How To Make Your Colleagues Feel Safe During A Pandemic

For many people working in human resources, the last year has been one of the most challenging in their lifetime. The global pandemic has threatened the income of many businesses and made redundancies and staff restructuring a common topic of conversation. If you are working in HR then you may also feel responsible for boosting the morale of your colleagues in this difficult time.

Here are a few ways to support your colleagues during a pandemic. 

Remote Capability

If some of your business can be done from home, then this might be the safest way for some of your employees to conduct their work. However, be aware that not all employees will have the capacity to do this. Some might not have adequate office equipment like a laptop or a decent desk and chair.

Try to create a budget for these resources to show you are committed to employee’s safety and you are willing to invest in this. Think creatively about whether you can make adjustments for home working.

For example, remote learning was not a possibility for many schools but with the use of LanSchool and LanSchool Air classroom management software, teachers now can work from home. Are there similar adaptations you can make for your team?

Keep In Contact

The pandemic may make face to face time with many employees difficult, especially if you are working remotely yourself. Try to set up systems for regular contact.

Team members mustn’t feel abandoned and are left to get on with work without regular contact. You should be willing to discuss how the work they are doing is having a positive impact on the viability and sustainability of the company. Regular contact helps team members to feel valued and appreciated. 

Confidential Enquiries

Make sure that staff are aware of policies surrounding both complaints and confidential inquiries within the company. Set up a confidential email that allows staff to raise questions without fear. Many employees might have legitimate questions about sick leave, time in lieu, or other aspects of their contract that they want to discuss in private.

Alongside this, a confidential system may also allow employees to alert their employers if they have tested positive for a virus that may impact other workers. Some people may not feel happy to disclose their medical condition, but confidential messaging will allow you to put measures in place to protect any other employees that a virus-positive employee might have come into contact with. 

Clear Messaging

Finally, remember that uncertainty is a huge factor in the pandemic. You do not want to add to the levels of anxiety many people are already feeling with mixed messages. Try to stick to deadlines for any announcements and always be clear when any policies or procedures need to be updated.

Share information about the business’ state of health when needed, but do not overwhelm employees with information about every little fluctuation in your profit and loss margins. The more you can reassure employees by confirming their value and worth to the company, the more they will feel you are doing everything possible to protect their livelihood.