We don’t mean to scare you, but you should really think twice before leaving employee development plans on the back burner.
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, many companies had been working hard to develop a positive employee experience and engaged workforce. Now, most organizations are focused on
- scrambling to create an effective remote work system
- adjusting products and services to meet the demands of our socially-distanced world
Amidst all this chaos, of course everyone needs to change their priorities. But that doesn’t mean drop everything in a panic.
Among the many things that have taken a backseat is employee development strategy. The troubling thing is, that’s possibly one of the worst things your company can do right now. Employee development contributes to higher employee engagement, which is hugely important in our current state.
Let’s think back to why employee engagement became such a hot topic in the first place…
- Evidence continues to suggest that employee engagement has a significant positive effect on organizational commitment (1)
- Engaged employees are likely to go beyond their expected amount of work and put greater efforts to work hard (1)
Now, more than ever, we need committed employees who are willing to put in greater efforts to work hard during these challenging times. We don’t know how long this situation will last, and you surely don’t want to risk disengagement from employees when commitment and productivity are of utmost importance.
What impacts employee engagement?
Well, a lot (2). But some factors are increasingly relevant right now as workers are dispersed:
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Communication
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Career Development
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Clarity of company values, policies, and practices
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Effective management of talent
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Leadership
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Performance appraisal
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Talent recognition
Notice how many of these fall under the category of “Employee Development?”
The Takeaway
Now is not the time to drop your employee development strategies. If it seems like too much to handle right now, consider focusing on one or two areas that provide the most value.
May we suggest-
Continue check-ins with your employees.
We don’t just mean a “how’s it going” check-in, though. Along with frequent touch-base communication, check-in with individuals regarding personal development, training progress, goals, and performance. Showing your continued support of their long-term development will go a long way in keeping them engaged.
Quickly create and document check-ins with Bullseye’s solutions
Offer opportunities for learning and growth
Being cooped up at home, many employees are itching for things to learn and ways to keep their minds active. Provide them with tools and opportunities to learn new skills and build competencies.
Find e-learning and mobile-based training courses to achieve company and employee goals.
Quite frankly, the businesses that move quickly to harness the capabilities of workforce tech will be the ones who make it through this crisis even stronger. It’s time to get all hands on deck to leverage technology and keep employees engaged while they work from home.
We wish you all the best as you navigate these uncertain times.
We’re all in this together!
References
1 – Hanaysha, J. (2016). Testing the Effects of Employee Engagement, Work Environment, and Organizational Learning on Organizational Commitment. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 229, 289–297. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.139
2- Chandani, A., Mehta, M., Mall, A., & Khokhar, V. (2016). Employee Engagement: A Review Paper on Factors Affecting Employee Engagement. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 9(15). doi: 10.17485/ijst/2016/v9i15/92145
BullseyeEngagement addresses all facets of employee development. Our Hire-to-Retire modular system includes Continuous Employee Feedback, Succession Planning, Continuous Performance Management, Goals & Alignment, Engagement Measurements, Insights & Analytics, Rewards & Recognition, and more.
