How to Keep Your Employees Engaged and Motivated in a Post-Pandemic World

In 2021 and beyond, keeping employees engaged will remain a major focus for most business owners and human resource managers.

Not that employee engagement wasn’t an issue in recent years, but the COVID-19 has no doubt exposed a soft underbelly. The pandemic has left most people in devastation – and it’s still doing plenty of damage – but as an employer, you have a business to worry about.

Your employees are certainly affected but this is not the time to down tools. You need them; otherwise, your business could collapse. And you don’t need them to just show up. You need them fully engaged.

But how do you keep your workers engaged at a time when despair and hopelessness reign? You ought to get creative.

Here are a couple of helpful solutions for you.

Check on Your People

Before the coronavirus reached our shores, it’s safe to say personal employee check-ins weren’t the norm. After all, your employees used to come to work and you could interact with them on a daily basis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed that. Now, they probably work from home full-time, which means you don’t have the opportunity to interact with them at a personal level. This is why you need to check in on them regularly.

Even if they are still earning their entire salaries and you haven’t fired anyone, don’t assume they’re alright. Perhaps they’ve been affected by the pandemic in some other way, like losing a loved one. Give them a call, send an email… reach out in whatever way that will help you develop a personal connection with your employees.

They’ll feel cared for and appreciated, which is, let’s be frank, most of what they’d need to be engaged at work.

Show Your Company Cares

There are several steps you can take to show your employees that you care for them during this COVID period. However, depending on the nature of your business, that might not be enough.

You might need to show that your company cares for its customers or local community as well. If the business is still doing well financially, for instance, you can donate face masks and other personal protective equipment to people in the community. Alternatively, you can pledge a portion of your profits to charity.

When you show that your company cares for other people, your employees, especially if they’re millennials, could become more engaged. They want to work for a company that cares.

Employee Rewards Go a Long Way

Employee rewards were a big deal before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. They’re an even bigger deal now.

Rewarding your employees is a proven way to increase employee engagement. It’s a show of appreciation.

However, reward programs aren’t created equal. You need to ensure your program is customized to meet the needs of your organization and the preferences of your employees. You can use an employee rewards platform to build and manage your program.

Keeping Employees Engaged Made Easier

Admittedly, keeping employees engaged in a post-pandemic world isn’t going to be an easy task. The coronavirus will leave a lot of destruction in its wake, but at the end of the day, you need your team engaged. Use these tips to improve employee engagement.

Keep reading our blog for more workplace tips and advice.