The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has upset the balance of life for everyone. Governments and local authorities have to impose a state of quarantine that restricted the people to their homes. As a result, all the businesses have taken a massive hit because of the lack of an operational workforce. The issue of having no customers to purchase the products and services from companies was terrible as it is. That, combined with the problem of having no employees to provide or prepare those products and services, turned this into an abominable situation.
Employees are no different than an ordinary man and are scared distressed with the current situation. Even if they are willing to show for work, they still can’t muster the courage to put their breaths on the line for their job. That is keeping them from leaving their houses for work. Besides this, many people have fallen victim to this disease, which has rendered them useless from work. As a result of it, they are incompetent to work, and it won’t be fit to sort them as working employees. It has caused a widespread stir for businesses and companies, as even when they have projects and assignments that they want to work on, they don’t have the efficient workforce that they need to complete them.
Fortunately, you can still reach out to some platforms if you are looking to find people who can work for you. These platforms help employers connect with relevant employees who can serve them. For instance, disability employment services have an extensive talent pool of skilled employees that are willing to work for you under these circumstances. They are capable, qualified, and reasonable to work with and bring an added set of benefits to your company that will improve your image and inculcate a stronger sense of loyalty in your existing employees. It is one of the solutions to your problem.
However, multiple companies can manage their employees remotely, thanks to the nature of their work. What this means is that they can get their employees on the job while at home using online portals and expect the work done on time. There are some hindrances to this approach, but the efficient use of technology can help overcome those obstacles to maximize productivity. Technically speaking, sensible employers can use technology to support their workers in these rough times and achieve desirable results in the process. Here are some ideas on the role of technology in assisting your employees that you can implement.
- FLEXIBILITY
Meeting deadlines is unquestionably a must when you want to have satisfied customers who would love to work with you again. However, asking your employees to invest them in work for long periods is not the most effective practice to achieve that goal. It is where technology steps in to aid your workers.
While working online, the portals allow you to save your work at any point, and you can resume it whenever you want. It enables your workers to take breaks and replenish their energy by diverting their minds. Besides this, they can also schedule work hours as per their convenience by asking their managers. They can choose to be around family, do a little exercise, or watch an episode of their favorite TV shows during this time. It will help them stay fresh and feel positive while working, even if the situation is depressing, and you can expect quality work from them.
- VIRTUAL INTERACTIONS
Some people can’t stay in a state of house arrest, primarily because they are used to being in a healthy working environment all their lives. It may not be noticeable, but some people can go into a state of deep depression and anxiety as a result of this shift. It significantly deteriorates the health of workers and can affect your work.
What employers can do to avoid this is to propose virtual interaction sessions using video chats, like evening brunch or lunch, or promote small celebrations like birthdays or company goals that will help cheer them up even when at home. It makes them feel as connected as they were while working in an official workspace and can significantly improve their mental health.
- TRAINING PROGRAMS & COLLABORATIONS
Not all your employees will be as capable of using technology and will find it hard to navigate with their work. Also, people can now communicate using different platforms, but everyone will have their preference while choosing to communicate. Some old fashioned employees might be more comfortable with on-call communication while others would prefer emails to ensure their convenience. Most millennials will go with the interactive wave of social media to connect with others.
These differences may be minute but can escalate into troublesome situations, if not addressed in time. Employers can proactively tackle this situation by introducing company databases that all employees can use to stay in touch. Tutorials and programs to operate these databases efficiently can be uploaded on your webpages to help your get on the same page.
- FOSTER POSITIVE OUTLOOK
The most significant goal of any employer in these pressing times is to foster a positive outlook on this entire situation. The state of lockdown has promoted odd drinking habits, aggressive attitude, and severe anxiety amongst people. It is evident from the rise in cases of abuse and calls for help made to social counseling forums by many individuals. Employers can help workers in these tough times and offer to shoulder the cost of services. They can even include links to their webpages of relevant sources that can help them in this situation. It makes the employees consider the options and take measures that they feel are necessary. Hence, improving the situation.
SUMMARY
These were some great ideas to help you integrate technology to support your employees. You can sustain your workforce and manage the workload accordingly by following these using these methods. Rest assured, you won’t stumble upon a workforce in these hard times.