4 Ways to Maintain Employee Engagement During COVID-19

As we adjust to our new way of life we have a renewed focus on ensuring our team members are happy, healthy and engaged.

Social distancing and working from home poses challenges many of us have never encountered. Juggling workload with home-schooling children and dealing with minimal social interaction can create feelings of unease and stress. Employee engagement has never been more critical to reassure and boost morale.

Below we consider four key areas to provide consistent communication and support to our team:     

Videoconferencing for Office Wide Updates and Team Meetings

Leverage videoconferencing software and familiar communication channels to host daily team meetings and collaborate virtually. Utilising Zoom’s Live events function we have been able to get the leadership team together virtually, to provide office-wide updates on projects.

Find Other Ways to Connect

Promote a positive and inclusive culture by arranging virtual coffees and Friday drinks. Our team has created a weekly newsletter featuring a range of light-hearted suggestions for at-home weekend activities. This weekly communication is upbeat, makes staff feel connected and sparks conversations between our team. 

Focus on Health and Wellbeing

Prioritise the health and wellbeing of team members by encouraging a positive worklife balance and promoting regular exercise. Regular one-on-one check ins make sure our team has the opportunity to openly discuss any concerns they may have.

Heading into May we have challenged the NBRSARCHITECTURE team to get active, stay connected and raise funds for two special causes along the way. We are encouraging our team to get up and away from their desks at lunchtime and put their health and wellbeing first.

Invest in Learning and Development

Now is the time to focus even more on the Learning and Development of our team. Using Microsoft Teams and Zoom we have continued our commitment to learning through virtual CPD sessions.

Our APE Study Group has also moved online to prepare our graduates for their Architectural Practice Exams. Each session is delivered via participant led workshops, improving presentation and communication skills and allowing for knowledge sharing amongst our team. Sharing screens and virtual whiteboards allow for focused interaction and collaboration.