Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida Ditchmen - July 2020 | Page 9

critically important to people’s lives. Many essential workers right now are proud to be doing what they are doing, as they realize that the country needs them. Without them, there would be devastation and chaos, and for many, it’s not a responsibility they take lightly. This public health crisis may take some time to resolve — and there’s nothing you can do to shorten it. But there are a few things you can do to improve your workers’ motivation in the workplace. 1. Ensure their physical safety Your first task when employees are feeling vulnerable is to do all you can to physically protect them from risk. For a pandemic, this means supplying them with protective equipment like masks, gloves and sanitizer and maintaining social distancing. Depending on the layout of your store or business, you might also consider limiting the number of customers inside at any one time and installing plastic shields at checkouts. This is also the time to step up your cleaning protocols. Many businesses are shifting to a “take out window” model, where the customer comes to the door and places their order with an employee. Employees then shop for the customer, so as to keep people out of the store all together. Others are offering drivethrough service or curbside pickup. 2. Pay attention to their emotional safety If your employees are doing front-line customer service, this can be a really challenging time. Some customers may lose patience because things are not how they like them, or how they used to be, and they may take that out on your employees. Now is the time to be vigilant and have managers be physically present to deal with angry and upset customers. Related: Adding an Employee Assistance Program? Here’s what you need to know 3. Keep the lines of communication open If there’s one thing we learned from the Wuhan experience, it’s that trying to cover something up only makes it worse. So be open and transparent in your communications with employees. Additionally, increase the frequency of communications with your employees. A daily bulletin via email, daily announcements/team meetings before the store opens, or signage/posters in the break room are some great ways to keep the channels of communication open. Workers will be less stressed if they know what’s going on. Make sure they know they have a way to reach you, either via email or phone, where they can address any issues in a safe manner. 4. Encourage work/life balance It’s important to note that there may be things stressing your employees out that are outside of work, but are still related to the pandemic. ■ For those who are parents, do they have dependable child care? ■ Are they able to get groceries and supplies? JULY 2020 • DITCHMEN 7