The coronavirus pandemic has been an eye-opener for businesses. Many have had to close (either temporarily or permanently), while others are embracing remote working for the first time. It’s a strange time for everyone, but it’s been good for businesses to adapt their ways of working in order to stay afloat.

But the success of this business at this time is down to your employees. By continuing to work from home, under challenging circumstances, they’re helping to keep your business running, while also dealing with stressful and frustrating circumstances. It’s important to keep your employees motivated more than ever, and to reward them for their hard work. 

Take a look at some suggestions to keep your employees motivated while they’re working from home.

Check in on them

At this time, it’s easy for employees to feel a bit lost or lonely. Many people thrive in an office environment, so the switch to working at home can be difficult – especially if they live alone. Take the time to make calls to your employees and ask how they are. It’s easy for everyone to be in their own bubble right now, but asking how someone’s feeling can make a big difference to their day.

Get creative with social events

Without group lunches or post-work drinks, you need to find ways to get creative with your company’s social events. You can find plenty of great ideas for virtual team building including quizzes, open mic night, murder mysteries and more. You can nominate different members of the team to come up with an idea so that everyone gets the chance to participate. Making sure your team can still come together and have fun is important for lifting morale, and will help many employees make it through this difficult time.

Help them take care of their health

Being at home day in, day out can unwittingly lead to some unhealthy habits. Movement throughout the day can be even less than what it was during the office, while being in the same surroundings constantly can make someone feel tired and lazy. There are some effective tips you can take on board to help employees stay happy and healthy when working from home, including taking breaks for exercise and eating healthily. You could even send your employees a ‘wellbeing box’ with some healthy treats, exercise equipment and other goodies that will help lift their mood and make them think more about their health. If you want to monitor your employees’ health then you can arrange regular medical check-ups for them. Scheduling your staff with employment physicals may prevent them from developing any serious health problems and help to keep them healthy.

Say thank you

The change in working practices hasn’t been easy for anyone right now, and it’s important that you thank your employees for all of their hard work. You can buy gifts for employees that will give them a boost, while some extra time off could also help them enjoy some quality time at home with their families. Saying thank you and rewarding your employees helps build company loyalty, making employees feel valued for their work.

This is a learning period for many businesses, and it could take time for things to become ‘the new normal’. Take care of your employees and give them advice on how to work well from home so that you can all make it through this difficult time. When normal business resumes, your business will come back stronger, with employees who feel even more motivated to give it 100%.