How to engage your employees with the brand while they work from home
Because of COVID-19, most employers are faced with the difficulty of remotely organizing the workflow or limiting the cluster of people at one place. Also, they are responsible for taking adequate precautions by optimizing working hours, vacations and changes in the direction of business focus.
But still in exceptional circumstances, human resources are the engine of organizational change, and its commitment to the employer brand, mission, vision and goals must be a constant process. You shouldn’t forget that the people behind each brand are the ones who make the daily effort and their dedication must be encouraged and supported, especially in times of crisis.
Below you can find a few ideas you can incorporate on a company level:
Communicate – Communication starts from the inside out
The first step in a state of emergency is to focus on internal communication – what lies ahead, what measures are taken to keep employees safe. Communication must be consistent, and employees must be informed what is happening. If the focus is only on an external audience, you risk your employees’ trust and engagement.
Have in mind that the dynamic environment is changing rapidly. Managers must react quickly, and organizations must adapt their communication strategy as well. So, consider it!
Be flexible and think outside the box
In an emergency, do not communicate only via E-mail and Chat. Make conference video calls several times per week and discuss the situation with your team. It’s the best communication tool for a good team spirit and higher productivity.
Moreover, keep on developing your corporate wellness program. Think outside the box by organizing online seminars related to anti stress topics, emotional intelligence, and why not group workouts.
The gratitude approach will help your employees feel better in times of crisis. It is also a great strategy for enhancing sustainable employment relationships.
Stay behind your corporate values
Consider how your corporate social responsibility can be viewed through the prism of a crisis. Gather a team of enthusiasts with whom you can develop an action plan and implement it in the community by supporting hospitals, physicians, vulnerable groups,etc. Also, you can apply surveys to your employees in order to ask for their opinion. This approach will certainly have a positive effect on your employer brand proposition.
Your brand ambassadors are your colleagues
Lift the curtain to show who is behind the scenes and how much effort they make daily. Consider stories of ambassadors who have been on an interesting training or business trip, funded by the company, or have other contributions to the brand’s development.
You can suggest to the ambassadors to write down a short essay related to their experience. But, have in mind that It’s important to clearly explain the purpose of the content and to provide a list of guidance.
It’s also applicable to discuss with them ideas for your brand identity. You can think together on ideas for a brand slogan or message to the clients in a crisis. It works, because doing your job from home stimulates the creative process.
The key for your employee’s happiness and satisfaction is to encourage them to participate in projects related to your employer brand.
There is certainly no golden rule how to achieve this, but thanks to the art of communication and experience, you will find your own path.
