By Alec Dobbie, CEO and co-founder at FanFinders
January is often a new start for both people and companies, and with our current lockdown situation in the UK, it’s more important than ever to try to keep your staff morale as high as possible.
Some of this is outside of our control but I think as leaders we can all make small shifts in our approach to help keep everyone up and in the groove.
January is a hard month in most years, but lockdown has exacerbated this further and your employees are probably feeling it a little more; so make sure you are taking steps large and small to help.
Often just the fact you are trying helps, as it shows you care about your people. Here are a few small but significant ways we’ve adapted our approach at FanFinders:
1) Talk to the team
Tell them what’s happening, share the plan and their part in it. Everyone wants to understand how their effort is adding to the overall game. Have regular ‘town hall’ style meetings where you share successes both in and outside of work.
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2) Treat them like adults
Seeing as you hired clever folks, let them be clever folks and don’t micro-manage. On the flip side, when someone drops the ball and a mistake is made, talk about it openly and honestly, and let them learn.
3) Understand that they have commitments outside of work and allow for them
Don’t be the employer that stops someone making an important appointment or taking a big step in their lives. Understand that allowing time off brings greater trust and more hard work in the future.
4) Be mindful around COVID and lockdown
There often isn’t a lot you can do, but make sure homeworkers have the correct kit and if possible, try to gift some non-curricular help. We give Headspace and Audible accounts.
5) Encourage them to not work
Sounds strange, doesn’t it? But we have a home-based workforce and it’s quite easy for them to slip into work in the evenings and at weekends. I’m a firm believer in output not necessarily equalling input and, for many roles, working more hours can be counterproductive.
