With a nation-wide lockdown till weeks (and it may extend to months), here are things organisations should do.
Review your Work from Home Policy.
Create the WFH policy even if you don’t have one. The rules for workplace (now home = workplace) are changing and we have no choice. All policies should focus on employee heath and safety.
Pay Structure:
Business is taking a hit and you may not be able to afford salaries for too long. Encourage productivity tracking and link to performance. It’s a new thing and productivity may take a hit initially. Set matrices and benchmarks to assess productivity. Don’t deduct salaries of support staff.
IT equipment:
Your people may not have access to IT equipment. Some may not have office laptops. Follow BYOD (Bring your own device) and compensate employees for using their personal laptops for office work. You will motivate them more.
Stay connected:
Not only to monitor their work but also to continue the team bond. By the time this ends, the world would have become a different place. You don’t want all your team members to feel they have joined a new company. Video calls on alternate days will go a long way in maintaining the bond. Go a step extra and announce the recognition on social media for great work.
Keep them informed:
The employees don’t want to be uncertain about what the organisation is doing. Offer resources and keep them informed.
Offer skills to learn:
Since the world is going to change, there will be a fight for survival when this ends. Offer online learning for your people so they can stay updated – from compliance to new skills, there is a ton of things to learn. Consult a L&D adviser who can help you move those training online.
Consult your friendly HR consultant:
Don’t make policies without consulting a HR consultant, there are areas that you may not be aware of and needs attention.
Download the printable CheatSheet-CoronaVirus here