The Coronavirus has put us all on shaky ground. Without clear direction it can be easy for productivity and morale to plummet. These simple tips – both for leaders and for you individually – will help you maintain a productive and positive mindset. Mary-Anne Baldwin writes.
The new working structures imposed by the Coronavirus will undoubtedly knock morale and put pressure on your team’s ability to work effectively. It’s hard to stay focused in the face of so much uncertainty and anxiety, but the quicker we instil new working practices, the quicker this sense of security will return. Here’s B2B Marketing’s advice.
Communication
Leadership advice: Is your CEO sharing regular updates with your staff? Are you? There’s (strangely) a lot that can be learnt from Boris Johnson and his televised press conferences right now, as all leaders need to actively show they are guiding with a steady hand. It’s not enough to be setting your course, you must communicate it clearly and answer questions on it. Remember that any silent void will quickly fill up with anxiety and negativity.
As with your external marketing messages, you need to hit the right tone. The spotlight is on you as a leader and each wavering doubt will be clear for all to see. Lead with confidence but honestly, no one will trust a message that glosses over the dire realities.
Personal advice: In times of crises marketers and leaders must share many of the same traits including the ability to deliver a clear message, sense of empathy and confidence. This is what your customers need from you right now.
Have a clear plan
Leadership advice: Let your team know what’s expected of them at this time of uncertainty, including how they may need to shift their roles and responsibilities. Are they working to the same plan, or a new one? Does everyone know what the other is now doing? A clear and consistent vision will bring your team back on track and build confidence. This may mean giving them an interim plan, which buys time while you assess your longer term marketing vision. Just letting them know that you are working on this, and what you are doing, will help.
Personal advice: Keep to your normal routine and working hours. A familiar structure is good for your mental health and productivity. That means no sleeping in late and no working overtime, unless you really have to. Get dressed in your normal work clothes, PJs can be fun for a while but these subtle cues also tell your brain you’re in sleep mode.
Reallocate resource
Leadership advice: Many marketing campaigns will be on hold for now and leaders are likely to be looking at how to reallocate resource. This will be aligned to the new marketing plan, which may take a little time to materialise but it’s important that your staff aren’t twiddling their thumbs. Here are some immediate things your team can focus on:
- Delivering supportive internal and external communications
- Setting up new collaborative tech systems and ensuring their proper use
- Forming stakeholder groups for effective communication
- Using extra time to gain deep insight and analysis
- Exploring personal training and development online
Set daily check-ins
Leadership advice: Your team will have to juggle their work responsibilities with a distracting mix of personal concerns and fear of the unknown. Be sympathetic to that, there may be dips and peaks in productivity but routine will help.
Set up daily check-in calls during which the team agrees the day’s tasks. Start these meetings by asking how people are feeling. One way to do this is to ask everyone to share one word describing their current mood, this will let people vent and connect without dwelling too long on the negatives.
End the day with a wrap-up email where everyone can share what’s been achieved. This signifies there is still accountability and a job to be done. As a leader this is also a great opportunity to share positive feedback and progress on any key decisions that have been made.
Personal advice: One thing we’ll all miss while working from home is social interaction. Yes, we have to communicate in order to get the job done, but we also need to share our concerns and cheer ourselves up with a few laughs. If you have a normal lunchtime crew, consider inviting them to a regular Skype chat where there’s no work, just personal connection. Whatsapp, Google hang outs and Slack groups are also great for this.
Get organised
Leadership advice: There’s a lot to think about right now but don’t let the basics slip. You need to ensure everyone is able to work efficiently and effectively –failing systems and poor IT will swiftly dampen the morale and productivity you’re trying hard to maintain.
- Check everyone has laptops, chargers, headsets and webcams as needed
- Ask staff to share their home/mobile numbers with those who need it
- Ensure all staff have the password and log-in access they need for all relevant platforms
- Ensure staff are using the same platforms instead of wasting time flitting between numerous ones – you may need someone to take a quick team IT audit to find out who uses what and the use case of each.
Personal advice: Getting your new work environment organised can help you mentally and emotionally separate work from daily life. Create a tidy and inviting workspace, try to maintain this space as your personal office desk. If that’s not possible, set up your work items in a familiar way each day and remove them when you finish work.
Try not to be distracted by household chores or social media. You’ll need breaks but keep these to set times and durations. Try to fill any breaks you have with positive ways to release and unwind, like exercise or checking in with friends.
