Stefania Chiorboli leads Global HR at Boundless. Passing through and leaving an impact in companies such as Automattic, Booking.com, and Status, she knows what it takes to make remote employees happy, engaged and productive. A remote worker for the past five years, she has learned from the best and shares her lessons on the blog.
I have dealt with a fair share of uncomfortable moments throughout my career. I once had to lay off quite a few people due to circumstances outside of my control. It felt awful. But once I closed my computer and looked through the window, I could still see an ordinary world outside. My children were with friends; my parents weren't locked in their house for days on end; I could meet a friend for a drink or have dinner in a restaurant with my partner. Even though I had done what's arguably one of the toughest things a People Ops leader individual has to do, I could heal through the sense of normalcy around me.
Nowadays, nothing is normal, which means that any work-life troubles are only a small puzzle of a very complex and challenging situation. In this unchartered territory, which none of us know how to navigate, we all need to support and be there for each other. This is as valid for the support employers give to their employees as it is the support they may be getting in their personal lives. In this post, I would like to outline what I believe are some ways companies can emotionally support the humans in their teams.
This is what is going on right now:
How people respond to all this individually and collectively differs a lot. Understandably their focus will not be the same. Ideally, work should avoid adding stress and instead alleviate some of it, bringing back a sense of accomplishment and purpose. This is where leadership should help to create a sense of safety and security.
Leaders need to be able to understand what people are going through, lower their 'practical' expectations for the time being and take some time to make that clear with their teams. Don't leave people guessing, especially in the time of transition in which we are right now. When we have lived through this a bit longer, it will get easier, and we'll have a better sense of what we can expect of ourselves and how we deliver it. Communicate that you don't expect anyone to be 'their best self' as people will likely feel a bit afraid that their lack of 'productivity' could have consequences.
As much as you or your employees may want to keep a sense of normalcy by working from 9 to 5, the reality is that there are too many interferences right now that feel very urgent and cannot be postponed until the evening. Taking care of restless children, staying in touch with loved ones who are quarantined or isolated, staying on top of news notifications of latest numbers or measures in place are only some of those distractions.
Even if people on your team want to avoid worrying about any of these, at times, they won't be able to, as this isn't something we can compartmentalize and consciously control. Trying to avoid it won't be good for them, their families or their output. Here is what you can do to help them balance work and worries:
More than ever, people need to know they're able to produce something meaningful and of value, so they can see for themselves how good they are and mitigate the considerable loss of security. You can help them do that by allowing them to do their job on their terms and letting them shine instead of micromanaging them from a distance. All that will help them very much as they face whatever difficulties they have in their daily life.
When your people know they are the captain of the ship, they will feel better because even in this super uncertain time they are in charge. This is not a time for micromanagement.
"A brave leader is someone who says I see you. I hear you. I don't have all the answers, but I'm going to keep listening and asking questions,"
Brene Brown
Be sure to provide updates on the company situation. How you do that will depend on the specific situation of your business. Ask your People Ops team to help with the messaging, as they know your people and the ways to address matters in a way that is human and transparent.
In the worst possible case (=if layoffs are imminent), try to be as clear as possible about the timeline and how you will support your employees in the transition.
If you happen to be in a situation where the business will have leeway, you can communicate in different ways.
Let people decide what is in their best interest. If someone is a parent of small children, they would want to be extremely secure and may need to look for a position where the leeway of money is far longer and the security firmer. If they decide to look for another job, respect that. It doesn't mean they are not loyal to you; they simply have to put the wellbeing of their family first.
In every country, governments are creating special schemes to support employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Make it a priority —for you or your people ops teams— to collect the information that is relevant for your workforce and share it in a format your people understand and can act upon.
It's a good idea to take the official websites and summarise the main points in simpler language, providing the direct links to forms they might need to fill in to request any benefits they might be entitled to. If you have the capacity, offer to help them step by step.
If you—like us— have people in several countries, it might take a little longer; but it will reinforce trust between you and your team members. We've collected the most recent information for a few countries - you can start your research here: UK, Ireland, USA, The Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Spain, and Canada.
Each one of your employees is afraid right now. Beyond the updates you communicate with everyone, it's crucial to talk privately with people. During those conversations, make sure that beyond asking them about their work, you also proactively inquire how they are doing and listen carefully to them.
As you have personal conversations with them, be explicit that what they share about how unproductive they might be will not be used against them. Create a safe space where they can be vulnerable and honest, and there won't be any consequences for them. Be sure they know that.
I hope these tips will help you support your people during this difficult time. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch on Twitter: @boundless_HQ. We will keep sharing information on remote work and our own experience of trying to stay sane. Learn more about how to employ remote employees legally and compliantly.
