It has been an interesting and challenging year for businesses and their teams to say the very least. Aside from the regular stresses that can come with being a business owner, the dreaded Coronavirus has forced us to change, adapt and compromise at an unprecedented speed.

 

The virus has added a layer of complexity to things that we could never have seen coming!

 

As leaders and business owners, our own wellbeing is paramount to succeed in life and business. But it’s not just ourselves we have to look out for. We also take on the responsibility of the wellbeing of every employee in our workplace.

 

At businessDEPOT the health and wellbeing of our team is at the heart of our decision making and we know that when team members are suffering in some way, it affects not only their happiness but their ability to perform at their best.

 

I don’t know about you,  but over the last 6 months we have been on a roller coaster ride at businessDEPOT. We have been exceptionally busy helping our clients to navigate all things COVID while supporting them with all the usual areas and processes they come to us for. Meanwhile, we introduced changes for our team including the yo-yo of sending them home to work and then bringing them back to the office, and everything in between.

 

Our team has also needed to adapt to these changes and be flexible in many different scenarios from being isolated at home, keeping healthy and avoiding catching the ‘Rona’, not to mention the restrictions that for many of them, have meant they cannot see family and friends. To say “it has been a complete roller coaster ride” would be an understatement!

 

Not all of our team have coped.  Some of these challenges have really affected their wellbeing and it has been our job, as senior managers, the HR team, the Directors, to find a way to provide support and guidance however we can, while not forgetting about our own wellbeing. We haven’t always gotten it right but we have done our best. The most important thing out of all of this is that everyone comes out the other side in the best shape possible.

 

Coming out the other side has meant that we have needed to be comfortable with decisions that pre-covid, we may not have understood or even thought of doing. We have said goodbye to amazing team members who, as a result of this pandemic, have realised they needed to make changes and tough decisions in their personal lives, to look after their wellbeing. All the while, we needed to recognise as a leadership team, our own limitations and work out ways to manage these, while still providing the team with support. Phew!

 

At businessDEPOT we have tried to make sure we stay close to the action, that we know how each individual is going and have mechanisms in place to help and support if need be, when someone is struggling.  Every person handles stress, ambiguity and change differently and one thing we have learned is that there is not a one size fits all. We are more aware than ever of this and it influences our approach towards the team.

 

The number one activity that we have made sure we continue with, regardless of the continual changes all around us, is checking in, one-on-one with each team member.  The bare minimum is 90 days as a scheduled, structured, catch up.  This is a chance for them to share their thoughts and let us know how they are really doing.

 

We are aware that the flow-on effects of the pandemic, will last for some time and we may still have a few bumps and hurdles ahead. But we also know, as long as we have regular, open and transparent communication with our team and they know we are here for them, we can continue to ride this roller coaster and may even come out stronger than when we first stepped on the ride.

 

How are you and your team going?

 

If you would like any assistance, have any questions that need answering, or would like to discuss workplace wellbeing with us, please reach out to our businessDEPOT business culture advisor today.

 

Originally authored by Anna Chipperfield.