Welcome to the final part of our post-lockdown guest blog from our brilliant business pals HR Revolution.

Part 3 offers a handy list of steps you can take to help keep you and your team's mental and physical health at work a priority. HR Revolution are also offering a free, downloadable 'New Normal Business Toolkit' for employers – see the link at the end of the article.

YOUR EMPLOYEE WELLBEING CHECKLIST

As you work through your restructuring plans and start to come out the other side, it’s time to think about what your remaining team structure is and how they have been impacted. We often forget that they may need support over and above the norm, mental and physical health has to remain at the top of your list to ensure your remaining team are fighting fit and focused on getting the business back on top. 

Survivor Support

A few things to remember when considering what you need to implement to help the surviving team to help to start rebuilding the trust in a climate of uncertainty:

• Individually each person will still be faced with their own challenges; how the pandemic has impacted their family, friends, finances, health and they may struggle or take longer to adjust.
• The loss of their friends and colleagues at work; think about how this will impact them in their role, will they have to deal with a higher or heavier workload? Will they need to retrain? Will the management structure change? Is this something that they will be impacted by?
• If you have lost anyone in your work community to the virus or during the pandemic period do something as a team to remember those that were lost to the pandemic. To celebrate their commitment to the business and allow their colleagues and friends to mourn them as a collective. To ignore or block this out will only mean they mourn in silence and right now, people need people to get them through.
• How will they deal with the ongoing pandemic? We are not clear of this pandemic yet and we may not be clear for months yet.
• If you are lucky enough that you have not been impacted with any losses in the team then be thankful together for those that have helped get you through. It will help to build morale and bond your workforce and allow them to become a stronger support network for each other.
• Make sure you speak to your team individually and that you listen to them, really listen and allow them to explain how they are feeling and what they need from you, then act on their feedback.

Working Environments

• Consider your workplace responsibilities. If you have a workplace then you will need to ensure you cover your health & safety and employer responsibilities when your workforce starts to return to work. This will mean following government guidelines with regards to social distancing, cleanliness and ensuring your workforce and any visitors are kept safe whilst on the premises.
• Communicate changes and keep things factual and as positive as possible to ensure your team understand why things have been put in place, how you are protecting them and what their responsibilities are whilst in the workplace to protect themselves and their colleagues.
• Consider flexible and working from home solutions. Flexible working is becoming a really big part of the working world and when seeking new employment, look for flexible working as a standard policy in the company they are applying to (good to know for the future!).  You should seriously consider how you can include something into your perks for this as part of your attraction process.
• If you offer remote working make sure you are able to manage and measure what your remote workers are doing as not everyone has the ability to be able to work well from home.

And last, but by no means least... please remember your own health – be aftermath-ready. If you are to lead your team through this you have to be battle-fit, now more than ever teams are looking for leadership.

Remember: be prepared, ensure that you communicate what they need to know and keep them informed every step of the way.

If you need help with your HR do get in touch – HR Revolution have a ton of ideas and in some cases offer many free of charge solutions so check out their website for more information www.hrrevolution.co.uk

To receive part one of HR Revolution's 'New Normal Business Toolkit' click here Download the pack

Welcome to part 2 of our 3-part post-lockdown guest blog from our brilliant business pals HR Revolution.

Part 2 focuses on the importance of a simple engagement plan to support remote workers, advice we found very useful at Chatty Hatter. HR Revolution are also offering a free, downloadable 'New Normal Business Toolkit' for employers – see the link at the end of the article.

YOUR EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT PLAN

How a simple engagement plan can really help support and re-engage remote workers

As we all know, due to the pandemic, there has been an urgent shift in how employees work, moving from office based to remote home-working which, in the main, has been forced upon most businesses and meant that new processes, technology and wellbeing support structures that have never before been considered, have been speedily put in place.

This shift in working culture has changed our outlook of remote and home-working. Many businesses will now be changing their structure to accommodate the new-normal, incorporating remote and home-working policies for teams. Lessening travel and onsite time will also help with carbon footprints, spiraling travel costs and travel fatigue, to promote a healthier more enjoyable working experience.

Positively engaging your remote workers

This brings a new challenge! How to keep remote workers supported, engaged and motivated! This doesn’t have to be complicated or cost a fortune. In addition to support strategies from HR and line management there are a number of cost-effective technology platforms and apps that can really help, literally at your fingertips!

There are normally two camps for this;

• THOSE THAT DO already have an engagement plan in place, that helps motivate and inspire employees. Plans that you already have can be tailored to apply to employees working from home. Get your employees involved in redesigning them to help really engage them in the new-normal.
• THOSE THAT DON’T have anything in place, or would like to take advantage of this time to design a new or reshaped remote work program. This is the perfect opportunity to build something that really supports your culture of looking after your team, to help support them in delivering great work in a really positive manner whilst working from home.

There are so many different way to keep employees engaged during the continuing turbulent times but the most important part is building a plan that works best in your community and culture.

Your Remote working Engagement Plan

Your engagement plan should be bespoke to your business, your people and fit your culture. There isn’t a one size fits all for this and really should be something you spend time on designing so that your teams can really reap the benefits. This in turn means they are more focused, more productive and enjoy what they do, which provides your business with a happy, healthy and connected team that delivers results!

When compiling you plan look to include:

• Guidance on expectations for employees around their role, business and team.
• Connection patterns for regular contact with line managers, team and clients.
• Planning and productivity.

So yes, there are many things that you can include in your remote working engagement plan that include your people, structure and culture to help with employees motivation and engagement whilst supporting their wellbeing.

If you need help with your HR do get in touch – HR Revolution have a ton of ideas and in some cases offer many free of charge solutions so check out their website for more information www.hrrevolution.co.uk

To receive part one of HR Revolution's 'New Normal Business Toolkit' click here Download the pack

We are delighted to introduce the first of our 3-part post-lockdown guest blog from our brilliant business pals HR Revolution.

Part 1 offers a handy checklist for reopening your workspace – something we found incredibly useful when planning for the Chatty team to come back into the office after months of lockdown. They are also offering a free, downloadable 'New Normal Business Toolkit' – see the link at the end of the article.

RE-OPENING YOUR WORKPLACE CHECKLIST

Planning to return to business as a new normal will need to be different, how different and what you need to change for the better is up to you – there’s never been a better time to change how you do things.

There are many things that should be considered when returning your team to work, all of which will be outlined in more detail in our download. For this blog we will concentrate on the most important thing – your people!.

One thing to remember throughout all of this change and uncertainty is that your team need supporting throughout – even if changes are super-positive your team may not see it. As human beings we generally don’t cope well with change.

Your checklist:

• Employee Health & Wellbeing – Build an employee assistance programme. This doesn’t need to cost anything you can build in solutions that can help with stress and crisis management.  There are many online EAPS’ on the market that start from as little as a few pence per user per month. They engage your team with online facilities and helplines where they can seek support should they need in everything from stress, grief and anxiety management, illness or health concerns, financial support and most mental health issues.
• Consider your workforce individually each person will have their own challenges when returning to work some may be carer’s, homeschooling, childcare issues, anxiety, travelling by public transport, financial stress, general pandemic fatigue, having to deal with working as normal but of course not as normal is a big mental shift. You must ensure you are fair across the board with your team, but also ensure you cover each persons needs specifically where you can.
• Consider your line management and ensure they have the support they need to be able to support and care for their teams. They too will be dealing with their own challenges and on top of this have to support their teams.
• Build a wellbeing team, involve your team in organizing wellbeing and mental health support even if these are just coffee chats, break out times, peer-to-peer support, it doesn’t have to cost anything just provide support.
• Relaunch and remind your team of what’s already in place. If you already have these things in place, take time to remind the team what’s available for them to use, why right now is the perfect time to start using these benefits.  Remarket the support offered and remind them of how easy it is to use.
• and last but by no means least….please remember your own health – Be aftermath-ready. If you are to lead your team through this you have to be battle-fit, now more than ever teams are looking for leadership.

Remember: be prepared, ensure that you communicate what they need to know and keep them informed every step of the way.

Get in touch

If you need help with your HR do get in touch – HR Revolution have a ton of ideas and in some cases offer many free of charge solutions so check out their website for more information www.hrrevolution.co.uk

To receive part one of HR Revolution's 'New Normal Business Toolkit' click here Download the pack

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC has been brutal but it has also provided us with a fantastic opportunity to hit the big, red ‘Pause’ button on business strategy and execution. Now is the perfect time to review the state of play and look at a reset to take control of your future.

During lockdown I have found myself with time on my hands and have been watching some films. I have found myself strangely drawn to superheroes (The Avengers, Thor, X-Men and Wolverine titles).

In each, there was a message that, as a business owner, I could not ignore. Every time our heroes went into battle their chances of winning are zero! Each times, they faced evil enemies, intent on bringing about their demise or capturing prized assets that they have nurtured for years. Despite being outnumbered and facing a foe whose weaponry was the very latest technology, our superheroes used intelligence and emotion and just as all seems lost, he has a moment of self-discovery. A flashback, or a trigger, to gain a fresh perspective. They remember what drives them, what defines them. They gain a renewed inner strength. They eliminate the traitor or weak link, they gather allies and join forces to defeat the enemy in spectacular fashion.

Now, like a superhero, when there is a threat to the business you have strived so hard to build, it’s time to hit the big, red ‘pause’ button. Question, review and regroup for winning the battle!

It is time to remind yourself of what made YOU a superhero in your field and prepare to square up to any threats that lie in your path. It’s time to remind yourself of your skills, your value and emerge not just a survivor, but a victor!

But remember, superheroes do not do it alone, they have a trusted companion, they recruit allies and rally like-minded heroes………that’s where Chatty Hatter comes in.

It is not always possible to see what’s in front of you when you have an emotional connection, so allow us to assess your goals, your USPs, your weaponry.

It has never been more important to let everyone know you are stronger and more focused than ever. Chatty Hatter can help you review and regroup and promote that message effectively.

Chatty Hatter is a marketing and business strategy agency. We have an experienced team ready to offer their expertise through a full range of creative, media planning, event management, PR & marketing services. We also offer complete business support, mentorship and coaching to achieve your goals.

To discuss how Chatty Hatter can join forces with you and become a trusted ally, please contact hello@chattyhatter.com