How to Keep Your Team Focused and Productive During Uncertain Times
Uncertainty is uncomfortable and there are many things that may cause it, including a company restructure, a family situation or societal challenges. For instance, the recently declared global pandemic from Coronavius, also known as COVID-19, has impacted workplaces, the stock market, travel plans and the health of individuals from all over the world. In this time of uncertainty your employees may be worried about their future, distracted from their work and less productive. Their daily routines may also be impacted with schools closed and children asked to stay at home, indoors.
The Al Masaood team at our annual kickoff.
The reality is however, in times of uncertainty businesses cannot stop operating. As leaders, it’s our duty to steer the ship. So, what can we do to keep up our employee morale up? How can we keep our team focused and productive at work, while also still helping them cope with the emotions that they feel?
Provide information from the experts
In today’s digitally driven world of clickbait, it’s easy to get bombarded and overwhelmed with the information that’s shared across social media. Information is conflicted, and it can be difficult to decipher what’s accurate, especially when the amount of fake news rivals the real.
Provide your team with the facts supplied by credible experts and sources and communicate this throughout your organization via emails and meetings to prevent the spread of misinformation.
Take care of yourself first
Remember that you can’t help others if you don’t help yourself. You will be able to better support your team and show resilience if you first acknowledge any stress or anxiety that that YOU are carrying. Avoid getting sucked into a state of panic no matter how bad any situation may seem. Employees look up to their leaders and model their behaviors, so keep this in mind and manage your emotions effectively.
To do this, start by taking a moment to understand how you feel. Label these emotions. And then distance yourself from them so that you can make conscious and quality business decisions.
Sleep, drink lots of water, eat well and exercise. Encourage your team to do the same.
Acknowledge the uncertainty
If you sense your employees are worried, don’t pretend it’s “business as usual.” Directly address the issue head on. Normalize stress – explain that this is a common psychological response the body feels to uncertainty.
Sure, you might acknowledge that things seem somewhat chaotic and unpredictable at the moment, but at the same time you only want to encourage sharing emotions up until a point. Avoid getting stuck down a negative vortex. Instead, be realistic and focus on talking about how you will act, collaborate and move forward together as a team.
Ask your team what they need
If there is one thing that I’ve learnt in my 40-year career, it’s the importance of “putting yourself in other people’s shoes.” Being understanding and empathetic helps form trust. When people trust you, they openly communicate, and this will allow you to overcome any barriers so that you can move into problem-solving mode.
Ask them, “What do you need to get your work done?” Maybe they require increased flexibility to work from home, or some advice on how to prioritize their work. If you give your employees more autonomy and sense of control over their actions and their work schedule, in return this can help them be more productive in uncertain times.
And finally, maintain a positive attitude and remain optimistic. The testing times will play out and the storms will pass, and together, you will be stronger.
About the author
Irfan Tansel: Global Citizen and CEO of Al Masaood Automobiles
After starting his career as an apprentice to become a car mechanic at the age of 15, Irfan Tansel has over 40 years’ experience working for family offices spanning across 3 continents. An entrepreneurial and visionary leader, Irfan is credited for his unique approach to company strategy, culture building within organizations and more recently, succeeding in a challenging market; this year Al Masaood Automobiles gained global recognition for achieving 68% growth after re-strategizing, repositioning on the automotive market and hiring a diverse workforce.
Driven to build a legacy, Irfan has a competitive nature. And, after achieving his goals and reaching the peak of his career, Irfan is determined to inspire tomorrow’s leaders by sharing his career of 4 decades Automotive knowledge.
When Irfan isn’t preparing for a future of disruption as electric cars, connectivity, autonomous vehicles and ride-sharing comes into play, you can find him spending time with his family and playing golf.
For media and keynote inquiries, please email his brand manager Jen at Jen@prestidgegroup.com or call +971 55 719 3601. DOWNLOAD IRFAN’S MEDIA KIT.
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