Remote Workers

 

Workforces are trickling back into office buildings and teams are rejoining in person after a long pandemic-related hiatus. It feels a bit like starting over, doesn’t it? While safety is the number one priority, it’s also critical to view this period as an opportunity for employee appreciation.

What is Reboarding? According to HR Daily Advisor,

“Reboarding is the concept of bringing individuals back who were previous employees but away for some period of time. The idea is to modify onboarding for someone who is already familiar with your company but has been away.”

Here at gThankYou, we are extremely optimistic about the potential for reboarding across all industries in businesses of all sizes. While there will be the necessary burden of policies, daily minutia, schedule conversations and so much more, there is also the gift of a restart — and employee appreciation.

What if NOW was the perfect time to shift your leadership mentality? What if you lead all efforts in the “return to normalcy” with a mindset of employee appreciation? We recommend welcoming employees back with a few things in mind that could shape or reshape your culture for years to come.

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As we emerge from the challenging pandemic to some sense of normalcy at both work and in our personal lives, it’s an ideal time to check in on how we are speaking to ourselves. Many of us had extra time alone with ourselves during the pandemic and while some people seemed to flourish, many of us struggled with added loneliness, stress, grief, and anxiety. Often our own internal voice during this time was our toughest critic and harshest judge. The transition back to an office or to a job can be rough right now.

There is no better time to show ourselves some compassion and grace.

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Workplace Burnout Has Worsened During Pandemic

NPR’s Life Kit recently addressed the growing problem of workplace burnout.  They shared results from a survey supported by Harvard Business Review from the fall of 2020 which indicated that burnout is a global problem (respondents were from 46 countries) that has gotten worse during the pandemic.

Here are some statistics:

• 89% of respondents said work life was getting worse.
• 85% said well-being had declined.
• 56% said demands had increased.
• 62% of those struggling to manage their workloads experienced burnout “often” or “extremely often” in previous three months.
• 57% of employees felt that pandemic had a “large effect on” or “completely dominated” their work.

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Thanksgiving is America’s holiday of gratitude. It will never be canceled. But it will be different this year. Smaller gatherings, no travel and reunions going on-line. 

In these times, gratitude means more than ever. Your staff has conquered unprecedented challenges we never imagined. Your team deserves all the recognition you can offer.

Unite in a Spirit of Gratitude

If your workplace family can’t be together in person this year, have you considered a virtual Thanksgiving event?

Colleagues have grown accustomed to meeting and socializing via platforms like Zoom. According to Business of Apps, Zoom was seeing 200 million daily meeting participants in March 2020 and 300 million in April. The week of Thanksgiving is an excellent opportunity to bring together your remote workplace community for some online warmth, positivity and gratitude.

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What about your annual office Halloween party?

Health experts recommend skipping in-person gatherings this year — especially in areas with high COVID-19 levels. But you can still have plenty of spooky seasonal fun online.

Holiday parties have always been a great way to help employees bond and burn off stress, and to recognize their hard work. That matters more now than it ever has.

Mix some fun and creativity and you can host a virtual Halloween party! Your colleagues will appreciate the efforts to keep the Halloween spirit alive despite the pandemic.

Here’s how to get started:

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Your Turkey Gift to Employees is More Important than Ever

The pandemic has changed lives and dramatically changed our workplaces.

For many of us, we have lost the in-person connection with employees – the ability to smile, share a handshake or genuinely thank someone in person.

Employees need to feel secure right now in knowing that they are valued. If you have company holiday traditions that are near and dear to your team, respect them. Find a way to make them work in our new work world. Many employees are relying on that cash bonus or holiday turkey gift that they have always received.

Thanksgiving and the holiday season have always been an opportunity for workplace leaders to share their gratitude and appreciation to employees. Your appreciation and thanks are more important than ever this holiday season.

The gift of a Thanksgiving turkey has long been a valued and meaningful gift for employees. The tradition of turkey gift-giving is revered by many companies, and for some, distributing frozen turkeys is a beloved tradition that is decades old.

This year especially, the practical gift of food is something everyone can appreciate and can share with family. The gift of the centerpiece of the holiday meal is a truly meaningful and appreciated gift by all.

If you are new to turkey gift-giving, download our free PDF, “10 Reasons to Give Employees a Turkey for the Holidays” and share with colleagues.

 

Pandemic Makes Frozen Turkey Gifts Unpractical and Unsafe

The reality of a literal gift hand-off this year brings about a variety of challenges.

Firstly, safety is paramount. Commitment to employee safety continues to be in the spotlight for good reason. The pandemic means leaders can’t go desk to desk shaking hands; gatherings of employees exchanging pleasantries and holiday goodies simply isn’t feasible or legal in some cases. And, a socially distanced line of masked employees to receive a frozen just isn’t that safe or appealing.

Secondly, many workforces are partially or wholly remote at this point making frozen turkey gift-giving logistics simply unfeasible.

No need to worry! gThankYou can help.

You can keep your beloved turkey gift tradition this year with gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates. Employees choose the brand, preparation and size turkey that their family would like, at major grocery stores nationally. No messy frozen bird logistics to manage plus flexibility in distribution for in-person and remote workplaces.

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This summer doesn’t look or feel like most summers.  If you traditionally host a staff picnic, BBQ or summer retreat, it’s likely that the pandemic prohibited you from holding those events.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t still have summertime fun. While the heat of the season is here, host a virtual ice cream social!

Consider providing team members with a Certificate for Ice Cream from gThankYou which can be redeemed for any brand and flavor of ice cream at major grocery stores across the U.S. Certificates are available in $5 and $10 values.

 

You can even make a “ice cream sundae to-go bag” for remote workers and include shelf stable toppings such as sprinkles, chocolate, caramel or fruit sauce and cones.

Share your Ice Cream Certificates prior to your planned virtual event so everyone has a chance to shop and be ready for the party. If you prefer, or have workers outside the US, partner with a local ice cream shop and have them supply and deliver the ingredients.

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As workforce leaders find their way through the COVID-19 world, defining ways to keep remote workers happy and engaged is of utmost importance. Remote working isn’t new to the world of work, but for many industries and people, it’s a brand new endeavor.  

According to the New York Times, “In a May working paper, Erik Brynjolfsson, a professor in management science at M.I.T., and a group of academics reported survey results indicating that half of those who were employed before the pandemic were now working remotely. That’s a significant increase — pre-Covid-19, the paper estimates, the figure was about 15 percent. (In 2018, a U.S. Census Bureau survey found that just 5.3 percent of Americans worked from home full time.).”

According to SHRM, “This working arrangement may seem exciting at first, but it can lose its appeal over time, resulting in disengaged employees. And, when employees aren’t engaged, their productivity and motivation can suffer.”

As passionate champions of happy, productive workplaces, we’ve gathered some suggestions for embracing remote workers to keep the engine running on all cylinders.

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