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The Coronavirus Pandemic and the lockdowns that have occurred as a result have put immense pressure on the general public, particularly on small businesses.
Whether you are continuing to work from home or you are returning to work as ‘normal’, the circumstances this year has brought on has been difficult for anyone to wrap their heads around, but for employers/leaders, having the added stress of maintaining a business and being responsible for staff has felt near-impossible to handle.
Below, we have outlined some key tips on dealing with Coronavirus and lockdown stress as an employer and how to maintain a strong workforce:
1.) Utilise financial support
As a result of the National Lockdowns that have occurred due to the rise in Coronavirus cases, many businesses have struggled to cope financially. There are a range of schemes available to aid with the financial struggles many businesses find themselves facing, such as:
- Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS/Furlough)
- Kickstart Scheme
- Bounce Back Loan Extension
- Future Fund
- Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG)
- Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS)
Utilising the schemes available will help ease any financial stress placed on your business, in turn reliving any stress you may have over the future of your business. As well as this, the introduction of these schemes will reassure staff which will ease any tension that may have arise in the workplace.
2.) Have constant communication with Staff
Keeping in regular contact with staff working from home maintains as much normality as possible – keeping staff in the loop prevents them from feeling lonely or confused about what is going on. Try to maintain as many routines as possible such as staff meetings.
Ensure you are honest with your employees; hiding information could instil anxiety in staff.
Voicing worries and listening to the concerns of staff is the best way to manage stress surrounding the workplace. Knowing people are in the same boat and share the same uncertainty alleviates some of the pressure to know everything about what is going on.
3.) Follow/Share Official Advice
Knowing what information to forward on to staff and to follow as a business can be difficult, particularly as there is so much uncertainty surrounding what the correct measures are.
Ensuring you only follow and forward reputable sources is imperative in ensuring you and your firm does not breach any rules that could see you facing a hefty fine. On top of this, the information that you pass onto staff has to be as accurate as possible to avoid any panic or trouble that could come with fake news.
4.) Use it to your Advantage
While these are certainly unprecedented times, it is important to use the circumstances to your advantage.
Use the time away from the office to brainstorm ways to improve your business after the restrictions are eased. Plan for the future and be ready to launch your business into a new path of growth once your firm is back to running its usual operations.
Also take into consideration the measures put in place to ensure smoothing running of your business during lockdown and ask yourself whether any of this measures can be implemented full time.
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Knowing how to take control of your business finances to maximise profits can be difficult, especially with the current climate. Knowing the common mistakes to avoid can be difficult and can leave you feeling unsure.
This article is copyright © 2024
