We’re more than a year into the global pandemic, and we’re still nowhere near the vaccination level to warrant herd immunity. The adverse effects of this most uncertain time can be felt at home and even at work. Most businesses haven't been able to bounce back from the economic repercussions they've experienced during the start of the pandemic. Because of this, some employees that have been laid off were never reinstated. Those left to continue were even forced to cut down their hours and multitask to keep the business afloat.
No matter how much the company wanted to provide more, everyone had their hands tied, with the overall economy and purchasing power crashing. Yes, it’s a gloomy picture to look at, but that’s our present reality. But it doesn’t mean that there’s no hope in sight. With all the breakthroughs and increased efforts to inoculate as many people as possible, we can safely say that soon this situation will also pass - just like other pandemics that came before it.
While waiting for that positive change to happen and for things to go back to normal, let’s help each other, especially those vulnerable to depression and anxiety, to get through this dark and gloomy phase. You can be a contagious ray of hope and sunshine with these five simple acts of positivity.
1. Reconnect and build relationships
We’re all in this together -- this is the message you should share with your colleagues at work. But, unfortunately, because people are forced to work remotely, the human element of interaction faded to the background. Instead of going on coffee breaks with co-workers and eating lunch in the office pantry, people are in their homes managing their workload from their kitchen or in their cramped up pseudo-offices.
The thing with working remotely is you only get to be physically separated from your office and co-workers, but the demands of the job are still the same. This means that it’s also highly possible to experience burnout. Way back when people were working in their offices, they could physically leave their work-related stress when they got out of the office building. But now, they can't do that anymore because they’re already at home. As a consequence, they get more stressed and exhausted.
If you add that up to the anxiety they’re feeling because of the uncertainty around them, you can expect an employee who feels hopeless. You can change that by building relationships with your employees. Don’t think of them as mere tools to get things done.
Instead, ask them how they’re feeling and if things are okay at home. Tell them that they’re doing good when they deliver their commitment. Ask them how else can the company support them at this time. Be genuine when you show care so that they can feel your empathy. Simple acts like these can ease their emotional burden and make them feel a little better.
2. Celebrate small wins
Commend people for their small victories. Now more than ever is the time they need to hear more positive words and encouragement. Like they say, praise in public, correct in private. Start practicing this mantra and see positive changes in the way people in your team react. If you can, schedule a weekly or bi-monthly meeting with your team. In these meetings, you can allocate an hour to commend and acknowledge the contributions of every person in your group.
Instead of focusing the reward system on the performers, be more inclusive and think more of every team member’s contributions. By acknowledging everyone's hard work in this most trying time, you can show them that you care and give value to their contributions. Simple words of encouragement and gratitude can go a long way in making these people feel the positivity around them.
3. Be more generous with praises
We should think more of our blessings than our misfortunes. Be a role model to the people in your team and start expressing your gratitude more often. When we focus on our worries, we only get more and more stressed. However, if we magnify our blessings, we can also train our minds to look at the good in every situation.
For example, you received a couple of complaints because of poor customer service. In this situation, it’s easy to get angry and call out the erring employees. However, it would do you good if you try to coach people instead of reprimanding them.
Coaching means you acknowledge their good qualities, point out their areas of improvement and encourage them to be better. This can be done by following the ‘sandwich method’ in talking to your erring employees. This method makes you start coaching by telling the concerned employee that you’re thankful for their excellent characteristics and valuable contribution.
After delivering the positive message, you can now state the character or trait you feel they need to improve. And lastly, reiterate the positive comment and add that you believe that they can do better moving forward.
4. Encourage team members to collaborate
You can also help your team members be more positive despite the uncertainties in their surroundings by encouraging them to collaborate. If they work on tasks that need them to relate and communicate more with different people from different departments, they’ll feel a more profound sense of purpose. When your mind is busy and your professional relationships are thriving, you have less time to feel sad and miserable. However, be careful not to exhaust them with too much work.
Strike a balance between cooperation and relaxation. Being hands-on in the process and constantly checking on people can also go a long way. When leaders meet their team members halfway, they can build better relationships as they develop a personal attachment with each other -- enough attachment to make them genuinely care about each other’s well-being.
5. Schedule virtual team building activities
While it’s good to invest in skills training, it would boost your team members’ morale if you invest in team building and self-development activities. These activities allow them to focus on themselves as they reclaim their essence. They also get to resolve lifelong personal issues through these activities. If facilitated correctly, these activities are game-changers for your employees and company.
These sessions will also help them realize that they have many things to be grateful for. It can also rekindle relationships and improve trust. As they are filled with positive thoughts, values, and feelings, they can look forward to a better tomorrow.
Takeaway
Leaders are given a more challenging role during uncertain times. They have to step up to the plate and be the catalyst of change. This should pull their team away from the abyss of depression, anxiety, and misery and push into the shore of hope and positivity.
This isn’t a task for the faint-hearted -- it’s one built for a truly empathetic, headstrong, and resilient leader. So be the one and save your team today.
