communication

Do You Have Staff Who Are Afraid to Return to the Office?

June 8, 2020

In just a matter of days, the coronavirus pushed people inside their homes, accelerating a digital transformation around the world.

Getting workers out of their homes and back into offices is going to prove harder. According to a new survey by researchers at India-based workplace services firm Ionotrics and San Diego–based Global Workplace Analytics:

77 percent of the workforce wants to continue to work from home at least part of the time once the pandemic is over. That’s up from 60 percent one month ago. That’s a 132 percent increase from before the coronavirus crisis, according to the Work-from-Home Experience Survey in which more than 2,600 employees from around the world participated.

As the country is opening up, employees are faced with a decision – do they go back to the office or not? Many of my clients are telling me that members of their staff are fearful about returning. Compassion still reigns. You may have to consider each person, and the factors that they are grappling with. If you have a staff member who fits into any of the following categories, their return will most likely be delayed:

They have kids at home who need home schooling
They have underlying health concerns
They are over the age of 60
They live in a metro city and use public transportation

In some states, employees who fit into one of these categories may qualify for unemployment – if they must return to the office and are not able to. Other employees most likely need reassurance and to be listened to. It’s important to calm nerves and listen to staff concerns. Here are some guiding principles:

Ask your staff what they need in order to return to the office safely.

Plan and communicate how you are preparing the office for their return
- Cleaning – Describe your ongoing plan for keeping the office clean from Covid 19
- Spacing – Follow the CDC’s guidelines for distance in the office
- Wearing facemasks and gloves – Will you be supplying them or do they need to bring their own?
- Rotating schedules – 2 days in, 2 days at home. Think low capacity
  commuting before or after rush hours.

- Change in dress code – I’m going to predict that the workplace is about to get really casual

Take it slow.

Coming out of the cave after a long winter, a bear needs time to acclimate. You may want to start with visiting the office ahead of opening, and encouraging your staff to do the same. Then try two days the first week and see how it goes.

Offer emotional support if possible.

Professional coaches, therapists and clergy can talk to your staff about their mental health. It will pay off in the long run.

Be transparent about possible layoffs, furloughs or job eliminations. No surprises please, let them prepare.

Have real communication about diversity.

Create guidelines for behavior in these conversations, and have a moderator who keeps the conversation constructive. Offer books and movies as resources. Have conversations that allow staff to express their fear, pain, and anger. This kind of sharing can be extremely emotional, so make sure you to have professional support around it.

Practice People Over Profit

Sure, we are working to earn money, and companies must be profitable to hire people, and I know that in some industries robots will replace people. Given this reality, how can you make the workplace a desirable and safe place so that people want to work for you?

Please let us know how the transition back to the office works for you and your company.

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.

The Importance of Praise

May 18, 2020

This is a stressful time. As we continue to live with uncertainty, nerves can fray, hope can turn to fear, and disappointment can turn to deep sadness and depression. As the weeks of our pandemic quarantine pass, our initial response of being on our best behavior may be giving way to more normal reactions to work annoyances and unrealistic expectations.

So, without sounding sappy – and those who know me know I’m not sappy – what if we all tried to be nicer to one another? I’m talking about kindness and respect. There may be certain days where remembering to be nice to your co-workers, clients, vendors or management could pose a challenge, but you can forgive yourself for those days and start again tomorrow.

What takes a few seconds to do could make someone’s day. You have no idea what people are dealing with in their personal lives so just be nice, it’s that simple.

Consider the following:

How about asking everyone you come in contact with – “How is your day going?” And wait for their answer. Let’s go a little deeper than the usual, exchange of “How are you?” “Fine.”

When on a Zoom call, why not say, “You look good today.” Then wait to see the other person smile.

Reach out to people via text, phone or email and say – “I was thinking about you” especially to those co-workers who live alone.

Take a moment to tell your coworkers, “Nice job on that project.” Of course, you do need to mean it. Acknowledging the effort someone puts into their work can help them feel good – especially during these difficult days.

Practice saying, “Thank you,” even for the small things. Most of the time, we don’t need to thank others daily. We’re usually working at a fast pace, moving from one thing to the next. Offering an unexpected “Thank you,” can create a much-needed positive moment in someone’s day.

When in a virtual or in-person meeting try saying, “I appreciate your input.” So often we don’t take the time to acknowledge the ideas that other people contribute. Whether we use that input or not, praising another person for their ideas helps them flourish and get better at offering ideas over time.

I know that not all corporate cultures will find these practices comfortable, so pick and choose wisely. But kindness and praise never hurt anyone, so give it a try.

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.

Moving Forward – Into the Unknown

April 28, 2020

This past Sunday (4/26/2020) Governor Cuomo of New York said, “We are not going back to the way things were, we are going forward.” I have to say I agree with the Governor. Many of my clients are telling me that they see this as an opportunity to do things differently.

Some small business owners want to take their businesses smaller not bigger. Other clients want to continue working from home and no longer want to commute. Several of my clients are saying they want to incorporate real work-life balance — not just pay lip service to it. And some clients are realizing that they need to find a better job/career.

Everyone is thinking about what “moving forward” means. If you aren’t, it’s time to start. We are in a reset. Go inside and listen. Do not disregard your deepest thoughts and feelings; they are telling you something. You are at a point of choice at this time. You can let go of the way you thought work had to be and decide on what is right for you.

What parts of your job/career do you want to move forward? What parts are you unwilling to continue? Consider the following:

Commuting – Maybe you want to work closer to home, or work virtually.

Change industry – If your industry is on hold, you may want to investigate a completely different industry. Maybe you want to go back to school.

Micromanaging boss – This could be a good time to see if you can transfer to another department or find another job.

Doing the work of others – Perhaps you no longer want to compensate for others’ lack of initiative.

Compromising my private life – You may want to establish a hard start and stop time to your workday, creating boundaries around work that protect your private life.

Working with a mean girl/guy – Instead of working with awful people, you may be ready to look for a new position within or outside of your current company

Not getting paid fairly – It may be time to find a position that pays you what you deserve.

Getting rid of troubling employees – Downturns have always been a good time to lay off difficult staff. Perhaps you have some people who could go.

Needing less office space – Going to a more virtual workforce may mean you don’t need as much office space.

Going back to a standard schedule – Instead of returning to your previously regimented work schedule, you may want more flexibility.

Stop eating overpriced unhealthy food – Does your company serve unhealthy, overpriced food at meetings? You may want to bring your own food to work more often.

It’s time for me to not have a boss – You may be ready to start your own business.

Doing work that has no meaning – You may feel that now is the time to make a difference.

Most of us fear change and the unknown. We tend to stay in difficult situations longer then we should for fear of not knowing what better options are available to us. Instead of being scared, embrace change and possibilities. (I know this is easier to say than it is to do.)

During this unusual time, I challenge each of you to examine and come to terms with what you really want to do professionally. Consider your happiness, your purpose, your health, and your legacy.

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.

Remote Working Etiquette – During the Covid Pandemic

March 30, 2020

We are all being ordered to work remotely. For those who are accustomed to working this way, it’s likely you’ve developed best practices. At the same time, even seasoned remote workers may have kids at home or pets who suddenly expect your attention 24/7. While some families have come together to shelter in place against the virus, many people are living (and working) alone. Both situations have their challenges. We are now in a new reality that requires new rules for etiquette and protocol.

Here are 10 things to consider as organizations create internal systems for their remote working culture.

1 – Be mindful of workday hours and please take time zones into consideration. For some organizations, this may be a time of true emergency. During an emergency, it’s all hands-on deck. You may be required to respond to emails or texts from your manager or co-worker at all hours of the day/night. If your business does not fall into the emergency category, however, please reconsider working as if you are. Set realistic work hours and refrain from communicating outside of those times.

2 – Use video conferencing – to help with the isolation and communication. Using a camera will help you, your coworkers, and possibly your clients connect. Seeing your team will remind everyone that they are not alone. It’s also interesting to see each other’s homes (or at least the room used for work).

3 – Be transparent with communication. Without the office water cooler for conversation/gossip, it easy to fall out of the office communication loop. Use all forms of telecommunication (texting, Face Time, Slack etc.) that can enable you and your colleagues to ask questions and get all the news you once were able to obtain by being in the same space. If you need to run an errand or help your kid, let others know.

4 – Do not base work performance solely on hours. Each organization will want to use an online tracking system for productivity. Examples are Basecamp, Slack, Trello, Wrike, Zoho projects and Google Drive. As home responsibilities for many have increased, some people will not have the same uninterrupted time to put into their work day, but still may be able to be as productive. Establish an honor system (set expectations and deadlines) then try to be respectful of each person’s situation.

5 – Train your workers on using video conferencing and online tools. Don’t assume anything. Have your office tech run a few tutorials to be sure that no one feels incompetent, embarrassed or ashamed.

6 – Watch your communication style while on camera. Eye rolling and looking uninterested will show. Get dressed – casual is fine – but wear bottoms just in case you have to get up to get something.

7 – Be sensitive to cultural and age differences. Keep communication professional. Using short cuts to speak may work for your peers, but be aware that others may not get your humor or contemporary slang.

8 – When on a teleconference don’t all talk at once. Without visual cues, it can be easy to talk over one another during a conference call. It might be best to have a moderator who can track each participant and determine who wants to speak next. Establish order.

9 – Be flexible about kids and pets in the background. Children and pets are a reality in today’s world of remote working. You and your coworkers should do your best to have a space at home where you can have privacy but many people do not have that luxury.

10 – Avoid eating during videoconference and teleconference calls. Others can hear you crunching and slurping. Sipping water while on a call or meeting may be fine – we all need to stay hydrated. Save your snacks and beverages, however, for Virtual Happy Hour, which happens at the end of the workday, right?

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.

The Best Leadership Tactics for Getting Through the Covid 19 Crisis

March 25, 2020

You may be the leader of a large organization, the executive director of a nonprofit, the manager of a team, the owner of a business with a few staff, or the sole proprietor of a small business. It does not matter how many people directly report to you. At this time, we are all called to be leaders. What does that mean?

1 – Be the calm in the storm. One of my clients is the Executive Director of a large retirement community. After describing the extensive plan she’d developed to protect all residents and staff from the virus, she said, “You want me in a crisis, because when everyone gets upset I get calm.” She shared her process: “I make my lists and methodically take care of each item as calmly as possible. I think through what could go wrong, and take steps to eliminate every problem as best as I can.”

2 – Make tough decisions. Confronted with the prospect of several months of delayed revenue, managers, business owners and CEO’s everywhere face tough decisions. One CEO told me she’d asked her CFO for a cash projection for the year. To her surprise, she found out that her organization had more cash on hand than she’d originally thought. Because money will be coming in, she does not have to let people go. Another CEO conducted the same kind of financial analysis for her organization with less favorable results. She is preparing to lay staff off.

3 – Be the positive voice, and at the same time be realistic. It is time to be transparent. I know you’re thinking that the term transparent has been overused. Transparent simply means tell the truth. If you know that your company or department or organization must take difficult steps like letting staff go, communicate that clearly. Describe the problem and what you are doing about it: “We may have to let some people go. We may lose business. But we are looking to secure financing.” Tell them the truth. Tell them you are doing all you can – then deliver on your promise; they are watching.

4 – Care about your people like you have never cared before. I had a client ask, “How are you doing?” I said, “Fine.” She said, “No. Tell me how you are really doing.” That individual showed true concern for my well-being. Take the lead in this area, and express true interest in your staff’s physical, mental and emotional state. I have another client who is holding a virtual happy hour for her employees every day at 6:00 pm – participation not required. If you manage people who are considered essential workers, give them food, drinks, cash – whatever they need. And be sure to take care of their families.

5 – Look for creative ways to give. This is not a time to look for business. It will come if you show and believe we are all in this together. Think Give not Get. Can your company retool and make masks or hospital gowns for medial staff? Can you put your services online? Shaun the co-owner of Seagull Hair salon here in NYC, is putting up tutorials on how to cut your bangs, touch up your roots and trim your beard at home. Think out of the box: How can you keep your clients be engaged without any expectations? When you return to work, your clients will return to you because they received from you.

6 – Make sacrifices. This is a time when you may have to ask staff to take pay cuts. Those pay cuts should not exclude you. You may have staff that are home schooling while their partner is an essential worker. You might want to take on some of their work to lighten their load.

Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.