Companies that value culture is continuously looking for new and better ways to nurture and engage their employees – from team building programs and job training to supporting the communities they provide services. Personal and intimate interactions have always been central to these events and schedules until a new normal emerged. Due to the COVID-19, suddenly, a computer screen became everyone’s desktop environment for all works, meetings, all presentations, all engagement. The question that businesses face today is how to make an appearance of ordinary during COVID to keep the business culture proactive, productive, efficient, and enjoyable.
When you take a closer look at recent statistics relating to the world we live in, 40% of Americans suffer from mental health problems as they face the various challenges posed by the global pandemic. Security, an essential fundamental requirement, according to Maslow’s pyramid, is being eroded at all levels, from top to bottom.
Here are five ways to make sure your corporate culture stays relevant today.
1. Keep track of your team’s mental health.
You’re right; every leader in your organization needs to ask questions and understand your team’s mental health and well-being. What causes anxiety, worry, and stress? Managers need to schedule time with each team member, in person or virtually, to see where they are and what they are up to and express that they are being heard, and the company is there to support them all the time. Try to understand where they are within their larger universe, especially parents juggling their children’s careers and education. Be there to listen, show attention, and concern. If you feel that someone is struggling to deal with stress, be ready to share the helpful resources that exist.
2. Make Health and Wellness programs a top priority.
Leaders want healthy employees, and research shows that there is a return on investment for your business. Come to think of it, and healthy employees will cost you less. But it is much more. You invest in such a way as to optimize the human potential of every member of your team. You help employees cope better with daily stress and how they can eat and exercise healthier. You will lead ways to instill motivation and a more significant commitment to life and practices to execute their work-life balance.
3. Identify the resources to lead a healthier day.
Remember your insurance company and understand what they can offer during COVID. Each plan is different, but many insurers offer telemedicine services that include sessions with behavior counselors. Some are even waiving fees. Create an information portal to allow your team to easily access and share information about apps such as Calm, podcasts, and other life hacks that can help you navigate this environment.
4. Create Compensated activities.
Truth to be told, healthy habits create a healthy environment. Develop and create a program that encourages your team to incorporate these habits into their daily lives and creates campaigns to share new ideas, such as a healthy recipe club, exercise tips, and anything that can make the team stronger. Building competition also creates a sense of community. It gets creative about the different ways to reward ‘winners’ – cash bonuses, an extra day off, the chance to share their success story on your business news. Discounts on healthy products or services, the list is endless.
5. Imagine the live environment again in a virtual environment.
You have to think of ways on how to re-live the environment, currently living in your physical office and now in many of your employees’ home spaces, and create a new visible and shareable hybrid ecosystem: an ecosystem where health advice is at the center of concerns to help your team get started.
Technically, we all share the responsibility of supporting each other, especially during a global pandemic. And as we get out of this – and we will – there will hopefully be new habits that are healthier than before – habits worth keeping for a lifetime.
