As COVID-19 drags on, we are starting to see more Zoom fatigue and frustration show in employees. We are all tired of sitting at home with limited interaction and tensions can run high. It is certainly difficult to work remotely while filling in for your children’s teachers, supporting more activities you didn’t have to support pre-COVID etc. What should we do?
Although there is no “solution” to this issue, I have a few suggestions:
- EAP: Make your employees aware of your employee assistance program and make sure it isn’t seen as a “bad” thing to pursue. In talking with clinical psychologists, I’ve learned that COVID is having a dramatic impact on people’s psychological health. Please understand this so that you know where they might be coming from and encourage them to take advantage of available resources.
- Recognize the issues: Ignoring issues won’t resolve the situation. Understand child care, senior care and other COVID-related issues. Be creative to find solutions that will support your employees but also support your business.
- Refocus attention: we are inundated with negative news. Instead of focusing attention on all the negative news, we need to refocus attention on how we can impact the future and create a positive future. We don’t have control over COVID but we can control how we react to it and what we DO. Create a vision and show how your employees can contribute. It is always better to be a part of something that is moving forward.
A leader’s role has never been more important than it is now. Your employees are paying attention to you. Are you positive and energetic about the opportunities or down in the dumps? Read more about leadership during coronavirus in my eBook.