In crisis, here’s what employees want most
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BY DOUG CLAFFEY, ENERGAGE
As the COVID-19 pandemic
continues, employers are
scrambling to protect their
workforce, minimize disruptions,
and adapt to a new, virtual
way of working. Undoubtedly,
the crisis will have many
phases. And now more than
ever, companies need to keep
the lines of employee communication
open with what is the
most disparate workforce this
economy has ever seen.
So, as company leaders
navigate the uncertainty of
the COVID-19 crisis, here are
some imperatives and key
questions to consider:
• Align: Is your senior leadership
team aligned on your
response to COVID-19
• Connect: Do your employees
feel well-informed? Are
your senior leaders clued-in to
what it’s like on the front line?
• Coach: Are managers
and leaders demonstrating
they care about
employee concerns?
• Perform: Are you performing
effectively and effi
ciently given all of the
changes, stresses, and contingencies
that are being
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presented by this crisis?
During a crisis, there’s one
workplace culture driver in
particular that can get overlooked.
“Clued-In Leaders” is
about upward feedback and
employees feeling heard. What
happens when organizations
struggle with this? When employees
believe senior leaders
are out of the loop, it’s harder
for them to connect with the
organization. And when leaders
really aren’t clued in to
what’s happening, they’re
missing valuable insight from
those closest to the customer:
their employees.
To keep a strong connection
and stay “clued in”
with employees – especially
now – pay special attention
to keeping the lines of communication
open. Here are
three ideas:
• Communicate through
levels of hierarchy. Ask employees
to talk to their managers
and managers to talk
to their managers. Then,
talk to the senior leadership
team up through the layers of
the organization.
1. Utilize town hall meetings.
While it’s best to hold
these in person, virtual town
meetings can also be an effective
way to communicate
key messages and give your
employees a voice.
2. Ask your employees
for feedback. Pulse surveys
are the most effective and effi
cient way to ensure you give
employees a voice, capture
real-time data, and deliver
it to the senior team quickly
and directly.
Demonstrating this connection
really makes the difference
between an average
or awful workplace and a
great workplace.
Doug Claffey is founder
of Energage, a Philadelphiabased
research and consulting
fi rm that surveyed more
than 2 million employees at
more than 7,000 organizations
in 2019. Nominate your company
as a Top Workplace at
amny.com/nominate.
/nominate