6 things your employees are expecting from you but are not telling you.
With several weeks of quarantine and work-from-home status, our daily lives have now shifted into a reality that disruption is most likely going to be with us for the foreseeable future. With so much uncertainty in the air and an endless flow of changes occurring, expectations that leaders will keep their team engaged and productive have now increased for most organizations. But what about the people in our teams? Have their expectations changed? Most often, team members will refrain from voicing any additional expectations they may have towards their leader for fear of being singled out. In light of this, here are 6 things your employees are expecting from you during the pandemic but are not telling you:
1) Realize that my world is now upside down and in a worse state than you know
Assuming people have it figured out or have adjusted “easily” lacks not only empathy but translates into ineffective leadership. Your employees while perhaps wanting to project an “it’s all good” exterior, are facing fears of layoffs, relationship pressure, and childcare challenges that they may be embarrassed to share. By not acknowledging or even delving further into your team members’ home set up, their support system, their routine, and schedule, employers may be missing critical opportunities to not only tactically help – with say IT support or equipment etc. –but perhaps more importantly the opportunity to effectively relate at a basic level with what your team might be experiencing.
2) How you say it matters
‘Geez I wish my boss stopped communicating with me, stopped checking on me and my family’ ‘they really cared a little too much’ -- said no employee ever! What once might have seemed like a casual check-in by you the leader, may now be a conversation fraught with fear of pay cuts and layoffs. The NeuroLeadership Institute has been studying the science of social threat and unconscious bias enough to conclude that “normal” performance calls are insufficient. If leaders have any hope of keeping their teams calm and engaged, it’s critical that they adapt to this new reality.
The NLI’s research tells us that people crave certainty, autonomy, and relatedness, especially in times of crisis. As people we like to understand our environment (certainty), we like to feel in control of our actions (autonomy), and we like to feel connected to others (relatedness). Major crises tend to rob us of all three—we feel uncertain, helpless, and alone. Leaders can offset these sources of threat in their employees during their conversations by sending positive signals in each of the three areas.
3) Don’t manage me the same way you did before
The business goals (read KPIs) of yesterday most likely no longer reflect the goals of today’s reality. Look no further than your team to help you understand this. As they are the experts of their role, they will be the first to know what has become difficult or unsustainable. If the standard organizational KPIs become impossible to strive for and are not addressed by the organization, disengagement, anxiety and frustration will quickly present themselves on your team. Your team is clearly looking for your support and guidance with acknowledging the impacts of the pandemic on various business processes and establishing new realistic goals to move forward.
4) Take care of yourself so you can take care of me
Have you ever stopped to think about how your team would describe you under stress? Your team surely knows this about you and the last thing they need right now is having to manage your stressed-out emotional response to everything that’s going on. Instead, they are secretly hoping you are taking the necessary steps to manage your stress levels. They are expecting that, when you show up to work, you will be able to give them the best version of yourself - A leader that is calm and collected, ready to provide energy and mental presence to matters that are important to their team. Be mindful, when you are not successful in taming your stress levels, not only are you not in a position to help your team but you end up making matters worse by stressing out everybody else with your behaviour.
5) Tell me we will get this through this together
In times like these, your team is looking for positive cues and are looking up to you to understand what the future holds for the organization. In addition to their anxiety relating to the outbreak, they are worrying about the state of the business. Seeing the overall business slowing down and colleagues being let go creates fears of potentially being next on the list. It is important to be mindful that you aren’t currently pulling yourself and your team down with your words and actions. Not communicating a compelling vision of the future or playing devil’s advocate on your team’s attempt to finding a silver lining contributes to lowering your team’s outlook and productivity. As positive energy is contagious, adopting a positive disposition in your general interactions and meetings can influence your team’s outlook.
6) Please lead by example by following the rules
Nothing is more off putting for a team than a leader who does not serve as a model regarding socially responsible behaviours. Right now, like it or not, your employees are hoping you show up to work (or on a remote call) ready to action with a decisive attitude what needs to be done and in the way it should be. This means - Are you respecting the social distancing restrictions in and out of your work environment? Have you implemented or empowered your team to leverage the additional measure set by your company in the last few weeks? You get it… right? Don’t underestimate the fact your team will be constantly watching what you do even more than what you say. Your reactions will represent the base line of what becomes acceptable thinking for the team, and this, for the better or worse.
Want more?
For leaders with whom this resonates, LeedHR is currently offering a free webinar training session to leaders of organizations. The course is designed to give leaders a better understanding of potential emotions and expectations experienced by their workforce during the current crisis. This in turn will provide leaders with a greater sense of insight and control over their actions and team relationships. The course is designed to be delivered remotely. For more information, contact us.