Whether your company is facing high turnover, some difficult economic news, or something else entirely, you have some tough times to overcome. Your employees will feel it, no matter how hard you try to shield them. Simply sending them an email reminding them that things will be fine soon is not enough, nor is it personal enough to be comforting. There are a few things you can do to help keep your employees motivated and productive during this time of change.
Every one of your employees is an individual, and each person will handle the stress of the situation in his or her own way. No single approach will work for everyone. Depending on where your company is located and what it is going through, you may even need to bring in counselors for your employees – regardless of the situation and complexity you will have to become a councilor yourself. Talk to your (key employees not necessarily the most senior) them about what is happening, and don’t be afraid to ask them what they want from you so they can keep going.
It’s important for you to keep a literal open door policy. Whenever your employee wants to talk, be there for him or her. If you don’t know an answer to one of the questions, assure the employee that you will find the answer for them, and periodically drop them a note that you have not forgotten them. If your employee asks a question you are not able to answer because of confidentiality, let your employee know that. Be as honest as you can be. This is also your chance to quell rumors. Nothing can be more demotivating than people believing something to be true that is not nearly as dire as everyone believes.
You might be feeling a lot of stress yourself, but passing it out on your employees will do you no good. Being able to absorb the stress and keeping people relaxed is a key factor in Leadership. Continue to solicit input and guide your employees just as you would during good times. Who knows, one of your staff might just have the perfect solution.
During crunch times employee recognition becomes more important than ever. Knowing that they are working hard is one thing but acknowledging their effort is another. Stopping by their desk and letting them know the specific thing that they did helped will go a long way towards keeping people positive about coming to work.
Be sure to also acknowledge the need for work-life balance. Your employees still have their lives to lead and it can really help boost their morale by being able to go to a school play or take a personal day.
Above all else, remember that you all are human. Acknowledge the feelings and work through them together. You got this!