In times of distress, empowering your employees is more important than ever. When everyone is stressed, productivity suffers and morale plummets. How can you help? Building relationships both with and among your employees is key to a healthy workplace and company survival.
How can HR empower employees during disasters?
Let employees know that you care.
Treating employees like they are just another number is one of the worst things that HR can do. Instead, treat each employee as a valuable member of the team, even if uncertainty is high during a disaster.
Make sure employees know that you care about them and their families. Make business decisions with families in mind.
Use a heavy dose of compassion.
Recognize that you are dealing with someone’s daughter, brother, father, and mother.
In stressful times, it’s more important than ever to keep the “human” in human resources. Think outside the box, and don’t be afraid to offer radical solutions if they would make the situation better for the group.
Foster teamwork.
When people are stressed, they need to be included and worked into the fold. Teamwork is the only thing that will get your organization through difficult times.
When people work together, original ideas and solutions flourish. You’ll need these novel ideas to make it through tough situations, and morale will benefit from increased teamwork. Meaningful contributions make people feel valued and safe!
Recognize that good ideas can come from all levels of the organization.
Disasters are not the time to increase red tape and a “seniority rules” mentality. Your employees are the experts of their individual areas and operations. Listen to them, no matter how long they’ve been with the company and regardless of their age and experience.
By no means should you follow foolhardy ideas, but you should be open to ideas from all areas and levels of the company. You never know when the underdog may save the day!
Instill confidence in employees as individuals and as a team.
During disasters, everyone is naturally on edge. Confidence levels may drop due to heightened levels of uncertainty, and people get scared. Let employees know that you trust them and rely on them.
Your employees are good people, let them know it! Don’t be afraid to compliment people on how they’re handling the situation. Encourage employees to work together because that’s how companies and individuals thrive.
