Adjusting Work Culture During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The past couple of weeks have seen incredible changes for all of us—from business practices to the way we live our lives. As we brace ourselves for several more weeks of social distancing and uncertainty it’s important to take a moment to assess how our work culture needs to adjust to cope with such enormous change.

1. Communicate More and Better
Good communication is a necessity in virtual work and a robust communications policy will help ensure all teams stay on track. Teams can foster a sense of connectedness by touching base via multiple means of communication—including phone and, ideally, face-to-face virtual video calls. A study by a research firm, Gartner, cites loneliness as one of the major factors in employee burnout,¹ which is why maintaining a culture of support and community is crucial. Engaging in “water cooler” talk is a great way to help foster the sense of camaraderie your employees may be seeking during this trying time.

2. Keep Your Employees Informed
Just like the individual teams mentioned in the first assessment, HR needs to practice good communication with the employees as a whole by keeping them informed and up-to-date on current corporate practices and relevant coronavirus updates. Communicating a broad plan of operation is a good way to alleviate anxieties and fears that employees may be feeling at this time. Weekly updates reaffirm that a plan is in place and this structure—particularly in such turbulent times—can help employees feel more grounded. 

3. Train Employees and Assess Security Risks
A work-from-home environment may help protect us from physical viruses, but it can expose us to digital ones. A critical part of pivoting to a virtual workforce is assessing your security risks. HR and IT should work together to assess how employees accessing company servers from home can make their network vulnerable to attack. Ensuring employees use company devices is one good way to tackle these vulnerabilities. Taking the time to train employees on how to properly operate a work-from-home set up, including video chats and connecting to company servers, is another. Virtual security needs to be a top priority.

4. Offer Any Mental Health Services You Have Available
It goes without saying that this pandemic is taking a big mental as well as a physical toll on many of us. Whether it’s isolation, stress from being cooped up, or anxieties over the state of the economy, the current situation has impacted our collective mental wellbeing, which in turn impacts our productivity. Now is a good time to remind employees of any wellness programs you have in place and how they can take advantage of them. If you have any financial wellness programs, such as a financial education or coaching service, now is also a good time to show them off.

It’s important in times like these to remember that although we have to stay apart, we’re not alone. We are all in this together. We wish you and your families happiness, safety, and good health.

Sources: 

1. Dan Boccabella. “Business continuity & social distancing: 3 tips for transitioning to a work-from-home model.” Benefits Pro, March 31, 2020. (https://www.benefitspro.com/2020/03/31/business-continuity-social-distancing-3-tips-for-transitioning-to-a-work-from-home-model/) Last accessed 3/31/2020

2. Ami Parekh. “How employers can manage workplace disruptions during the pandemic.” Employee Benefit News, March 23, 2020. (https://www.benefitnews.com/opinion/how-employers-can-manage-workplace-disruptions-during-the-pandemic) Last accessed 3/31/2020