In our current situation there is a lot of uncertainty about the future. There are daily, if not hourly, updates on how each country will operate and this has meant that many businesses need to quickly adapt in the ways that they operate. When it comes to your business, keeping teams motivated and customers engaged is crucial. We believe there are three key things to do to ensure morale is kept high: communication, reassurance and motivation.
Communication is key
As things are rapidly changing, it can be difficult to know when is the right time to make decisions and communicate them to your employees and customers. The important thing is to communicate often so there is no room for worry or concern. For your employees, could you send out a daily update and host a weekly lunchtime web chat so they can ask any questions they have? If anything changes, for example, you need people to work from home or the office closes, make sure you tell people this quickly. Ask your managers to host debriefs with their teams so that if there are any concerns they can offer advice or pass them onto you. When it comes to customers, make sure you are upfront about any changes to the way you operate. For example, if your shop temporarily has to close or you have to adapt your delivery service. The quicker things are communicated, the calmer people will feel about the situation and any future changes.
Give reassurance
As the situation continues to change it’s important that people feel reassured about the future of the business and any health and safety precautions you may need to take. Make sure you communicate to your employees that their jobs are secure and that you will adapt to the situation as it changes. If your offices need to stay open, provide reassurance about the cleaning routines to avoid further spread of the virus. Re-confirm with your customers that you are still open for business and taking all precautions necessary to protect their health. Make sure you are straight to the point with these updates to avoid any confusion.
Lift the morale
During periods of uncertainty it’s normal for there to be a drop in morale, so do what you can to boost people’s mood and keep them motivated. Why not host a Fizzy Friday hour on a weekly basis via a web chat so your employees have a chance to de-stress and socialise? Giving your employees the space to take a break from work and relax will help to keep them going if a lot of you are working remotely. Are there things you can do to boost the mood of your customers? If you can add complimentary items to their orders this may help to maintain your relationship with them, or if they typically come to your shops, why not offer free delivery so they can still purchase items from you during this time?
The important thing through all of this is to keep the conversation going so people don’t worry about the ‘what ifs’. We hope these suggestions will help to keep people motivated in your workplace, and maintain your relationship with customers.
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