The pandemic has thrown companies in an unprecedented situation, something that they have never faced before. While keeping your business afloat may be the biggest challenge right now, there is a lot more to deal with. Keeping your employees positive and motivated through this critical phase is vital.
Unless your human resource is willing to stand strong, you cannot expect your organization to recover and revive. So it becomes the responsibility of the HR leaders to do everything possible for driving employee motivation. Doing so can be tougher than it sounds, but some smart measures can take you a long way. Here are the ones that great HR leaders swear by.
Stay in touch
The pandemic has forced businesses to move to a remote working model. Even after reopening orders, a part of your team may still be working from home. While this practice can break the chain, it isn’t really great from the mental health perspective.
Right now, your people may be suffering from social isolation and missing the workplace. Staying in touch can go a long way in boosting their confidence. Invest in regular communication with team meetings and one-to-one interactions.

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The rampant pay cuts and job losses around are bound to make your employees apprehensive. This mindset can have a far-reaching impact on their productivity and morale. HR leaders need to understand these fears and address them to keep the teams’ morale boosted.
Rather than only stating the facts explicitly, address their apprehensions with positive actions. Offer encouragement, appreciate good work and incentivize them to keep them confident and motivated.
Steady the ship
Right now, nothing is more important than bringing a sense of normalcy to businesses because it reflects on employee motivation levels as well. This wouldn’t be easy considering the disruptive scenario in the organizational landscape.

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Invest in employee development
Since projects may be on hold and there is an overall slump in the markets, business is likely to be slow right now. This is a good time to initiate opportunities for personal and professional growth for the employees.
Invest in training and development with new skills so that people feel valued. While this will keep them occupied, a skilled workforce can help your business get back with a bang.
Put empathy above everything else
Empathy is the quality that sets great HR leaders apart and there isn’t a better time than now to exhibit this trait. Prioritizing the wellness and safety of your employees and their families can go a long way in motivating them.
Be open to listening and understanding their concerns. Focus on employee retention right now because loyal people are the foundation of business resilience in the time of crisis. Being vocal with encouragement and support takes empathy to the next level.
As an HR leader, you need to lead your team by example. More than anything else, you should try bringing positivity in your approach and showing genuine concern for your people in these testing times.