This month Harvard Business Review looked into motivation. Engaging staff was highlighted as a challenge in the current Covid-19 lockdown. Some of these issues were isolation, cognitive tiredness, mental health, increased stress, pressure and performance. Staff are also dealing with many business customers who were asking for loans and businesses on the brink of closing, to the restructure of companies, to downsizing teams to workers being asked to support colleagues and take cuts.

Diagnosing problems with teams starts with communicating with empathy. Simply asking how your workers are feeling? This may take a bit of time and planning, and if you invest in being consistent in how you communicate to understand at a deeper level the rewards will far out weigh the cost of not doing so! Harvard Business Review highlighted out of a study of 2,500 companies globally that only 40% of leaders asked how their workers were.

Leaders need to simply ask; How are you? How are you feeling? Is there anything you need to help with your work?

As leaders you know that there is much to do and something quite simple can turn disengagement into an engaged team. Communication is the most effective way to engage your team and it is how you communicate and the questions you ask.

Mental health and well being is your priority for your team. When the lock down is done we can transition back into the new normal, and your team will know that you cared and that is all that matters in a time of crisis.

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