Motivating Staff During Coronavirus: 3 Safe Things You Can Do

The constant shifts and modifications required over the last months due to COVID can have a seriously negative effect on the performance of your employees.

Your employees can easily become overwhelmed which can lead to significantly reduced productivity. It’s up to you to motivate your staff during the coronavirus so that you can deliver practice success.

Fortunately, there are practical techniques you can put in place that will help your team overcome COVID-19 related obstacles. They won’t cost you a lost of money to implement, and still adhere to social distancing rules.

Here are three creative new ways you can motivate your staff during the coronavirus.

1. Give Small Award for Going the Extra Mile

Financial compensation is usually the biggest motivator for employees. But you don’t have to break the bank to reward employees. Try these monetary incentives:

Incentives with Structure: Set monetary incentive goals with parameters in place. For example, tell your employees if you hit key monthly performance indicators, they will receive a maximum $250 bonus. Then, if those parameters are met, follow through with the reward. If you come close, pay an adjusted percentage of the bonus.
Surprise Motivation: Keep a drawer of popular gift cards handy. They can be small in value such as $5-$25 dollars and be treats from popular places like Starbucks, Dunkin, Amazon, or a local eatery. When you notice an employee doing a great job, award them a gift card. Being recognized on the spot will lift the staff’s spirits and give them an incentive to continue doing their best.
Hazard Pay: Providing your employees with hazard pay during the height of the pandemic recognizes them for putting patient care over their own health. Whether you call it hazard pay or a COVID bonus, the little extra you provide for your employees will encourage peak performance.

If you can’t provide bonuses right now, let your staff know, but also tell them why with a metric. For example, “We can’t provide monetary incentives right now because we are still working at 60% patient capacity.” Let them know at what point you will be able to do something, for example, when you get to 90%. This will give your employees motivation to keep pressing on and reiterate that you are all in this together.

2. Meet Regularly to Share as Friends and Colleagues

Listening and communicating with your employees is proven to make them feel valued. Feeling heard and staying connected is more important now than ever before. Encourage meeting and collaborating safely.

Give employees an opportunity to share how COVID-19 impacts them personally and professionally. Consider these options:

Zoom from work. Host a teleconference call where employees dial in from work stations. This is a great way to stay engaged with employees at multiple and remote locations.
Go outdoors. Meet with your employees in the open air in your parking lot or a nearby quiet grassy area. Provide safe nourishment with a catered lunch or pre-wrapped snacks and beverages. The fresh air and free grub will satisfy hunger and lighten the mood.

Don’t let social distancing stop your daily huddles, just practice them safely! They improve your practice’s performance by giving employees a voice and an opportunity to be involved. Plus, it’s an opportunity to practice open, transparent communication. At your huddle, you can:

Prepare: Discuss the daily schedule including which patients are coming in, what disease states you’ll be dealing with, and how many patients are potentially a COVID-19 risk.
Audit: Revamp what happened yesterday including what worked, what didn’t, and how you could improve.
Award: Publicly recognize contributions of any employees who did an incredible job.

3. Grow Meaning by Revisiting Your Values

The third great motivator is purpose. Look for opportunities for employees to be a part of establishing your practice’s mission and vision.

The current pandemic has made all pause and consider the importance of everyday items. It makes it a meaningful time for you to review and reinvigorate your core values. You can:

Examine: This is a good time to review your mission statement and see if it is currently working. Discuss if you are living up to your values. Revise any items so that they all support your envisioned culture.
Discuss. Share your mission, vision, and values with your employees and solicit their input. Getting feedback from your employees will enable them to be involved in advancing new initiatives for your practice.
Reinforce: Post your new mission statement in public areas around your practice where employees will see it, such as the break room or common area. Send it in an email or print it on wallet sized cards to distribute. Talk about it when you huddle, and refer to it when you need to make important decisions for your practice.

For more methods to manage your staff and steer them to perform their best, sign up for the free online training “Boost Employee Performance During COVID-19,” by practice management consultant and trainer, Owen Dahl, MBA, LFACHE, CHBC, LSSMBB.