{"id":50136,"date":"2021-05-25T16:07:25","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T20:07:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/?p=50136"},"modified":"2021-05-25T19:32:31","modified_gmt":"2021-05-25T23:32:31","slug":"employee-communication-in-the-new-normal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/employee-communication-in-the-new-normal\/","title":{"rendered":"Balancing the Conversation for EX: How to Speak to Employees in \u201cThe New Normal\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the past 15 months, employees have lived with anxiety, stress, and even fear. Many have had careers balancing on a knife edge, with their health, families and homes at risk. These people\u2019s lives have shattered into fragments, yet they\u2019re expected to come in, work hard, and keep the lifeblood of the company flowing.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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How do you motivate such a workforce? How do you rebuild the unquestioning trust which existed before the pandemic, when good performance guaranteed a safe job? How do you balance your messaging between the honest \u201cNothing will ever be the same\u201d and the forcefully optimistic \u201cBusiness as usual, folks\u201d? <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Communication lies at the heart of finding this balance. As we move purposefully forwards and leave the pandemic behind, the right messaging and actions will help businesses re-establish themselves as places of safety for employees, despite everything they\u2019ve been through.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s take a look at how.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reshape this as an opportunity for positive change<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Any business still standing has survived the worst of the pandemic. It is the leader\u2019s responsibility to start looking forward; to reflect and rebuild the culture, health, and productivity of the business.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The need for\u00a0<\/span>empathy\u00a0<\/span><\/i>as a company culture has never been more important. Having guided the business through the past 15 months, some leaders have retained the trust and respect of their employees. But it\u2019s a fragile trust. Leaders can leverage this moment to have real talk with employees about their health and personal circumstances at home.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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A\u00a0<\/span>report from McKinsey<\/span><\/a>\u00a0summarized it perfectly, stating that the pandemic \u201cprovides a historic opportunity to overcome the stigma of mental and emotional health as taboo topics for workplace discussion, especially the feelings of isolation and shame that are attached to job losses and other employment casualties.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Most of them will be going through rough times away from work, and it is on leaders to appreciate and consider that. Having these conversations lifts moods, raises spirits, and gives employees a sense belonging; acting on them transforms your employees lives. This is a chance to leverage a low point to ignite an unprecedented high.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Get 100% clear on your health & safety<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Uncertainty compounds stress. If your business has a physical location, make sure you communicate the rules with absolute clarity to employees. Encourage questions and ask employees to voice their concerns. If the office is open but some employees feel uncomfortable travelling in, allow them to work remotely. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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And ideally,\u00a0<\/span>ask if there\u2019s anything more you can do to help<\/span><\/b>. Your employees are the lifeblood of your company\u2014even without your moral obligation to help, it is pure business sense to give them every help you can. This kind of proactive behavior is the most valuable thing you can do for employees, and is the ultimate demonstration of great communication.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Put\u00a0<\/b>people over profit<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Talking about \u201cpeople before profit\u201d in the boardroom doesn\u2019t make you a forward-thinking, empathetic, trust-building company. Actually putting people first does.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What people need right now is something like security. Employees get that they work in a business, and sometimes businesses lose money and even go broke. Your employees\u00a0<\/span>understand\u00a0<\/span><\/i>that. They don\u2019t need false promises that everything will be fine\u2014they need to believe that whoever\u2019s in charge will do\u00a0<\/span>what they can\u00a0<\/span><\/i>to keep the company, and their jobs, alive.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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So how can you demonstrate to your teams that you really are putting them first?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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