel Mucha. While it is true that businesses can’t stop operating because of the pandemic, they can’t get their employees to work in such a state of panic. Dreams have been described as dress rehearsals for real life, opportunities to gratify wishes, and a form of nocturnal therapy. But all the stress of coronavirus doesn’t exactly make for a happy (or chill) employee. How to boost telecommuters' morale during the COVID-19 pandemic by Moira Alexander in CXO on March 18, 2020, 8:42 AM PST The coronavirus is … Whether it’s from a computer or smartphone, employees can hold virtual meetings, meet up for coffee, or even have a remote happy hour to increase engagement. Billions of people have been ordered to stay in their homes while a deadly pandemic rages outside; surveys show anxiety and depression levels spiking. This gives employees more time to focus on important, cognitive work while taking off some of the pressure. To foster this feeling, consider company-wide recognition for successful initiatives and provide insight into the business benefits of each initiative. Employee Recognition. Company Culture: 5 Morale Boosters During the COVID-19 Pandemic COVID-19 has, to put it mildly, changed everyday life. It’s fair to say that global morale is low. It’s essentially a way to make normal business tasks seem like fun games for employees to play. Consider implementing technology that can assist your employees by removing some of their daily tasks. Keep Communication Honest and Open. As we reflect on two months (or more) of mandated virtual work, HR and people teams around the world are looking back on their most successful morale-boosting activities—and searching for new ideas to keep their teams happy, healthy, and engaged. Have you heard of gamification? platforms like Zoom, Skype, and even FaceTime are awesome mediums for face-to-face interactions between coworkers. Social behaviors of attendees before and during the event I want to note that mental health is an even more important issue than morale, and morale boosters do not replace the very real need for mental health resources. Best Pandemic Travel Insurance. No matter what size your company is or how big your budget, there are a variety of affordable and. 17 Ways to Boost Employee Morale During COVID-19 That Aren’t Happy Hours. ... Sam Hodges has learned how to lead during a storm.. “This is a … [Read also: How HR can lead during this pandemic] 1. (2000) Morale Matters. In fact, if you can remove some of their workload, you should. Some ways you can try gamification at your company include: Set aside time on the calendar to all join and work on the same task or project. Whenever employees have high morale, they will enjoy going to work and on top of it all, their quality of work is much higher. Whatever business you’re in or work your employees are tasked with, there are plenty of ways to make work more enjoyable for everyone involved. Just make sure that remote games and activities are interactive and involved. The Baby Boomers, in particular, may be the most affected by this pandemic. With new pressures and anxieties weighing down on employees, it can be tougher than ever for workers to accomplish basic tasks. During the pandemic, senior living and assisted living communities like Covington Senior Living have taken extra precautions to protect the most vulnerable residents against COVID-19. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. Nearly seven in 10 police officers across the region say morale has taken a major hit during the coronavirus pandemic. There are tons of messaging systems to choose from to create groups or channels where employees can chat about their work, social life, and personal interests. They are continuing to care in extraordinary ways and skilled nursing communities are raising the bar for casual family visits as well. At the end of the day, taking steps to boost employee morale will help all of your workers feel happier and more engaged with their work. Staff morale affects your company’s success. Both management and employees are still getting used to the new routine of working from home or limited working hours in the office. What Will It Be Like When the Lockdown Lifts. Considering that the crisis has been ongoing for nearly a full year, taking moments to connect with and support employees can go a long way towards supporting the long-term health of your company. 3 Ways Companies Can Boost Morale During the Pandemic Ariel Shapira 2 hrs ago. Without company breakfasts, sponsored happy hours, or even your coworker George’s off-color jokes, it might not be the easiest thing to do. Seeing coworkers and talking through daily projects and activities makes employees feel connected. (Heck, we’re lucky if we remember what day it is). That confidence stems from a sincere belief that the team can produce high-quality and high-impact work that matters to the business. Boosting morale during the COVID-19 pandemic is all about showing you care, remaining hopeful, finding reasons to celebrate, and making our current conditions feel as normal as possible. Now’s the time to integrate the technology necessary to ensure that your employees feel connected and engaged. These five tips can help you boost employee morale and support your workforce during this challenging time. This is the story of the American virus. January 4, 2021. It’s an unsettling and frustrating time for many. Everyone is under stress of different types. Tips to keep employee morale high 3 Ways Companies Can Boost Morale During the Pandemic There are plenty of fun and creative ways to celebrate company milestones that won't break the bank. Which can be an especially tough thing to do during the current Covid-19 scare in Singapore right now. A new theory aims to make sense of it all. (Joe Exotic is so hot right now.) This can be done both in-office and in a remote work environment. … During trying times like this, it’s important to keep your staff happy and motivated. But it’s also crucial to balance being transparent with keeping morale up.” he continued. With substantial drops in revenue and fewer sales, many companies are just trying to stay afloat during this pandemic. When morale is high, we pursue better outcomes. Research shows that employees feel overwhelmed and unproductive amidst the uncertain climate of the business world. Consider these strategies When work is fun, employees are happier with their daily routines (who knew?). The Journal of Higher Education 71:1, pages 34-59. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/1528/, https://doi.org/10.1080/0305569880140107https://doi.org/10.1080/0305569880140107. SHARE ON; It can take a lot of energy to maintain positive employee morale, especially if your staffers are going through coronavirus-related challenges at work or home. You can even include prizes like e-gift cards to encourage participation! Now more than ever, it’s essential for businesses to double down on their efforts to boost employee morale. With this technology, your employees will have less tedious busywork to do on a daily basis. [Read also: How HR can lead during this pandemic] 1. Video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Skype, and even FaceTime are awesome mediums for face-to-face interactions between coworkers. We love the poignant words of Dana Ullom-Vucelich, “At the very core of our humanity is our care for one another. The uncertainty surrounding this time has our teams trying to find a new “normal” amidst the chaos, and can often lead to a decline in team morale. First Bank are a perfect example of the positive effects of employee rewards and recognition programs, especially during the current pandemic. The more engaging and fun the tasks seem, the more employees will want to complete them. When these dynamics are off, morale drops. Lucy Leonard 04.27.20. Set up friendly competitions to see who hits goals or gets the most work completed in a week. Distractions and productivity? (Joe Exotic is, employees feel overwhelmed and unproductive, The Freelancer’s Guide to Surviving An Apocalypse, 5 Steps to Build An Online Business Fast While Social Distancing. With this technology, your employees will have less tedious busywork to do on a daily basis. Your team knows what works best for them and they’ll be happy to get a real say in the matter. Set up casual Fridays or costume contests on the last workday of the month. The shift to remote work can leave employees feeling isolated due to the lack of human interaction they would normally experience in-office. It’s been close to two months since the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus an official pandemic. As we all adjust to remote life and deal with pandemic-related life changes, leaders may need to try new tactics to care for team morale. In studies evaluating workplace morale, those teams reporting high morale were two times more likely to be thriving in the non-work parts of their lives while the low morale teams dreaded workdays and were two times more likely to be diagnosed with depression. People hunger for positivity in a post-pandemic world, especially in the work environment. Two in three employers polled for a recent survey by SHRM said maintaining employee morale has been a challenge during the pandemic. Irritability, agitation, depressed mood, and low morale are all characteristics of TQP and appear to be present until the end of isolation is in sight. Figure out your company’s video conferencing needs and you’ll nail down the best technology for your employees. For many, sheltering in place has become difficult at best and nearly impossible at worst. Make sure you’re not overwhelming your employees by asking them to accomplish more than their regular workload. As a lab manager, you need to step up and help your employees stay motivated and productive during the pandemic and its aftermath. The novel COVID-19 pandemic has forced much of our country’s workforce to work remotely and stay inside their homes. Since morale has the potential of helping individuals and communities rally and improve or passively “quit” and decline, it seems that this is a good place to start. Covid-19 Communications, Entrepreneurship. Get everyone together, shut off all other communication and distractions, and let the power hour begin. The coronavirus pandemic has shifted normal business operations to being remote. We see this with sports teams and theatrical casts. Putting some of these ideas to work can help keep employee morale high, even during the most difficult times. Morale During the Pandemic, and How to Raise It | Psychology Today When morale is high, we pursue better outcomes. If we are going to continue to stop COVID in its path, we need the kind of morale that inspires teamwork and excellence. When employees genuinely enjoy the work atmosphere, they are pushed to work more efficiently and productively. There are many ways that COVID-19 affected businesses, and their employees, through different forms of tightened budgets. Researchers exploring the psychological phenomenon of isolation in space and submarine travel as well as Arctic research centers have identified a Third Quarter Phenomenon (TQP) that emerges when people are almost three-quarters of the way through their prescribed period of social isolation. For more helpful software solutions that can improve the lives and productivity of teams that are working remotely. Automation software like robotic process automation (RPA) can integrate with any existing business platform, to automate repetitive tasks. Employees now work from home to uphold social distancing and quarantine guidelines. Sounds counterintuitive, right? When there’s a goodness of fit between people and purpose, morale is high which spurs excellence. Team Morale. How Can Medical Workers Cope With COVID-19 Stress Now? To respond to anger or fear by simply spreading does not equal responsible action; instead, it leads to poor morale. Morale boosters are only the tip of the pandemic iceberg on which we are standing. They are continuing to care in extraordinary ways and skilled nursing communities are raising the bar for casual family visits as well. Whether it’s from a computer or smartphone, employees can hold virtual meetings, meet up for coffee, or even have a remote happy hour to increase engagement. Automation software like. It could be just the distraction they need to boost morale and productivity. How to foster team morale during the pandemic . options available. 4 ways to boost morale – even during a pandemic. Both can be powerful motivators to take action when it is needed. Take a breath. In studies of military personnel, high morale was correlated with cultural empathy, open-mindedness, social initiative, emotional stability, and flexibility. How to Weather Psychologically Toxic Conditions, Why So Many Are Gambling with Contracting Covid-19, 7 Gaslighting Phrases Used to Confuse and Control, The Psychology of Deception: Asking Questions to Spot Liars, What to Do (and Not Do) After You’ve Been Cheated On, Psychology Today © 2021 Sussex Publishers, LLC, How Face-to-Face Disagreements Hijack Available Brain Space, Millennials May Not Be as Racially Tolerant as They Seem, AI Neural Network Mimics the Human Brain on Psychedelics, New Principles to Reduce Child Sexual Abuse Risk, How and Why to Take a Break From the News, Refinding Focus and Inspiration In the New Year, Grumpy, Sad, and Anxious: Week 9 of Quarantine, Boosting Employee Morale and Happiness During the Pandemic. We’re moving away from Ford’s assembly lines and we’ve figured out that a little levity never hurt anyone. (Heck, we’re lucky if we remember what day it is). Mental Health. Ask yourself: what could I do today to boost my employees’ morale? Given that our current global reality reflects a populace demonstrating obvious signs of TQP while also having no clear idea of when quarantine will eventually fully end, it’s crucial that we begin to address the psychological components inherent to TQP. Imagine joining your team video call and seeing coworkers dressed as their favorite celebs or in full Jersey Shore attire, bump-its and all. In fact, it can be just the reset you need to max out productivity. This gives employees more time to focus on important, cognitive work while taking off some of the pressure. Make sure you’re not overwhelming your employees by asking them to accomplish more than their regular workload. In fact, if you can remove some of their workload, Consider implementing technology that can assist your employees by removing some of their daily tasks. How Companies Can Keep Employee Morale High During the Pandemic 1. Your staff needs your support now more than ever. During the pandemic, senior living and assisted living communities like Covington Senior Living have taken extra precautions to protect the most vulnerable residents against COVID-19. Happy employees. Whatever business you’re in or work your employees are tasked with, there are plenty of ways to make work more enjoyable for everyone involved. Communication is critical now more than ever, and without providing correct information, workers can become overwhelmed. Do trivia daily or weekly to spark engagement and interest across the company. Just look for something that lets team members share funny videos, relatable stories, uplifting articles, and the latest memes about hand sanitizer (it’s funny until we realize this is our reality). Now more than ever, it’s essential for businesses to double down on their efforts to boost employee morale. Research shows that employees feel overwhelmed and unproductive amidst the uncertain climate of the business world. It’s been close to two months since the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus an official pandemic. To achieve this, we all need to tend to our own personal morale as well as that of our communities. The best way to combat feelings of isolation and increase morale is by keeping employees connected. There are many ways to set up healthy competition at your company. Some ways you can try gamification at your company include: Set up friendly competitions to see who hits goals or gets the most work completed in a week. Themed workdays can be as involved as your company is comfortable with. Here are a few easy tricks to make remote work more enjoyable and to boost employee happiness across the company. Morale boosters are only the tip of the pandemic iceberg on which we are standing. Making matters worse, the radical political divide over how to move forward together has our empathy, open-mindedness, and flexibility on short supply. But your employees are the backbone of your company, and you’ll thank yourself in the long run. You can even include prizes like e-gift cards to encourage participation! Communicate, communicate, communicate. Here are a few easy tricks to make remote work more enjoyable and to boost employee happiness across the company. Imagine joining your team video call and seeing coworkers dressed as their favorite celebs or in full Jersey Shore attire, bump-its and all. To read the full case study on how Bucketlist has increased company morale at First Bank, click here. Pro-Tip: Boost employee morale at your next virtual event with Hoppier. This group is most likely to self-isolate due to fear of infection, while also potentially having fewer supports in place to feel less lonely. Blog Tags. Older adults (aged 65+) may be particularly susceptible to loneliness during coronavirus. Mixed messages, political interference and public gaffes during the Covid-19 pandemic have caused morale at the CDC to plunge, say current and former staffers. We need this now more than ever. Figure out your company’s video conferencing needs and you’ll nail down the best technology for your employees. Second, when employees have positive employee morale, they give the company a competitive edge. First Bank are a perfect example of the positive effects of employee rewards and recognition programs, especially during the current pandemic. 1. For those that are effective, however, ample time is spent discerning how to parlay these emotions into strategic action and reform. It’s the little things – like strong communication, increased flexibility, and good access to resources – that show that you care. At this challenging time, HR leaders have the most crucial task to play — to boost their employee morale. High morale is also a prerequisite of employee engagement, and multiple studies have shown that engaged companies outperform competitors in categories like customer service, retention, and profit. 1 minute read. When these conditions are not met, morale is low. An Opportunity Familiar to … Extended quarantine and the complexity of re-entry has global morale at an all time low. With the current pandemic, having some fun and slowing down can seem antithetical to keeping your business afloat. There are two essential ingredients to maintaining morale during this “new normal.” First is the need to think about the “whole person” as we work together and serve each other. According to a survey of 2,278 HR professionals by the Society for Human Resource Management, 65% of employers admitted that maintaining employee morale has been difficult during the pandemic. How To Boost Team Morale While Facing The Effects Of The Pandemic. Fear and anger are the geneses of many important nonviolent social justice movements. Morale, in the research, has been discussed most often in regards to culture, classrooms, and corporate vocational settings. In this article, we’ll discuss how you can boost your employee’s productivity and morale during a pandemic. Here are 7 ideas to appreciate and inspire your employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Just make sure that. Learn more about the steps AARP is urging Congress to take in the coronavirus pandemic. If your team members see that you’re remaining calm and taking things day by day, they’ll be more likely to do the same. How to foster team morale during the pandemic. Make communication easy by setting up video conferencing and instant messaging platforms across your company (that is, if you don’t Slack everything already). It’s essentially a way to make normal business tasks seem like fun games for employees to play. 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