With the events of the past few months, employees are feeling stressed; many are anxious and this consequently is affecting how they perform at work. A recent survey suggests that just over forty percent of employees asked, do say they feel far less productive than before the crisis because of their general anxiety level. To this end, we are seeing an increasing number of business owners now offering staff some form of mentalemotional support to ensure an enhanced sense of well being.
Owners are doing everything from giving employees access to virtual therapy to providing more time off to help their teams cope with the events of the recent past and such that are still unfortunately ongoing.
Since the very beginning of the crisis, many in this country and around the world have had to shift to remote work. This is a trend that given the current climate, is continuing for many companies, as owners keep a fair number of employees in a remote work situation. That said, there are certainly challenges associated with remote work. From the distractions that can come up at home, to the more emotionalpsychological effects this type of distance and isolation can have on an employee, business owners are having to contend with the difficulties that many are facing in this new work environment. In light of this, leaders are giving their staff access to virtual and telehealth options that center on dealing with emotional issues versus strictly the physical health-related ones.
Beyond this, we are finding many company supervisors and leaders taking the time to have in-depth conversations with employees, so that they are better able to gauge how they are feeling, what sorts of problems they may be experiencing and how consequently, they are coping in general. Another key part of helping their teams navigate this uncharted territory is the fact that many business owners are being more flexible when it comes to scheduling.
Feedback and Support
A key challenge given the situation is that many employees feel less productive because they don't think they are getting adequate feedback and enough support from their supervisors. Thus, many are now making extra efforts to evaluate employee productivity and consequently engage in meaningful dialogues about their level of productivity and what they might do to enhance that.
Numerous businesses are also holding virtual events—such that keep everyone involved, create opportunities for thoughtful discussions, and reinforce that feeling that there still is a strong company culture regardless of the distance and problems that otherwise might be posed. It is about taking those steps and integrating the kinds of opportunities/engagements that help boost employee morale not to mention their mental and emotional outlook during this trying period.
First Union Lending is working with small business owners across the US. We want to see you survive this crisis. Our loan programs are designed to be fast and flexible—we get you cash when you need it most. Call today!