Staying connected on social during Covid-19

Staying connected on social during Covid-19

Friday, September 17, 2021

Humans are a social species; social connection is at the core of everything we do and is central to our mental wellbeing. In the midst of a post Covid-19 world, where each individual is responsible for enacting appropriate measures for social distancing, social media plays a vital role in allowing members of society to stay connected, regardless of location, health or age. Although physical socialisation has become challenging, over the past few months society has quickly adapted to new mechanisms of interaction, with social media at the core of many of our relationships. 

Social media acts as the perfect antidote to our current climate, providing society with a ‘new’ normal, allowing us to see our family and friends, and even our work colleagues, engaging in online conversations enabling collective processing of stressful and unsure circumstances. Amongst the social media platforms enabling users to maintain meaningful relationships is ‘Zoom,’ home to college lectures, family quizzes and even modern dating. The organisation has seen its usership increase from 10 million users in December 2019, to over 300 million users today. Other social media platforms, such as TikTok, have served to inspire users to become creative in their own homes, seeing many individuals take part in viral challenges, home renovations and new hobbies, in a bid to find new ways to stay occupied. 

Essentially, social media allows users to find a common ground, enabling interactions with people of similar mindsets, and the sharing of everyday life, however exciting or mundane it might be. Alongside the ability to share personal experiences, social media has proven itself to be an important tool for sharing information during Covid-19. News sources and businesses alike have adapted their offerings to meet the needs of social media users, providing news snippets and organisational updates on various platforms. Politicians have also adopted this approach, sharing regular political updates online.

Despite its many positive implications, the negative effects of social media have also become increasingly clear during the ongoing pandemic. The growing amount of information shared online has inevitably resulted in both information overloading and an influx of ‘fake news.’ Users are exposed to social media content during every moment of the day, so it is important now more than ever, to be mindful of media consumption, limiting the number of negative articles consumed and eliminating news sources that are not legitimate. 

This seems easier said than done. In a bid to become mindful on social media, try to use networking sites with intention, as opposed to checking sites subconsciously. To avoid unwanted content, it might be good to consider unfollowing accounts that share information that you don’t enjoy or blocking relevant keywords from appearing on your social media feeds. Remember, social media is not always an accurate depiction of real life. For up-to-date factual news, always consume trusted news sources. 

First published in Strategic Magazine. 

Changing Expectations and Employee Supports

Changing Expectations and Employee Supports

As a digital native, the prospect of digital working and learning is not a concept that I should find daunting, or even surprising. My childhood, adolescence and adulthood thus far have all been shaped by ever-changing technologies and virtual experiences. However, this has provided little advantage over my older peers as we adapt to the immense impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Challenging as it may have been to adjust to the norms of living almost entirely in a virtual world, it is certain that these challenges are much the same, if not greater, for many organisations who have had to adjust their offerings and their workforces to online life, ultimately bearing responsibility for the continuation of the economy, whilst protecting the wellness and work ethic of employees.

Despite overcoming many of the challenges posed by Covid-19, the implementation of a new way of working has seen a new set of employee expectations arise, challenging businesses to reconsider their interactions with their teams. These are reflected clearly by IBM’s monthly Covid-19 consumer surveys, which suggests that employees now expect their employers to play an active role in supporting their physical and emotional health, whilst also equipping them with the skills required to efficiently work from home. Despite the significant lean towards increasing employee supports during the pandemic, many organisations have struggled to adopt successful methods to support their employees, with just 38% believing that their organisation has supported their learning of new skills required, and only 46% feeling the support of their organisations. 

What can business leaders do to help?

A lot can be learnt from the successful business practices adopted by many companies during the Covid-19 pandemic, which have ensured frequent communications, supporting for a work-life balance, provided appropriate resources to employees and maintained regular team-building activities. 

Communicating with Employees during Covid-19

According to a study conducted by the Harvard Business Review in conjunction with Qualtrics and SAP, employees who expressed that their managers were not good at communicating are 23% more likely to experience a decline in mental health. Communicating effectively, efficiently and regularly with employees is more important now than ever. Team members should be regularly updated with appropriate information about organisational updates and changes. The provision of relevant communications plays a key role in reducing employee stress and allows leaders to set clear expectations for their employees. 

The study also makes clear the importance of recognising employee dedication, efforts and contributions to the organisation during the pandemic. The inclusion of appreciation during regular communications plays a key role in boosting employee morale, at a time when many fear the uncertainty associated with their roles. 

Supporting Work-Life Balance

Moving work life into a personal space means that the line between work and personal life is blurring. To limit the negative implications of the increased presence of work in employees’ personal lives, leaders must lead by example, raising the importance of self-care, checking in with employees individually where possible. When leaders share insights into what they are doing to ensure a healthy work-life balance, employees are often inspired to do the same. 

Providing Appropriate Resources

Although many employees may be well acquainted with the resources required to run your business remotely, it’s important to ensure that all members of the team are equipped with the necessary resources and supports required to enable the daily functioning of the organisation.  Where uncertainty arises around how to use new tools in the workplace, it’s important to provide employees with appropriate training and resources to enable them to gain confidence in their abilities to work from home. 

Given the intense impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on employee mental health, it is important to also consider the resources provided to support employee wellbeing. Employers have a responsibility to combat this largely negative impact via the provision of appropriate resources and tools. 

Maintaining Regular Team Building Activities 

According to the Harvard Business Review survey, conducted in conjunction with Qualtrics and SAP, employees benefit hugely from opportunities to bond with their teams, facilitated by their leaders. Hosting regular team building activities allow teams to bond and restores a social aspect to employees’ lives. Successful team building activities hosted by organisations include virtual coffee breaks, virtual lunches and even virtual happy hours! It’s important for employees to feel like they are part of a team. Hosting online team building events is a great way to foster a team spirit. 

Organisations have worked tirelessly to ensure that their businesses adapt to the ‘new normal’ posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, today it is not enough to focus on how these changes affect the lives of customers. Instead organisations must consider what they can do to support their employees. A successful business starts from within. Whether employees are digital natives or have watched the digital sphere unfold throughout their lives, it’s important for organisations and leaders to provide the appropriate supports to ensure effective operations, and to maintain a positive morale.

First published in Strategic Magazine. 

Communicating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Communicating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The current social and political climate means that it is more important now than ever for organisations to share their efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion with their internal and external audiences. Being an employer of equal opportunity for all is no longer an organisational aspiration, but a requirement for modern businesses to succeed. In fact, according to PwC’s Global Diversity and Inclusion survey conducted across 25 industries in 40 countries by over 3,000 respondents, 76% of those interviewed value or prioritise Diversity and Inclusion programmes, and only 10% of business leaders do not communicate regularly about D&I. Despite this, only 42% of employees surveyed believe that their organisation makes information about diversity of employees and leadership teams available.

While implementing appropriate policies for diversity, equity and inclusion are important, as expressed by many organisations, survey findings suggest that there is a distinct disconnect between organisational practices and how employees view these. This is likely a result of ineffective communications between organisations and their stakeholders. To reconcile the disconnect with their stakeholders, organisations must analyse the impact of their internal and external communications. 

Communicating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Internally

In the first instance, organisations must consider their internal stakeholders understanding of DE&I and evaluate communications tactics that are most appropriate for creating an inclusive environment and mutual understanding. DE&I starts from within. In recruitment, organisations should aim to attract a diverse workforce. Not only does diversity drive organisational culture, it also contributes significantly to the profitability of organisations. According to a Harvard Business Review study, companies with greater diversity in the workplace earn up to 69% more in net income and revenue, and also showcase greater customer satisfaction. 

Whilst adopting and communicating DE&I practices can be challenging, in order to be successful in the 21st century business landscape, it is essential to operate a fully inclusive organisation. 

Organisations must also ensure that communications relating to DE&I are empathic and transparent in order to build trust, respect and a sense of belonging for all employees. Internal communications should facilitate a dialogue about topics that concern team members, and employees should be given the opportunity to evaluate their employers DE&I practices and provide feedback where possible. Organisations can engage employees by hosting regular discussions about inclusion and employee experience, creating a forum for individuals to discuss DE&I concerns. Information about the organisations approach to DE&I should also be made available to all employees, to ensure optimum transparency.

Internal communications tools should provide employees with a safe space to share thoughts. Platforms and forums for communications about DE&I must be free from oppressive opinions, instead enabling members to listen, ask questions and express viewpoints openly with the view towards educating or being educated.

Communication Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Externally

Once an organisation has adopted appropriate practices for the internal communication of DE&I, they must consider how their values are showcased to external stakeholders. 

In a similar way to communicating DE&I to internal stakeholders, transparency is key to building trust with external stakeholders. Where possible, organisations should make information about DE&I policies and programmes readily available to external stakeholders. Regardless of performance and intentions, failure to be transparent can appear deceptive. 

Making external stakeholders aware of aspirational DE&I goals and highlighting the outcomes of current practices also plays a key role in positioning your organisation as a provider of equal opportunities. Even if your organisation isn’t currently performing well in this space, showcasing aspirations indicates that the organisation is willing to implement changes over time to reach DE&I goals, whilst showcasing actions taken indicates that you are committed to working towards these goals, and have already begun the journey to becoming more inclusive. Any communication shared about DE&I must be fully transparent and accurate. In the first instance, employees should be made aware of DE&I within the organisation, prior to sharing information externally. 

While adopting and communicating DE&I practices can be challenging, in order to be successful in the 21st century business landscape, it is essential to operate a fully inclusive organisation. 

First published in Strategic Magazine