After Covid, Workplace Life

Following the COVID pandemic, many states will return to their former workplace, warehouse, restaurant, etc. as they move from the red zone to the yellow zone. Others will bring their same-old negative traits, but thankfully some will return with a new attitude and a positive outlook on life. What to do?

As they say, the time to “nip those issues in the bud” is RIGHT NOW. Without hesitation, confront them. It would be considerate to give people another chance to join your team, for sure. But remember that failing to properly discipline those who stir up conflict at work also serves the interests of those who are the antithesis of negativity. In actuality, it is an insult to everyone who plays by the rules.

In light of this, those in leadership roles bear the brunt of the blame. It is the responsibility of management to ensure a safe and enjoyable work environment. If not, the workplace will suffer, good employees will leave, and you’ll be stuck with the leftovers. Do I want to work there? is the question you should be asking yourself.

Let’s pretend for the moment that you are prepared to speak up, take the initiative, and ensure that your workplace IS a secure and pleasant place for you and your coworkers. Where and how should you begin? The Cohesive Workplace suggests you immediately put these four recommendations into practice. These will serve as reminders to your staff as to why they decided to work with you in the first place:

1. OFFICIALLY welcome back your staff members. Use your “welcome” to acknowledge that we’ve all experienced a trying time and that you’re looking forward to helping us all get through it together… as a team. It would be insensitive to ignore “the pink elephant in the room,” especially if any of your staff members were somehow impacted by the pandemic.

2. start off with a happy attitude. Please refrain from bringing up any unfavorable workplace incidents that occurred before COVID. Make it known that this is a new beginning. Let your staff know that you don’t sweat the small stuff, even though major infractions cannot (or should not be ignored).’ Life is too short to let minor irritations ruin it. Your company and its employees are worth more.

3. (Up to a point) Maintain an open door policy. We assure you that your staff members are still scared… of COVID, their employment prospects, and any other problems they might be having at home. Let them know that you are on their side. Even though you might not be able to resolve all of their issues, you can at least lend a sympathetic ear and maybe a few wise words of counsel. If they need to vent, your door is open.

4. Make opportunities for growth. Without a doubt, the chance for advancement within your company comes first, after pay. When a company looks outside its own ranks for a candidate, especially when its own employees are qualified, it clearly communicates where one stands within the organization. That “signal” is not good. It screams, “As an employee, you are not valued by us.” It’s challenging to reel in that message once it’s infused with the air. There are frequently protests that follow (even if they are silent), and eventually everyone in the office is unhappy. If you haven’t already started an internal promotion program, RIGHT NOW is a great time to do so.

If you haven’t already, take into account these only FOUR benchmarks, which will have a positive and long-lasting impact on your employees and boost productivity. (Can you say “win-win”?)

There will be more discussions on the need for autonomy in the workplace, reviewing your pay scale, promoting a healthy diet in the workplace, and a host of other subjects. And we anticipate covering each in detail.

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I wish you success!