The important HR element SMEs are overlooking right now

Whether furlough or work at home, there has been an overload of information, new policies, processes, technology and financial challenges for business and employees recently, so it’s no surprise some important elements have been overlooked

Very little was possible to have been prepared for, except perhaps ability to work at home already in place. 

Furlough – who’d even heard of that word 2 months ago?!

For many SME’s they use outsourced HR Consultants, who have done a fantastic job of getting all the new legal elements and policy/process changes in place for multiple clients.

So what element is being overlooked?

Your employees work life has changed.  It’s changed a lot and will continue to change a lot.

For teams able to work from home, it’s likely that this will be a requirement for quite some time.

For those returning to a place of work, it will look very different with social distancing measures in place.  Will they be able to if schools are still closed?

How are they managing with all this change?

Are you meeting their needs both technically and emotionally to help them manage and deliver?

Should everyone just have to muddle through?

WILL THEY START LOOKING FOR JOBS ELSEWHERE???

The risks

Change triggers review and action.  Including current lifestyle, job satisfaction, work-life balance and the biggy….Am I happy?

People are talking to their friends/family about how their employers have reacted.  What the expectations are of them, and crucially how their employers are helping and supporting them.

Employees who were previously ‘satisfied’ are starting to think the grass might be greener on the other side…… “just look at all the things my sister’s company are doing to support her”.

Employees who were sometimes less that satisfied before, is this the trigger needed to get out there and look for something else?

When you do get to the ‘new normal’ of working, it’s not the time to be spending your efforts recruiting new managers and team members.

What will the impact of 1 or 2 employees moving on be to the rest of the team?

Recruitment and first 6-12 months in role is the most expensive part of the employee lifecycle. 

Retention efforts are without doubt a cost saving necessity regardless of industry, business size or global pandemic!

Staying ahead of the game

As with sales targets, you need to have the metrics on your employees.  Overall morale levels, specific elements they are struggling with, such as:

  • Technical – getting the best out of the software available or connection issues
  • Soft skills – Managing a team, 1:1s, team meetings, leadership, keeping the focus remotely without zoom fatigue!
  • Motivation and Productivity – distractions at home? Feeling alone and out of the loop?
  • Anxiety – fear of leaving the house, losing their job, catching the virus etc.
  • Returning to Work – will it be safe? How will it work? What are the options if I’m high risk?
  • Guilt – about being furloughed, not being furloughed, not doing as good a job as before

These will change frequently over time, as a business you need to know where and when to step in to ensure employees are feeling supported.            

Keep your business in the best shape by remembering, it’s about them, not you!

Check-in metrics should support your manager interactions.  They should highlight where there is a discrepancy between what is being said, and what is being felt.  “I’m fine” is a VERY grey area!

Humanity and understanding is more than just morals, it makes financial sense too.

Leading organisations are providing support training and consultations for managers and regular check-in surveys with every employee.  Creating easy to implement solutions to ensure they act quickly, and appropriately, when the metrics show them it’s needed.

The interventions aren’t costly and are a fraction of the cost of a new hire! But they do have significant impact to both delivery and mental well-being of the employees. 

METRICS – ANALYSE – INTERVENTION – SOLUTION = RETENTION

A simple process that is quick to implement, and overlooked by many right now.

Quickly get metrics in place, request a copy of the Employee Pulse Check to see how it works: http://eepurl.com/dn0WHH

I work with a wide network of HR, Training, Management and Employee Specialists to enable your support solutions – fit for purpose on the specific needs of your business and your employees.

To chat further about the options available to help you support and retain your employees, contact: Teresa@ClarityCX.co.uk

See further ClarityCX blogs HERE

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