2020 will go down as time of unprecedented uncertainty for so many people and your team will be no exception. So how do you keep them resilient when your business remains in a state of flux?
The Covid-19 pandemic is a long way from being behind us and we are all still counting the cost as we try to move towards some kind of normality. Your staff may continue to feel like they're on a rollercoaster: can they remember how to do their job after more than six months of furlough; do they feel certain about long-term job security; how will they face a reduction in staff, visitors and budgets; will you have to close again? These will be big questions and as a leader you need to support your team through this journey
Consider these simple leadership approaches to help:
Communicate regularly, consistently and clearly with your whole team. This provides reassurance and gives them a voice.
Be as honest as you can be in a timely way to avoid speculation and to demonstrate you're thinking of your team. And if you don't know the answer, say that.
Prioritise time to listen to and understand individual concerns; support their needs and help them move forward. It builds the confidence and loyalty that your business needs right now.
Reconnect your team to what your business is about, for example delivering great customer service and engaging experiences and remind them how good they are at it.
Reassure them their safety is important. They will anxious about returning to face-to-face roles so ensure measures are in place to safeguard them as well as visitors.
Relate those safety measures to official guidance. Reassure them this isn't about your own judgement - you're following guidelines to keep them safe.
Identify pieces of work that need doing to support the long-term needs of your place and delegate these to your team. This helps them feel involved and demonstrates you trust them to deliver.
But think about your metrics and how they've changed. Right now it might not be be about more visitors and more money, it might be more about customer loyalty. Ensure your team is clear on this
Work alongside them to develop a shared experience of your place and how it now works. Explore and deliver changes together.
Celebrate the small things. In a time of challenge there will still be great things being delivered. Don't forget to enjoy those moments!
Being a leader of people can be isolating, especially in times of change. Through mentoring and support I can be a critical friend to you and your team, sharing learnings from almost 15 years as an operational leader.
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