The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on all areas of our lives. From work to leisure, no element of our daily routines has been left untouched.
With many offices turning to remote working to protect their employees, it can be challenging to ensure that your staff get the internal networking opportunities that they need to grow and thrive in their roles. Here are a few of the best ways to help your employees network at this difficult time.
Encourage The Use Of Internal Chats
There are many ways that you can help employees engage with one another across your business. While video calls and meetings are useful, they can be time consuming. Having the ability to use a chat channel with their colleagues can be a great way to ensure that your staff stay in touch.
Whether you use Microsoft Teams, Slack, or any other form of instant messaging, this can be a great way to ensure that your team members keep in touch keep sharing information, and helping one another. You could consider having a companywide chat channel, along with individual team channels and a channel devoted to employee recognition.
Host A Weekly Team Meeting
Having a weekly time for your staff to check in is a great way to keep everyone in the loop and engaged. It can also provide a valuable time for you to update your employees on company news and developments, to prevent any feelings of concern and disconnection while working from home.
Whether this is a companywide team meeting or each department is up to you. What is essential is to give your employees time to chat and connect, and discuss any issues that may be hindering their work. It is also a great way to encourage sharing experiences that may benefit others.
This can be an excellent way for your employees to meet up remotely, with a concrete purpose that encourages discussion and engagement. This could be in the form of a video lecture or webinar; what is essential is that you provide your employees with engaging information to foster debate.
You could consider having a speaker for your event to replace your usual conferences which cannot go ahead due to the pandemic. Have a look at Speakers’ Corner for some great ideas for speakers for your online event. Having a professional speaker is the perfect way to promote new ideas and keep innovation high among your staff.
Add A Social Element
Many people are struggling with loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. A great way to help combat this, while providing excellent internal networking opportunities, is to host a remote social event for your employees.
You could consider hosting a weekly pub quiz, drinks after work, or a meal where you all order in a takeaway. The social side of networking should not be underestimated as employee bonding is key to a happy and connected workforce. This will also promote staff wellbeing and is a great way to show your employees that you care about them.
