Michael Page Logo

Main menu

  • Home
  • NEW - Timesheet
  • Jobs+

    Searching for a job?

    • Job search
    • Submit your CV
    • Salary comparison tool
    • Income tax calculator
    • Featured employers

    Job search advice

    • Job search advice
    • Cover letter and CV advice
    • Growing your career
    • Job interview tips
    • Making your next career move
    • Global opportunities

    Search for jobs

  • Career advice+

    Career advice

    • Being happy at work
    • Career Chats - Podcast
    • Cover letter and CV advice
    • Graduate advice
    • Growing your career
    • Inclusivity Mapper
    • Job interview tips
    • Job search advice
    • Making your next career move
    • Tips for temps
    • Tomorrow's Talent

    Insights

    • Insights
    • Latest insights

    Salary centre

    • Salary centre
    • Salary advice
    • Salary tools

    Skills centre

    • Skills centre
    • Top 21 skills eBook
    • Top 100 skills tool
    • Skills Checker

    Popular articles

    • Popular articles
    • How to answer competency based interview questions
    • How to write an effective job description
    • The importance of good communication
    • Why are transferable skills so important?
    • Seven reasons for employee demotivation
  • Recruiting+

    Looking to hire?

    • Recruitment services
    • Request a call back
    • Reasons to partner with us
    • Advertising for candidate attraction
    • Salary benchmarking tool
    • Submit a job spec
    • Client testimonials

    Outsourcing/project recruitment

    • Outsourcing/project recruitment
    • Managed service provisions
    • Project solutions
    • Advisory
    • Outplacement/career transition

    Insights

    • Webinars & events
    • Webinars & events
    • Market analysis

    Management advice

    • Management advice
    • Attraction and recruitment
    • Development and retention
    • Diversity and Inclusion Centre
    • GDPR
    • IR35
    • Legal updates
    • Run your recruitment processes remotely

    Recruitment expertise

    • Recruitment expertise
    • Discipline expertise
    • Industry expertise

    Request a call back

  • Work for us+

    Work for us

    • Work for us
    • Why choose us?
    • Your role here
    • Use your skills
    • Apply now
  • About+

    About us

    • About Michael Page
    • Recruitment services
    • News & research
    • Client testimonials
    • Reviews
  • Contact+

    Contact us

    • Find our offices
    • Request a call back
    • Submit a job spec
    • Submit CV
    • Timesheet portal
    • Feedback
  • Job match
Register / Sign in
Saved jobs (0)
Saved jobs (0)
Register / Sign in
Login or Sign up
Search for a job

You are here

Home>Advice>Management advice>Development and retention>What employees look for in times of crisis: Three things your people need more from you

What employees look for in times of crisis: Three things your people need more from you

What employees look for in times of crisis: Three things your people need more from you

The way companies continue to engage with and support their people during the Covid-19 pandemic will forever shape customer and potential employees’ perceptions of what it is like to engage with a brand. 

Considering this, as businesses slowly begin to build plans for the future and prepare for the ‘new normal’ it is important to ensure you are providing your employees with the security and support they need to maintain engagement, productivity, and commitment to your organisation.

There are three key things your employees need more than ever during a crisis; psychological safety, empathy and respect, and support and recognition. Here we will explore each of these areas in more detail:

Psychological safety

Communication between employees and their managers has never been more important. There is a need for employees to feel comfortable and safe to speak up and speak out, to challenge and question what is happening around us and in their organisation. However, in many situations whereby an employee feels they need to speak up, they typically do not out of fear. 

On this topic, research from VERCIDA Consulting, based on employee engagement surveys from numerous global companies, together with focus group data, has identified a repetitive trend: 

  • Many groups of employees – particularly minority ethnic communities and disabled groups - often do not feel that their voice is heard or respected. 

  • Employees do not challenge leadership decisions for fear of career-limiting repercussions. 

  • Employees do not trust their leaders to hear all voices equally. There is a perceived bias towards certain populations of employees.

Unfortunately, many employees do not experience psychological safety or feel psychologically safe. This is one of the biggest leadership challenges of the modern era. Helpfully, Amy C Edmondson offers a tool kit for leaders to build psychological safety, which includes three key steps: 

  1. Setting the stage: Setting expectations about failure, uncertainty, and interdependence to clarify the need for voice. 

  2. Inviting participation: Acknowledging skills gaps, asking insightful questions, and practising intense listening. They also create forums for input and provide guidelines for discussion. 

  3. Responding productively: Listening, acknowledging, and thanking colleagues, as well as offering help to others. 

Access the full report from VERCIDA ‘The seven core traits of inclusive leaders.’

Empathy and respect

This is a time to support and lift one another up, and empathy is key here. The fear and panic that has swept across the globe have seen the rise in a tremendous sense of community, whereby people are banding together to protect one another and look after those who are most vulnerable. However, unfortunately it has also resulted in a lot of blame and insensitivity.

In the workplace particularly, there is a real risk that those from minority groups find themselves less visible and less able to access leadership. This is because when teams work remotely, lines of communication and influence often become narrow.

During a recent interview with Gemma Harvey, Client Engagement Manager at PageGroup, Vinay Kapoor, Americas Head of D&I at BNP Paribas commented: “During a crisis, when people feel uncertain and fearful, inclusive behaviour is even more important,” Vinay explained. “Therefore, during this moment in time, I would suggest everyone be extra vigilant against unconscious bias,” he continued.

RELATED ARTICLE: Keeping inclusion on the business agenda during the Covid-19 crisis

To ensure that biases are limited during this time, Vinay suggested following the below tips:

  1. Encourage all employees to be seen and heard during calls.

  2. Reach out to quieter team members when you seek input on decisions or during check-ins.

  3. Ensure that everyone has access to assignments and opportunities that draw upon their talents, and allow them to shine.

Support and recognition 

Given that many UK employees are likely to be working home for the foreseeable future, even as offices begin to slowly reopen once lockdown restrictions are lifted, employee engagement will be even more crucial.

Employees working from home can experience a plethora of distractions, such as managing childcare and even checking social media, which can make it easy to disengage from work.

Offering your people appropriate support to navigate their new day-to-day work routine and ensuring they are staying engaged through recognition for their hard work is key. In fact, during difficult times, recognition is arguably more meaningful than when businesses are operating as usual. 

Highlighting those employees who have adapted and put in extra effort to ensure continued productivity will provide a morale boost to the individual and the wider team. Encouraging your staff to thank and appreciate each other will help them to stay connected which will boost engagement across your business. 

  1. Utilise video technology to provide support and show recognition to your employees face to face 

  2. Show recognition for specific actions over a general job well done

  3. Use company wide-comms to show recognition for your people publicly 

  4. Be timely with your support and praise 

  5. Consider sending small rewards such as local gift cards or buying them lunch via a delivery service

Across each of these three areas of priority, effective communication is what will ensure you are maintaining strong working relationships with your team and will form the foundation for success. With so much information available yet also a lot of confusion surrounding the current situation, employees will be looking to their managers and business leaders for clarity and guidance. 

For more insights or to discuss how we can support you and your team at this time, please get in touch. 

 

Previous article
Motivating teams as they transition to the new normal
Watch on-demand: Motivating teams as they transition to the new normal
Watch on-demand
Next article
How to overcome the challenges of managing performance during the coronavirus crisis
How to overcome the challenges of managing performance during the coronavirus crisis
Read article

Get in touch

Get in touch

Topics

  • Career advice
  • Management advice
  • Salary centre
  • Insights

Are you looking to hire?

 

 

Download our free eBook

 

 

Tweets from @michaelpag

Michael Page Logo
  • Follow us on FacebookFollow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on TwitterFollow us on Twitter
  • Watch us on YouTubeWatch us on YouTube

General

  • Site map
  • Site terms
  • Work for us
  • Feedback
  • Accessibility
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Employee rights
  • Cookies
  • Modern Slavery Statement
  • Privacy policy
  • Complaints policy
  • Country/Region

About Michael Page

  • Investors site
  • PageGroup corporate site
  • Page Executive
  • Page Personnel
  • Page Talent
  • Page Outsourcing

Search for jobs

  • Accounting
  • Audit & Advisory
  • Banking & Financial Services
  • Compliance
  • Construction
  • Consultancy, Strategy & Change
  • Digital
  • Engineering & Manufacturing
  • Executive Search
  • Facilities Management
  • Fashion
  • Health, Safety & Environment
  • Healthcare
  • Human Resources
  • Insurance
  • Legal
  • Life Sciences
  • Logistics
  • Marketing & Agency
  • Not for Profit
  • Policy
  • Procurement & Supply Chain
  • Property
  • Public Sector
  • Retail
  • Sales
  • Tax
  • Technology
  • Treasury

Mobile applications

Download Our App Download Our App

Employers

  • Request a call back
  • Submit a job spec
  • Our offices

Awards

Reviews

Feefo logo

 

Accreditation

Michael Page is part of the PageGroup. Michael Page is a trading name of Michael Page International Recruitment Limited. Registered in England No. 04130921 Registered Office:
Page House, 1 Dashwood Lang Road, Addlestone, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 2QW