English 
Deutsch 
Français 
At the beginning of March, COVID-19 was still a distant phenomenon, but now it affects us all. It is affecting our daily lives and the way we work (with each other). And this is happening worldwide. Everyone is facing the same challenge, but everyone is dealing with the pandemic differently. That's why it's worth thinking outside the box. Our colleagues from Great Place To Work® America in particular have been busy sharing tips and tricks during COVID-19. We have taken a close look at these tips and summarized the most useful ones for you.
Offer emotional support
Although everyone is affected by the pandemic, each person reacts differently to the new working conditions. As a result, they are dealing with the new situation in different ways - what is relaxing for some is a heavy psychological burden for others. There are five things employees can do to support each other emotionally:
- Forgiveness instead of confrontation
- Make check-ins
- Practicing mindfulness
- Be more grateful
- Remind each other to take care of themselves.
The original article with detailed descriptions can be found here.
Virtual communication done right
Tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Slack have proven that communication works despite working from home. However, there is often a lack of approaches for the right application. Of course, private exchanges and office chats should still take place - after all, we don't always just want to talk about business. However, it is important to be lenient with less tech-savvy users. Not everyone is on the same level - and that should be okay (at least at the beginning). Similarly, you should not refrain from small talk despite the lack of proximity. A "Good morning" is a much more pleasant introduction than "What I wanted to talk to you about...". Also switch on the video - this creates more face-to-face closeness than just audio. There should also be enough space for non-business meetings, such as coffee breaks, yoga or sports sessions. We found these tips here.
Dealing with pressure to perform
Just because employees are working from home does not mean that they automatically no longer take responsibility for their performance. On the contrary, the transition and the change in structure often make it difficult for employees to achieve the performance targets they set themselves. You quickly start to question yourself if you have not delivered the same perceived performance as usual. This is often due to the fear of looking like a slacker in front of others (especially superiors). Accordingly, the expectations of their performance should be clarified (especially by superiors). What are the goals that employees should achieve - regardless of their attendance? Another point is the hardware and software equipment for employees working from home. After all, what could be more frustrating than wanting to work but not having the right tools? Of course, this also includes knowing how to access internal databases externally. These tips are described in more detail here.
