Supporting employees – Boosting morale and developing rapport during COVID-19

Supporting your employees is an important part of creating a psychologically healthy and safe workplace. However, supporting your employees goes beyond providing periodic check-ins and providing mental health supports; it requires an everyday effort. With times of COVID-19, this may become more challenging with employees working from home and having to communicate with employees who are present while wearing masks. Here are a few ways to boost morale and develop rapport even when communicating with your employees while wearing a mask:

Avoid clear masks where possible

The use of clear masks can pose as a concern when communicating with employees, as they may feel concerned with being near you due to clear masks not providing ultimate protection. Clear masks also tend to fog up when speaking, thus creating a barrier when people are trying to understand you. Consider only using a clear mask in situations where you are communicating with a deaf individual(s).

Practice clarity in your speech

When wearing a mask your voice tends to become muffled, thus losing its clarity and making it harder for others to hear and understand you properly. Practice talking clearly when wearing a mask, including the volume and pronunciation of your words. Pause often when talking with a mask on to ensure that who you are communicating with is following what you are saying. Remember that where your voice is muffled when wearing a mask, the same applies to the person you are listening to who is also wearing a mask. Practice active listening to ensure you are understanding the other person and always asking for clarification where needed to ensure that there is no miscommunication.

These tips assist to positively communicate with your workforce amongst these challenging times. Consider incorporating these tips in your daily work practices to foster a more positive work environment. As always, put safety first and consider zoom meetings instead of face-to-face meetings where possible.

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Beyond Rewards Inc

Human Resources and Risk Management Consultants and Training Provider at Beyond Rewards Inc

Beyond Rewards is a boutique firm offering a full suite of Human Resource, Safety, Workplace investigations, Accessibility Standards and Risk Management solutions, online training programs and customized face to face training for our clients. Several exceptional expert consultants led by Lynne Bard, HBa, CHRP, CES, President/Senior Consultant,will be blogging regularly on First Reference Talks on behalf of Beyond Rewards Inc.

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