1 minute read. It’s essentially a way to make normal business tasks seem like fun games for employees to play. [Read also: How HR can lead during this pandemic] 1. Given all the changes and hard decisions executives must make to help the company survive, bolstering morale may seem like a low priority. Employee Recognition. During trying times like this, it’s important to keep your staff happy and motivated. Automation software like robotic process automation (RPA) can integrate with any existing business platform, to automate repetitive tasks. Irritability, agitation, depressed mood, and low morale are all characteristics of TQP and appear to be present until the end of isolation is in sight. But the lack of staff morale affects your company in more ways than you can expect. Now’s the time to integrate the technology necessary to ensure that your employees feel connected and engaged. Some ways you can try gamification at your company include: Set up friendly competitions to see who hits goals or gets the most work completed in a week. The Journal of Higher Education 71:1, pages 34-59. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/1528/, https://doi.org/10.1080/0305569880140107https://doi.org/10.1080/0305569880140107. If your team members see that you’re remaining calm and taking things day by day, they’ll be more likely to do the same. It’s essentially a way to make normal business tasks seem like fun games for employees to play. Just make sure that. How Can Medical Workers Cope With COVID-19 Stress Now? Video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Skype, and even FaceTime are awesome mediums for face-to-face interactions between coworkers. Researchers exploring the psychological phenomenon of isolation in space and submarine travel as well as Arctic research centers have identified a Third Quarter Phenomenon (TQP) that emerges when people are almost three-quarters of the way through their prescribed period of social isolation. This was why nurses and doctors pinned smiling pictures of themselves to their uniform to ease anxiety and create a positive atmosphere during the pandemic. That confidence stems from a sincere belief that the team can produce high-quality and high-impact work that matters to the business. Now more than ever, it’s essential for businesses to double down on their efforts to boost employee morale. Social behaviors of attendees before and during the event I want to note that mental health is an even more important issue than morale, and morale boosters do not replace the very real need for mental health resources. ... Sam Hodges has learned how to lead during a storm.. “This is a … Mental Health. Your team knows what works best for them and they’ll be happy to get a real say in the matter. It’s fair to say that global morale is low. This gives employees more time to focus on important, cognitive work while taking off some of the pressure. Do trivia daily or weekly to spark engagement and interest across the company. Everyone is under stress of different types. Mixed messages, political interference and public gaffes during the Covid-19 pandemic have caused morale at the CDC to plunge, say current and former staffers. As we reflect on two months (or more) of mandated virtual work, HR and people teams around the world are looking back on their most successful morale-boosting activities—and searching for new ideas to keep their teams happy, healthy, and engaged. They are continuing to care in extraordinary ways and skilled nursing communities are raising the bar for casual family visits as well. To read the full case study on how Bucketlist has increased company morale at First Bank, click here. Linda K. Johnsrud, Ronald H. Heck, Vicki J. Rosser. People hunger for positivity in a post-pandemic world, especially in the work environment. Seeing coworkers and talking through daily projects and activities makes employees feel connected. Research shows that employees feel overwhelmed and unproductive amidst the uncertain climate of the business world. Whether it’s from a computer or smartphone, employees can hold virtual meetings, meet up for coffee, or even have a remote happy hour to increase engagement. Team Morale. Whatever business you’re in or work your employees are tasked with, there are plenty of ways to make work more enjoyable for everyone involved. Nothing like hopping on a quick video call to talk through a work-related problem, only to end the call with a conversation about fighting the horde at Costco or a rant about the annoying habits of your quarantine buddy (aka your spouse). Set up friendly competitions to see who hits goals or gets the most work completed in a week. Staff morale affects your company’s success. This is the story of the American virus. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. Imagine joining your team video call and seeing coworkers dressed as their favorite celebs or in full Jersey Shore attire, bump-its and all. Boosting morale during the COVID-19 pandemic is all about showing you care, remaining hopeful, finding reasons to celebrate, and making our current conditions feel as normal as possible. Now more than ever, it’s essential for businesses to double down on their efforts to boost employee morale. The key to those things? To respond to anger or fear by simply spreading does not equal responsible action; instead, it leads to poor morale. Automation software like. Employee recognition is vital, especially during a crisis. While it is true that businesses can’t stop operating because of the pandemic, they can’t get their employees to work in such a state of panic. Communicate, communicate, communicate. With this technology, your employees will have less tedious busywork to do on a daily basis. Themed workdays can be as involved as your company is comfortable with. Make sure you’re not overwhelming your employees by asking them to accomplish more than their regular workload. Both can be powerful motivators to take action when it is needed. See who can get the most work done in a single hour. How to foster team morale during the pandemic . Plus, no excuses like “I forgot my costume at home.”. In this article, we’ll discuss how you can boost your employee’s productivity and morale during a pandemic. In fact, it can be just the reset you need to max out productivity. Morale boosters are only the tip of the pandemic iceberg on which we are standing. Since morale has the potential of helping individuals and communities rally and improve or passively “quit” and decline, it seems that this is a good place to start. When these dynamics are off, morale drops. Register Citizen | 30d. There are two essential ingredients to maintaining morale during this “new normal.” First is the need to think about the “whole person” as we work together and serve each other. Whenever employees have high morale, they will enjoy going to work and on top of it all, their quality of work is much higher. Given that our current global reality reflects a populace demonstrating obvious signs of TQP while also having no clear idea of when quarantine will eventually fully end, it’s crucial that we begin to address the psychological components inherent to TQP. Maintaining high employee morale is certainly challenging during a global crisis, but it’s not impossible to achieve. Just look for something that lets team members share funny videos, relatable stories, uplifting articles, and the latest memes about hand sanitizer (it’s funny until we realize this is our reality). There are many ways that COVID-19 affected businesses, and their employees, through different forms of tightened budgets. (Joe Exotic is so hot right now.) To foster this feeling, consider company-wide recognition for successful initiatives and provide insight into the business benefits of each initiative. When these conditions are not met, morale is low. Sounds counterintuitive, right? Top Places to Work 8 ways top companies worked to keep employee morale up during the pandemic Free lunches, gift cards, mental health days, and music shows were all part of the plan. What Will It Be Like When the Lockdown Lifts. Billions of people have been ordered to stay in their homes while a deadly pandemic rages outside; surveys show anxiety and depression levels spiking. During the pandemic, senior living and assisted living communities like Covington Senior Living have taken extra precautions to protect the most vulnerable residents against COVID-19. options available. Here are 6 great ways to boost your employees’ morale during COVID-19: #1 Celebrate accomplishments and milestones. COVID-19. Two in three employers polled for a recent survey by SHRM said maintaining employee morale has been a challenge during the pandemic. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Company Culture: 5 Morale Boosters During the COVID-19 Pandemic COVID-19 has, to put it mildly, changed everyday life. How to boost telecommuters' morale during the COVID-19 pandemic by Moira Alexander in CXO on March 18, 2020, 8:42 AM PST The coronavirus is … with their daily routines (who knew?). 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