How to Engage Employees During Economic Hardships 

As global impact of COVID-19 continues to grow, organizations around the world are feeling the effects of economic change. Consumer and business spending have been largely impacted by quarantines, travel restrictions, and social distancing measures. These impacts are taking a toll on the business world as many organizations are being forced to reduce their business hours, their staff and in some cases even close their doors.

These types of changes can have a detrimental effect on your employees. Not only are they worried about the changes happening in their personal life, but they are also plagued with the fear of losing their income. In times like these, engaging your employees is more important than ever.

3 Tips for How to Engages Employees During Economic Hardships:

An unengaged workforce can have an overwhelming impact on your organization. When coupled with the economic struggles taking place, the effects are detrimental to your success. To continue to engage your workforce while navigating economic hardships, we suggest following these X tips:

1. Create an Open Line of Communication
   Your employees are going to have a lot of questions. The best thing you can do is answer them as openly as possible. Full disclosure of any changes you are making and how you are handling the COVID-19 pandemic will help to ease their worries. This will increase the confidence they have in being a part of your organization and keep them engaged in their day to day productivity.
   
   A great way to create open communication is through your mentoring program. Have your mentors communicate with their mentees about any changes that may directly affect them. Mentors should be able to help their mentees navigate these changes in an effective and efficient way. This will minimize the time needed for employees to return to their normal activities and level of engagement.
   
   
2. Continue Employee Development
   Employee development is not be an expendable program during times of change. Continuing to develop your employees should be a priority as it is directly related the engagement of your workforce. You most likely started developing your employees to fulfill their need for career growth. Taking that away from them during a time when they are facing so much uncertainty would be less than ideal for their engagement.
   
   Mentoring programs are a proven way to engage your employees through development. Use this time as an opportunity to launch or even relaunch a mentoring program for your employees. It will let them know that you are still thinking of their needs while navigating those of the organization. This will also help them to see that they – and your organization- have a future.
   
   
3. Recognize Employee Contributions During Difficult Times
   Recognizing employee contributions is one of the most popular ways to boost engagement. Following through with this practice is even more important during times of crisis. Don’t forget that you are not the only one going through difficult times.
   
   Your employees are having their lives rearranged and still giving 100% during the workday. This is the time when recognizing those efforts will mean the most to your employees.
   
   We know that it can be difficult to track the efforts your employees are making while you are focused on the changes throughout your organization. Lean on your mentoring program for the information you need to provide appropriate recognition. Your mentors and mentees are a great resource to determine the level of engagement and productivity taking place.

At Insala, we are committed to helping our clients navigate these economic hardships. With over 30 years of experience in launching successful mentoring programs, we are making ourselves available to help organizations develop and engage their employees. Please contact us for more information on how our mentoring solutions can help your organization continue to succeed.