A message to Managers: holistic checkpoints

A message to Managers:

Do we really know what employees are going through in their personal lives when we identify a workplace issue?

We should always ask ourselves this question first and foremost, and ascertain any underlying causes that may give rise to a change in behaviour, performance issue or ability to cope.  You may consider this type of enquiry to be fundamental to the management of people, however, given the need for businesses to remain resilient, or even survive throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be a likely increase in the expectations placed on employees.   Such examples may include the need to maintain or increase performance output, cover an extended role or another lost member of staff, change working patterns, work in a different way around the needs of increasing infection control which may not be as efficient, and/or work from home, to name but a few.

In considering all these new expectations, are we really looking at the situation holistically?

Are our expectations as employers wholly realistic and fair if we don’t ask our employees how they are coping personally?

Our focus on meeting business needs should not be blindly pursued without checking in on our employees.  The negative impacts on all during this pandemic are endless.  Family redundancy, money issues, physical or mental illness and death of friends and family whether Covid-19-related or not and the need to care for children off school or shielding relatives, are key examples, not to mention the fatigue and burnout from just having to deal with the ongoing, relentless change and uncertainty in the way we are now having to live.

Yes, employees have a job to do, for which they are paid accordingly, but please, before you up your expectations of them, or address a workplace issue, check in on them first and ask the question, “How are you really?”

A message to Employees:

If you feel you have been impacted unfairly in your workplace, reach out to us at Victito and let us help you.  Our experience, your support.