How Can HR Boost Employee Engagement During COVID-19's Remote Work Challenges?

What are the ways to increase employee engagement during COVID-19?

As an HR professional, it is crucial to focus on strategies that can enhance employee engagement, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the physical distance imposed by remote work arrangements, there are several effective approaches to foster a sense of connection and motivation among employees.

One key strategy is to maintain open and transparent communication channels. Regularly updating employees on company developments, sharing relevant information about the business's performance, and actively seeking feedback can help employees feel informed and involved.

Another important aspect is to provide opportunities for virtual team building and social interactions. Organizing online team activities, virtual coffee breaks, or even informal video calls can recreate the sense of camaraderie typically found in a physical workplace.

Furthermore, recognizing and appreciating employees' efforts is essential for boosting morale and engagement. Implementing virtual recognition programs, acknowledging individual and team achievements publicly, and offering words of encouragement can go a long way in motivating employees during these uncertain times.

In conclusion, by prioritizing communication, fostering virtual connections, and showing appreciation, HR professionals can effectively increase employee engagement in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.

The Importance of Employee Engagement

Relationships built on trust and positivity form the crux of solid employee engagement. The focus should be on keeping employees happy, informed, positive, and engaged.

Low employee engagement is a costly problem! It costs businesses $4,129 on average to hire new talent and around $986 to onboard the new hire. That means you lose over $5,000 each time an employee walks out the door, not to mention the unquantifiable cost of losing an experienced employee!

Tips to Build Employee Engagement

Some of the tips to build employee engagement are:
1. Take up exercises to build appropriate rapport between employees
2. Show empathy
3. Provide correct resources
4. Encourage healthy feedback sessions
5. Celebrate team success and appreciate efforts

Employee engagement boosts productivity, improves morale, and reduces absenteeism in the workplace. Employees start enjoying their work when the environment is positive and motivating, and they start loving their job, thereby contributing significantly to the company. In fact, engaged employees start viewing the job more personally than as a mere obligation they have to fulfill.

Know more: https://hrone.cloud/employee-engagement-activity-tips/

Practical Ways to Engage Employees

HRone, they are asking for practical ways to engage employees rather than theory sessions and modules available in the market.

The simple way for a company to engage employees is to make them feel supported by the employer. Firstly, ensure all pending salaries are paid promptly and avoid referencing court verdicts to justify withholding salaries during periods of no work. Secondly, provide hygiene facilities that adhere to guidelines set by the Disaster Management team. Remember, the health of everyone is crucial for the well-being of both individuals and the organization. By prioritizing the welfare of employees, they are more likely to reciprocate with increased productivity and profits. No HR technology or employee engagement module can be effective unless these fundamental employee needs are addressed.

Employee engagement in the age of remote working

Employee engagement is one of the important concerns of management in this new age of remote working. Here are a few tips to help your employees come out from the feeling of isolation and keep them engaged.

1. Frequent team video calls to discuss what is going on with the team.
2. Continuous check-ins and regular one-on-one meetings to learn what is happening with each employee.
3. Taking action on the employees' concerns.
4. Recognizing the efforts of your team and the individuals who perform well.
5. Rewarding the high performers.
6. Delivering constructive feedback and providing solutions to improve themselves.
7. Suggesting training programs to upskill your team members.

Employee engagement during COVID-19

Employee engagement is a result of multiple initiatives and HR practices implemented by the employer. During the COVID-19 situation, most employees are working remotely, so it's important to know how things are going on their end. Make sure they have access to everything they need to be productive and motivated. Go the extra mile to minimize their frustration. Here are a few more ideas that would help you keep employees engaged:

Flexible work schedules

Since they are working from home and have various other things to attend to, make sure you allow them to have flexible work schedules. Most companies say that their employees have full freedom to work flexible hours, but that’s not the reality. Do not micromanage and give freedom for real, not just in words.

Trust and communication

Trust your employees completely. Give them the chance to express their opinions, listen to ideas, and acknowledge them. Ignoring and discouraging employee ideas result in disloyalty and a negative work environment. Provide them with tools to become highly productive. If productivity is an issue, discuss it openly without procrastinating this conversation. Avoid micromanagement of day-to-day activities and motivate them to take ownership of their work.

Skill development and training

Even if they are away from the office, make sure you help them in skill development and provide training opportunities from time to time. Conduct weekly meetings and have online fun activities. Many organizations are nowadays conducting online engagement programs to keep their employees motivated.

Holistic wellness programs

Physical health is very important, but now it’s time to ensure the mental well-being of employees as well. Think of holistic ways to recreate employee wellness programs and benefits, including physical wellness, mental health, flexible work schedules, child care, elder care, paid time off, and more.

With the changing times, employers need to adapt to the new work model and evolve their work approach to engage the workforce. Read this informative post https://empxtrack.com/blog/hr-trends-2021/

Celebration Ideas for Employee Engagement During COVID-19

HR teams are facing a challenging time dealing with celebration ideas, especially during COVID-19 situations. Below are four easy-to-implement tips to engage your employees for celebrations such as birthdays, work anniversaries, and more:

1. Share a video message collected and edited from all team members.
2. Send gifts to their homes, such as flowers, cake, vouchers, etc.
3. Plan a virtual party with special attendees, including all senior authorities of the company.
4. Send creative e-cards and beautifully crafted emails with wishes on behalf of the company.