Protecting employees and their safety is paramount for all organisations in this current crisis. It will take strength and commitment from both the employer and employee side. Activating an employee value proposition will help organisations make decisions that accurately reflect their employer brand values.
From a cultural perspective, in a time where we need to be physically separated, we also need to be emotionally together. A united front and a conscious effort to reassure the team. A time to highlight the value in internal communications and use this time to reinforce culture.
Here are some suggestions on ways to maintain a positive culture during the COVID-19 crisis:
- Ramp up your internal communications – appropriate responses to the evolving situation will speak volumes about your brand. It will also have a positive flow-on effect to your customers. Your employees’ attitude to business, as usual, will translate into their interactions with your customers.
- For those that can, the move to home working will impact an employees’ relationship with their organisation, as directing culture will now be remote. Technology will play a pivotal role, but communication is just as important. Some companies have created themed group chats, for example, on home workouts, or share pictures of home working to keep up social engagement. You may already be having a morning video huddle (or stand up) with each team over Zoom, Skype, Teams or Slack.
- If remote working is new to your organisation, it is vital that you are able to maximise the productivity of your team and instil a sense of trust in them. That is where your brand messaging and internal communications need to be ramped up and emphasised via any means possible.
- Reinforce and reflect on your values and include the team in strategic discussions where possible. In this time, employees will be feeling emotional, stressed and uncertain. For employers, this moment matters. Each interaction will shape how employees value the company and the brand. Use these moments to reiterate who you are as an organisation, strengthen your culture and drive loyalty.
Employer branding usually references collective vision and values and is often associated with what we can achieve when we come together. It is important to remember that we can achieve great things even when we are apart.
“Newton discovered gravity in quarantine. Shakespeare wrote King Lear in quarantine.”
There is no denying these times are unusual and evolving, but looking to this as an opportunity to dial up the employer branding will help keep your team positive and productive.
