Managing team mindset during lockdown.

Lockdown is a marathon, not a sprint. This means that, as lockdown continues, some of your people may start feeling more fatigued and worn down by the constant daily stresses or worries about an uncertain future. Some people might be struggling but pretending everything’s fine, in order not to appear “weak”- especially if they’re worrying about redundancy.

Others might be coping brilliantly, rising to the challenges and even finding more purpose and energy as they attack the crisis. These seemingly bulletproof people may lose strength further on down the line, however.

So here are six ways to manage your people’s mindsets:

1. Know why it’s important
   If you’re concerned about your people’s mindset during the COVID-19 crisis, you’re not alone. A recent Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development report found that 88% of employers are concerned about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic could have on employees’ mental health.
   
   Supporting a positive mindset for your people isn’t just the right thing to do. It has business benefits:
   
   • People who feel supported by their employer tend to feel more valued, and this strengthens their loyalty. Loyalty is especially important during the current upheaval, which has caused many people to reconsider their careers and how they work, and are actively seeking new jobs. Support your people and they’re more likely to stay with you.
   • Colleagues who feel positive about their workplace are likely to be more productive and engaged once they return.
   • In a connected world, how you treat your people affects how your brand is perceived.
   
   
2. Be clear that it’s ok to ask for support
   Acknowledge that struggling is not a sign of weakness and that asking for support is ok. Make sure you communicate to everyone that you’re expecting problems and issues to come up, either now or in the future.
   
   
3. Stay connected
   Just because a team member isn’t telling you that they’re struggling, it doesn’t mean they’re not. Staying connected means that it’s easier to recognise when a colleague is having problems. Create a culture of regular check-ins.
   
   
4. Make sure that the work isn’t a problem
   It’s fully in your power to make sure that people working from home have the equipment, time and resources to do their job. Empower line managers to have one-to-one discussions about workload and processes, and involve people in the engineering of their new work situation to find what works for them best.
   
   
5. Address common concerns
   Some concerns may be common to all your people. Recent studies have found that:
   • Four in ten employees are worried about returning to work.
   • Nearly two in ten employees were working longer hours during lockdown, and over a third of people had worked remotely despite feeling ill, with a quarter of these working ill because of workload, and 16% doing so because they were worried about redundancy.
   • Nearly half of people working remotely feel pressured to be continually “present” fuelling presenteeism.
   
   Address common concerns through active communication. Give reassurance, if you can:
   
   • If redundancy is not on the cards, communicate this.
   • Be an advocate for self-care. Make it clear that if your people are ill, you’d like them to look after themselves, with the right medical care and lots of rest. Make it easier for your team to practise self-care by providing online resources or subscriptions to fitness-on-demand apps. Create team fitness and relaxation goals and enshrine self-care in your own company culture.
   • If presenteeism is an issue, manage your team’s expectations, for instance by creating company-wide switch-off times.
   
   
6. Start having ‘difficult’ conversations
   Although some concerns will be common to all, your people are individuals, with different personalities and concerns. Not everyone wants to talk about personal issues, though, so how can you start those difficult conversations?
   
   It’s good to be open and to allow your people to reveal what’s worrying them. The skills of your line managers are key. They’ll need top active listening skills for this, to create trust, rapport and a line of listening and questioning that gets to the heart of the issue.
   
   Try conversation starters, such as: “This is a very difficult time, and I appreciate that you’re doing a great job. Is there anything that can make life easier for you, right now?”
   
   This can be daunting for line managers who may be used to talking about operational issues, rather than personal ones, so be open to conversations with them and upskill them, if necessary.
   
   Of course, not everybody is looking for a solution. Sometimes, all people want is a compassionate ear and to feel heard. Articulating the problem can sometimes lead your employee to get nearer to an answer. Everybody is different.
   
   Buddy systems and mentoring are also valuable tools to keep people connected and to address problems as they arise. Give your people an alternative to their line manager to talk to, if they prefer.
   
   Managing your people’s mindset positively is one of the most powerful tools you have, to make sure that your workforce is in the best emotional and psychological shape it can be.