High turnover, the shift to hybrid work, and continued uncertainty about the future mean that your entire workforce may be feeling unmoored. There are two forces destabilizing employees: unprecedented turnover and uncertainty. The number of people switching jobs has skyrocketed to historical highs in what experts are calling “The Great Resignation.” At the same time, teams are starting to transition to hybrid work.

These upheavals mean that even long-time employees — who have spent years building their reputations within an organization — may now feel they’re starting from scratch. That has enormous implications for performance, innovation, and well-being. By seizing this fall as a moment to re-onboard everyone, managers can boost team cohesion, performance, and well-being.

Great onboarding helps individuals regain their confidence and cuts down the time it takes for them to get up and running. But new hires aren’t the only people who could benefit from this type of structured support. Right now, everyone in your organization needs some form of onboarding. Liz Fosslien, co-author of the book No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work, suggests six steps managers should take.

  1. Kick off with connection. To set your team up for success, invest in emotional connection as soon as possible and as often as possible. Schedule random, 30-minute 1:1s between members and kick meetings off with a lighthearted prompt. Try “High, Low, Ha,” where each person shares one highlight from their week, one low point, and one thing that made them laugh.
  2. Welcome unique contributions. One of the first messages your reports should hear is that they will be valued for everything that sets them apart.
  3. Help people learn who knows what. Create early opportunities for team members to collaborate and discover each other’s unique talents. You can also start an email thread or channel where team members can post a problem for others who may have relevant experience to share their insights.
  4. Rally everyone around a 3-month mission. Unite the group around an ambitious but achievable short-term goal.
  5. Set clear cultural expectations. Schedule time for your team to agree on cultural and emotional norms. Here are a few prompts to get you started:
    • How can we ensure teammates who aren’t in the office still have a voice?
    • How will we track progress and update each other throughout the week?
    • What guidelines should we set for meetings?
  6. Reinforce healthy, productive norms with recognition. Celebrate the efforts of a small group of people, rather than just an individual or the entire team (for example,  the top 3 performers). As well, create opportunities for peers to recognize each other.

For additional ideas on how to increase the cohesiveness of your post-pandemic team, contact Learning & Organization Development.

 

Reference:
Harvard Business Review (2021, August 16) by Liz Fosslien: It’s Time to Re-Onboard Everyone