For most, the transition from work as they knew it to our new normal of working from home was full of confusion, experimentation, and guess work. Going back to work does not have to be that way. From a people management perspective, there are several things that you can do to smoothen the process of having your people back in the office. This is a short back-to-work playbook for HR, Internal Communicators, and Management.
1. Safety
Health and safety of your workforce should be a top priority. Your people are your top asset right now and no plan on bringing operations back to some semblance of normalcy can succeed without them. Not following proper health procedures could see a rise in infections and force you to send your people back to home.
Manufacturers around the world were the first industry to work on stringent back to work measures to bringing their employees back to work. Some manufacturers got their first by using their product lines to aid in production of PPE materials. Health, Pharma, Food Production companies have been running their plants at full pace speed. However, for some the high cost of overheads forced them to consider reopening factories. In March Volkswagen was burning through $2.2 billion a week due to a lack of production at its factories.
If you would like to build a new set of protocols and safety guidelines read through Safe Work Playbook 2nd Edition and Safe Work Supplement developed by the Lear Corporation. These two resources should help you think through what safety procedures help your current situation and industry.
2. Strategize + Pulse Surveys
Who do we bring back, when and how? These are important questions to answer before embarking on a “back to work” plan. It is important to think through these questions from a strategic standpoint – this great article from McKinsey gives you ideas on how to reimagine the office post COVID-19. However, it is important to find out where your staff stand. Motivation, energy, mental levels will affect staff productivity when they get back.
We are all used to long survey forms (hopefully yours are all digital now). Pulse Surveys are a great way to get concise information from your staff. You should ask the following questions:
Also be flexible (where possible). If your staff can work from home and still perform let them. Around the world we have seen large companies ask their staff for the reminder of the year. While some might relish the idea and are dying to get back to life as we know it, don’t just ask your people to get up and come back. Some might prefer transitioning slowly.
3. Think About Culture
Are your organizational values relevant for the post-COVID19 world? Oops I know that was a hard one! Are your staff aware of what it would take to not only survive but thrive? No doubt the coming months will be turbulent as businesses and economies try to find their way back. Don’t think that everything will happen automatically or that your sales or business strategy will automatically work. Peter Drucker says that “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Your success lies on the culture that you will establish, reward, and cultivate.
So, what kind of culture do you need to foster? Again, don’t just expect your people to give you results once everyone “gets back”. Hopefully, the great work-at-home experiment has resulted in your staff developing values that will help you in the long run. Are you better communicators, faster problem solvers and innovators, more attuned to customer needs?
Having everything go back could also serve as a “reset” for your culture – an opportunity to pass on and cultivate new attitudes, values, behaviors you think your staff need to have for your organization to succeed.
4. Increase Engagement through Strategic Communication
Several organizations I have talked to since the beginning of the Pandemic and stay at home orders, admit that they have improved and increased communication with staff. From tips, notices on where to connect with resources, guidelines and measures, links to online courses and resources, hotlines and even benefits HR and Communication departments have on average done a great job on informing their staff. However, regarding digital communications, there is still more that can be done.
Increase Video Consumption
Video is king when it comes to scenario-based learning and communication. Video beats text. While an email newsletter is a great way to communicate with staff, video updates will keep staff more engaged and have higher completion rates. This is also true for communication on other topics. If you want to talk about a new set of values, behaviors or attitudes, video will yield better results than text or even presentations. A safety video (important during the COVID-19 pandemic) will have better completion rates, engagement and understanding when delivered via video as opposed to articles or even infographics.
Rebrand your email communication
If email openings and consumption of your content is a top priority, as opposed to ticking a box that an email has been sent; then email design and creating an experience in your communication should be of importance to you. A lot of time and thought is put to the design of communication to your external customer – getting them to open and engage with your communication is a science. Because your internal communication is supposed to equip, inform, and empower your internal customer (staff) then the same level of thought should be put into designing it. Afterall a better informed, in touch, equipped and empowered internal customer (staff) the better their service of your external customer. Design covers layout, content, colors and so on.
Secondly, as opposed to having a one-size-fits-all communication strategy, try and customize your communication depending on the recipient. As a communicator, whether in HR, Communications or managements; you have a large audience with people at different positions, time spent in the company, ages and needs. The consumption of content, and engagement levels will yield a higher result when your communication is targeted and customized to your various recipients.
5. Gifts
It has been a tough last couple of months. Tell your employees you appreciate their hard work and adapting to new working environments and business dynamics with a well-earned gift. Gifts not only communicate gratefulness but can also be a great way to communicate important company information by way of affirmation. Whether they have been back for a week or even a month, your appreciating them will go a long way in engagement levels and helping them feel appreciated.
6. Get in Touch
If you are interested in our return to work gift hamper ideas, or help in your communication strategy through the creation of video (including animated videos), attractive email templates and strategies, or culture and skills solutions such as virtual trainings or virtual team buildings feel free to get in touch with us on engage@stawiadvisory.co.ke or give us a call on +254 729 500700.
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