For so many Australians, working at home is now a norm. The pandemic has forever changed the way we work and where we work. With many now working remotely from their homes and no longer going into the office, are we saying goodbye to seeing our colleagues on a daily basis forever?
Working from home certainly has its perks. No more commuting to the office, wasting time sitting in traffic, being able to take your lunch break when you want and having the time to cook something delicious at home. No more small talk or distractions in the office meaning we can get more done in silence at home. Not having to get dressed on a daily basis. Meeting over Zoom? No problem, just dress the top half of yourself and they’ll never know.
Whilst there are certainly perks to the changed work environment we are facing, we’re certain a lot of us are missing seeing our employees on a daily basis. That friendship that has formed by the same coffee order, the same annoyance towards the printer that never works, and the joy of Friday afternoon knock off beers. We might even be missing our boss!
Some of you may have been working from home for longer than a year. Some, it may be something that has only recently changed. Either way, the small things that we don’t think about become the big things that we start to miss.
Motivating your team when you’re all working solo? Difficult.
How to motivate them and show them some appreciation in a challenging time? Gifting.
Motivating your team during a lockdown is something that can be done from afar and doesn’t have to be difficult. Things like weekly meetings, one to one conversations, virtual events, exercising together and staff gifts are all amazing motivators for your employees.
WEEKLY MEETINGS
Whether it’s weekly or daily, having a morning meeting over Zoom with all your staff is always going to boost moods and productivity from everyone. Having that interaction, albeit no longer in person, can make the team all still feel connected, even when everyone is working from home.
Allow some time for your team to discuss how they are doing, how their weekend was and what’s driving them insane that week. It’s important to still allow some light conversation between everyone and can keep everyone feeling connected.
ONE TO ONES
Whilst meetings are great for the team to keep bonding, sometimes you need to be in touch with each of your employees individually. The past year has been challenging for everyone. Many of us are going through multiple lockdowns and the feeling of isolation growing.
By having a one-to-one with your employees you are allowing the chance for them to really open up if they want to. With mental health problems on the rise since the pandemic started, it’s important to check in with your staff and see how they are really doing.
With many balancing home schooling children, working at home and only an hour of exercise daily, having a meaningful conversation with someone is important.
VIRTUAL EVENTS
So Friday nights at the local bar are no longer possible. Restrictions and social distancing is making it hard for many of us to have that social interaction that we need. Whilst it’s been a long time since we’ve managed to have a staff get together or even go out for lunch with a colleague, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have a social get together. Zoom has made our lives a lot easier for work and social. Whilst we have a love/hate relationship with the programme, it can be a very handy tool to use when keeping in touch with a number of people.
Organise a Zoom virtual event where the whole team gets together. Make it a Friday afternoon where everyone can enjoy a drink if they want to. Organise a quiz or trivia night amongst everyone. It’s the perfect way to keep the team bonded and let loose after a week of working at home.
EXERCISE TOGETHER
Exercise is the best way to get endorphins. Whilst it’s harder for us to get out to our local gyms or down the beach for a surf, there is no excuse not to exercise at home. However, motivating yourself can be very difficult. Especially when you have been staring at the same four walls on a daily basis. If you can get outside and exercise then great. However, if you and your staff are struggling to find that motivation then why not do a weekly exercise class over Zoom together. By coming together as a team to workout you are not only motivating each other but keeping a strong bond between everyone. Plus there will no doubt be some laughs a long the way.
FLEXIBILITY
Ensure your team is aware there is flexibility with their working hours. With many people homeschooling their children whilst balancing work, it’s important to make clear that there is some flexibility with work hours. Of course, getting the work done is important, but there needs to be some kind of freedom with when the work hours are for each person.
Some hours may work better for some than others. Get together with each of your staff and liaise with each other what works best whilst working from home.
GIFTNG
Last but certainly not least, employee gifting (link to the gifting page from here). Why not send your staff a care pack that they can use and enjoy during lockdown? One of the best feelings is receiving an unexpected gift from someone, especially your boss. Gifting not only brings a smile to the receiver's face but it shows an immense sense of care and thought. Send gifts to your employees and staff during lockdown to show them your appreciation for all of their work this past year. Staff gifting is a perfect way to keep them motivated and give them a boost of endorphins.
We’ve created a wide range of covid care packs that work for everyone and anyone. These gifts have an array of products that can be used for selfcare, products that will benefit working from home and always a tasty treat to enjoy because if you can’t now when can you?
Keeping your staff motivated and feeling strong as a team during Covid is a challenge but it is not impossible. Send your staff a gift and watch their motivation and productivity sky-rocket!