We’re all feeling the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, at home and at work.

We were already living in a world people call VUCA – volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Covid has just amped that up to a new level!

We are seeing an increase in workplace anxiety, fear and stress in many companies. Not all, but enough for it to be necessary to make a conscious effort to work on it. I know that most teams don’t allocate focused time to address this. And I get it – we’re all so busy trying to deal with the situation. Sales are down, working remotely has become difficult,  we’re having to blend family and work life in the same physical space. Many are worried about their jobs, and too many have already lost them.

What Can You Do TO Help?

So, how can you help your team get through this? The first and most important thing I want to ask you is, have you had or are you having regular conversations where work is not the topic, but checking in with everyone together on how they are doing with the pandemic is the focus?

And let me emphasise the word ‘together’. Private one to one conversations are valuable, but it’s also really important that the team gets to hear everyone’s voice. By creating the space for everyone to speak with each other, you allow insight you don’t get in private.

Depending on levels of trust and openness in your team, people may not speak up in front of everyone, and may not feel comfortable with showing vulnerability. But all the evidence proves that teams that are able to be candid, open, honest and forthright in their conversations with each other, are happier and more successful as a result. You owe it to yourselves to develop this ability to talk in your team. So here’s five ideas which I hope will help you start to have these conversations, or if you are already doing so, how to make them richer and more meaningful.

TIP ONE: set focused time in your diary

Diarise this time, where what is going on in your team is the topic of discussion only, and work is off the agenda. You will know how much time you can afford, but allow enough for it to be a conversation. Maybe half an hour, or an hour a week?

TIP TWO: LET people know in advance

Tell people in advance what the conversation will be about and how they are expected to be there and to contribute. Give people time to prepare their thoughts, and for them to know they will be expected to speak up.

TIP THREE: Agree how you will talk in the meeting

This is so important – when you get into the meeting, before you do ANYTHING, agree the rules of engagement for that meeting. Ask everyone how they want it to run – what behaviour is expected, what is not allowed, and what will make the session really worthwhile for them? Things like agreeing confidentiality, what to do if people get triggered? Creating these boundaries, ground rules and expectations is vital for making a space available where people will speak up with honesty.

TIP FOUR: The leader doesn’t do all the talking

If you are the leader, don’t do all the talking. This is a great opportunity for you to practice more listening. And listen actively. Turn your phone off, look people in the eye, repeat back to them what you have heard to make sure you heard it right. Everyone should do this, but I know leaders get tempted to lead in these types of conversations, and that’s OK, it’s normally expected of you. But for this type of chat, take a step back.

Tip Five: Don’t be afraid of silence

Don’t be afraid of silence. We are often tempted to fill silences because they appear awkward to us. But sometimes amazing things happen when no one is talking. Let people digest what they hear. Introverts especially will need the silence at times. See what comes out of the quiet time.

I hope these tips allow you to have more meaningful conversations about how your team is doing now, but also in the future. It takes time to develop this as a skill in a team. But if it becomes part of your regular rhythm, ritual and routine in your team, it’s a very powerful asset.

If you are struggling with this, I help teams who are finding it hard to have these conversations. If you want my help, please do get in touch, my contact details are in the video notes. And I wish you good team health.