More than 12 months ago so many businesses had to change how they worked overnight in order to ensure their staff were safe and could continue to work effectively. For many of us, the changes we had to make might have actually been successful and we might have implemented new methods of working that we would never have thought of before. Instead of focusing on the negatives of COVID-19, we should take this as an opportunity to reflect on what we have changed that has worked well, are staff now more efficient in certain areas and could we implement these new methods of working into normal business.
Going forward it is really important to now look at how you wish to run your business, going back to the old ways of running your business before Covid may or may not work for your business anymore. You need to look at areas you have changed and if they have worked better how can this be implemented long term. You need to ensure the permanent changes are fair to all of your staff. You also need to ensure how your staff may want to work is in the best interest for your business and your customers.
If your team and staff have been more efficient working from home and their performance and productivity is better, I think this is really important to look at why. If it means your business runs better with them back in the office, you really need to focus on continuing with the high performance and productivity. Targets, incentives may work, more importantly talking to your staff and the teams independently and together is a really good way of being aware of what worked and how together you can move forward in the interest of their happiness which means continued performance and productivity, but also in the interest of your business continuing to be successful.
In the past 12 months some staff may have carried out different tasks to their normal working day duties, have you looked at how this has worked, or have you not looked at it as it is only temporary. It may be worth stopping to look at this to, if staff have done different roles and done them well, is there an opportunity to adapt the resources you have to be more efficient?
Have you thought about how you will handle staff wanting to stay at home, over the last 12 months people have enjoyed lunch with their partner, not having the daily commute, having a short walk in their local area as opposed to a busy built-up industrial estate? You will need to consider this and potentially work with your staff and listen to their needs. Perhaps you could look at someone working from home part of the time. This ensures the business needs are met, the team’s needs are met but the staff member is happier therefore performance and productivity remain high.
People with children, while this was extremely challenging with home schooling as well as work, people again have enjoyed being with their children more, will it become an issue in school holidays that people want to be at home more, have you thought how your business could adapt to this.
I feel a lot of staff will have a good argument to continue with the ‘new ways of working’. In that the last 12 months their working pattern has been different and that if the business has survived and potentially thrived, if they don’t wish to come back to work in the office. If you don’t allow even the flexibility of a discussion in how this work to everyone’s advantage you can risk losing good staff which is then not good for your business.
Happier staff and teams, means a higher performing operation, means happy clients, which together means higher profit!
Do you need to take some time to work on this? I can help!
Let’s together revaluate and plan good staff and team management, I don’t need to know the workings of the company, I may see things differently, you already have the experts in your field, so let’s together see how we can begin to get your business ready for the ‘new normal’.
Book a FREE 30 minutes with Nicola to establish how she can help from www.clementinebusinesscoaching.co.uk.
