The Secret To Motivating Employees Back To Work After Covid-19

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The majority of employees affected by the coronavirus are eager and willing to return to work; however there are those who have become comfortable with their new found lifestyle of working from home, long lunch breaks and spending more time with family members. This is all good for them, however if you are trying to run a business that requires staff to be present in your premises to function to full capacity – it may not be good for you.

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Whilst it’s not only a newfound ‘relaxed’ way of life that many employees have become accustomed to, it’s likely also down to fear. Fear of public transport, fear of mixing with people and fear of a second wave of the virus. These are all points you need to address with your staff members to get them back safely and effectively into the building.

Financial Motivation

Everyone loves extra money, and incentivising your staff to perform to a higher level is a great way to get the best out of them productivity wise. This does not mean increasing their salary purely to get them to come back to work, it means setting goals and targets for them to meet. The likelihood is these goals will be completely unachievable outside of the regular work settings – hence forcing them to return to employment.

Arrange A Collection 'Bubble' Bus

If fear is the driving factor of your staff not wanting to return to work – instead of relying on them getting public transport, why not invest in a ‘work bus’. The idea being the bus collects each member of staff in the morning, and returns them on an evening, maintaining their work life ‘bubble’ of colleagues. The added benefit of this is also that you can guarantee everyone will be on time.

Set Up, Technology & Preparation

Staff want to be reassured that correct procedures are in place in the workplace for their safe return. This may mean adding glass shields, separating workstations, adding hand sanitisation stations and possibly using technology to check for sickness such as digital head thermometers. Technology is the driving force of society these days, and it’s our ticket out of the pandemic. So as a business leader you need to keep on top of technological trends and advancements. Meeting customers face to face is not going to be a possibility in the near future, and with most meetings happening via zoom, sales engagement software offers a great way to build team collaboration while keeping deals moving forward. Sales engagement software is something worth looking at, and can hugely grow your business and improve your profits year on year, as well as get the most out of your team.

Share Options

If your company is big enough, why not consider offering shares to the most valuable members of your team? This will give the staff member a feeling of purpose, belonging – and if they are struggling with the thought of returning post-Covid, it could be the driving factor that helps in their decision process.

Staggered Entry Times

Rather than have everyone arrive in the building at one time, try to allow people more flexibility on their arrival and departure times to free up the entrance and halls of your premises.

Move To Larger Premises

If space is an issue at your current premises, and you do not think staff members will be able to safely socially distance – it may be time to look elsewhere for somewhere else to house your business. Covid-19 has unfortunately created a flood of empty commercial premises worldwide, so bargaining is on your side when it comes to striking a deal with a landlord.

The Covid-19 pandemic was unprecedented on many levels, and nobody could have predicted it. It has changed us all as a society, and as a business owner you need to respect that your employees are going through a tough time. Do not try to pressure staff too quickly into returning if there is even the slightest possibility of working from home. Remember it’s better to have a great team player happily working from a remote location than to have an unhappy employee in your premises.