The pandemic and lockdown necessitate managers to change practices and develop new management skills. If you are a manager, below are five practices to support your employees in this particular time
Support expression of feelings
Most people believe that emotion expression is not appropriate within the work circuit.
It lies on the back of managers to refute this concept.
People usually have a mixture of different emotions with respect to the pandemic, and these emotions can range from anxiety to overwhelm, to fear, to grief and more.
Many employees think expressing emotions within work circuit could make them vulnerable, and could backfire, making them embarrassed and judged on.
Emotion expression is very natural and healthy so that it is important for managers to be able to accept, encourage and promote the culture of emotions expressions within work environment.
When employees find the work circuit a safe space to express emotions, it helps them get the sense of belonging and hopefulness. If more support beyond that is needed, resources should be available.
Be Present
Lockdown and social distancing can aggravate the loneliness and make some people more isolated.
Thus, connection now is more imperative than anytime before. This requires managers to be even more mindful to connection with their employees. Mangers should create an environment of high-quality connection and provide a safe space for employees to feel fully seen, heard and appreciated during this difficult time.
Inquire
Being present is essential but not enough. It is only an initial step. Skillful inquiry is required to know the values of your staff and their needs in these critical times.
Empathize and ask questions from you heart. Showing honest and true interest. This will get you below the surface and provoke energy-producing and self-motivating answers.
For example, rather than asking about goals and objectives, you may ask : what are you looking for the most to learn from the quarantine period?
Or, instead of asking them for the monthly report you can ask them about their achievements during the lockdown.
Listen generatively
Skillful inquiry is not complete without listening. Otto Scharmer Divides listening into four parts:
Download : and it refers to transferring already known information. Listening is only to reconfirm them.
Factual listening: This refers to when attention is paid to the information we don’t know before. Listening is to add this new information to what is already known.
Empathic listening: Trying to perceive the world from the speaker’s own perspective and see things with his eyes. Listening here is to understand and respect the other person from where they are.
Generative listening: this means listening to generate without your character getting in the way of results. You develop your listening skills to see and support the best possible future for your staff.
Take care of yourself
As a manager, you are not immune to crisis. And without having your cups full you will not be able to serve others.
Wellbeing Arena 