In celebration of Earth day this month, this week let’s all get outside and get some fresh air and take a deep breath in.  There is nothing better than the present to appreciate being alive, staying healthy and experiencing all that nature has to offer.  Let’s also take this month to reach out to our employees on various platforms to check in with them.  How is your organization’s morale? Do your employees seem generally happy? How high is your turnover and absenteeism?  How many are on medical leaves? In our beautiful (but crazy) world, it is more important than ever to connect more diligently and frequently- but how? Not all efforts to connect have to be formal or measured. Let’s review what continues to be important to utilize, and other ideas that can help to keep all of us healthy, happy and safe. 

Surveys…yes, again

The key is short and simple.  As we make our way towards a post-pandemic working world, we want to support our employees through it all and/or when they need us the most by asking questions such as:

• What are you most struggling with?

• How has your work been disrupted? 

• Are there any positive take-aways you have learned or experienced in the past year? 

Giving employees the opportunity to share their feelings and experiences will help to provide more insight on what resources to focus on to assist them with (both their workplace and personal) challenges.

Make Remote Work work

Giving employees options of when and where their work is performed (if possible) will help with employee work satisfaction and long-term effectiveness. Many are coming up with long-term opportunities in a new hybrid-type environment such as Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are on-site, and Tuesdays and Thursdays are remote working. Generally speaking, flexibility is key to a happy workforce, and reinventing work will continue to be a part of this (and also prepare us for any other future work disruptions).

Revise Existing Policies

We as professionals are continuing to revise revise revise. Don’t stop, keep going – Your employees will thank-you for it. Revising existing policies will reflect the organization’s commitment to a safe and healthy workplace. The more employees see these changes the more they will feel cared for and comfortable in their working environment.

Multiple Communication Channels

Don’t just pick one spot to send out information – use as many as you can. Why? Not everyone looks at your communication boards, and not everyone reads company email blasts. The more places you’re communicating the more likely you’ll reach out to the greatest number of employees.  If you want to track how many are seeing your posts, put down a contest opportunity at the bottom of your post (i.e. Send an email to HR @ company.ca for a chance to win a restaurant gift card). Consider snail mailing your employees something from time to time. It will make them feel important and included. This can be as simple as a thank-you card for their commitment or a birthday card. 

Contests, Prizes and Rewards – Oh My!

Get Employees involved in some healthy competition and/or opportunities to get involved and connect with others. Does your organization have Quality Circle Competitions? Draw prizes for participation? Do you have Years of Service Awards? Many missed having our annual Christmas party last year, but still came up with fun and creative ways to celebrate, such as still doing draw prizes and sending winners an e-card gift. There are many contactless yet meaningful ways to stay connected and keep spirits high.  

Earth Day/Earth Month/Earth Year

Your earth day efforts/activity from last month doesn’t have to be a one day event. Post some fun things this month that your employee’s families can do to help celebrate our beautiful planet. There are so many things that we can do and make through materials and recyclables already in our homes.  A local manufacturing business here in town does an annual robot-making contest made entirely of recyclable materials to celebrate earth day.  

Above all else, try to think of things that would make you personally happy, healthy and safe at your workplace, and then try to do these things for the employees in some way.  Make resources readily available and communicate often about the changes and efforts made to make things better.  These efforts (i.e. surveys) may be more work for us but are valuable tools that can contribute to a happier and healthier workplace by listening to what the needs of the employees are. Making positive connections is more important than ever in a world that is forever continuing to evolve and change.

Stay well everyone!