Everybody is eagerly waiting to return to usual weekday and weekend routines. It is getting difficult for us to remember those good old days when we used to say that we don’t get much time on the weekdays”. The mindset which this corona crisis gave us is a lot different than the normal. Visuals of crowds can itself give a sense of horror and anxiety. I know social distancing and lockdowns are solutions to prevention but following the social distance sometimes is emotionally difficult. Lockdowns have a very negative effect on other aspects of life. If you want your employees to resume the office and jump start the business, you need to look at the formula to increase employee productivity in the workplace in and after Lockdown.

Most of the employees and the business owners are eager to go back to the usual routine of office work. I usually find people who are not liking this forceful work from home “benefit”. I can’t see a vaccine or proper medication for coronavirus or covid-19 in the next 5-6 months. Till then, I think we need to learn how to live with this invisible enemy and safely return to our work. Is it easy to do?

Returning will not be as easy as it seems. There will be a lot of effort required by companies and their employees to live, work and be productive in this corona crisis. All the aspects of business need to get the alteration in operation to cope up and return to normal. Employee productivity will depend on a lot of factors when we will resume our offices after the lockdowns. You can increase employee productivity in the workplace in and after Lockdown by using the following suggestions. 

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If they detected the employee corona positive?

If they detected an employee corona positive and is all well, all employees should get the information. Company should welcome him/her in front of everyone so that social distancing should not become social discrimination. Similarly, all employees who are resuming the office should properly screened before entering. If possible, everyone should have a doctor’s certificate to ensure that he/she is “fit to resume the office”. Less worry of a coughing neighbour in the office will bring peace in the mind of the employees and boost the employee productivity.

Sanitation and hygiene measures in office premises

Regular sanitation of office premises, workstations should be multiple times a day. Provide Hand Sanitizers and masks to all the employees. I think there should be separate meeting rooms only to meet strangers and guests and they should be always at a distance from employees. Sanitization of all parcels, documents, equipments and devices coming from outside should happen before entering them in the office.

Proper guidelines of social distancing and hygiene should be relayed to everyone in the office multiple times a day so that all employees get accustomed to it within a few days.

Revision of policies related to Medical, Leave Policies and other policies

There should be a mandatory health insurance policy for all the employees if you don’t have already. Medical and leave policies should suit more to the current pandemic situation. All employees should know the code of conduct for this corona crisis period. To increase employee productivity in the workplace, re-scanning of all policies should happen to make your remote employees (those working from home) more involved.

Biasing and bullying because of fear of infection

This pandemic has forced social distancing in our daily lives. Social Distancing can be easily converted to social discrimination. Our workplace should be free of this evil because social discrimination leads to social biasing and social bullying which always gives adverse effects to the culture and productivity of the workplace. Working closely with each other with physical distance is the need when we will resume our offices. Happy culture always helps to increase employee productivity in the workplace.

Psychological support

In these times, where depression, fear of losing jobs, anxiety is on the higher side, it is the responsibility of the leaders of the organisation to give the psychological support to suppress the counter productive emotions and bring out the employee productivity. To bring your employees out of the monotone of work from home or office work, you can bring them some online sessions of yoga, zumba and pilates or other recreational stuff to ease out the mental load and bring positivity in their life and work. This is one of the best formulas to increase employee productivity in the workplace.

Tools and Software productivity in the workplace in and after Lockdown

To support the distancing and avoid meeting each other, there may be a need for new software and tools. There may be some employees who are working from home, they might need new tools and software to enhance their productivity. Tools may include digital signature, video conferencing, etc. 

Communication flow and proper update on the efforts

Whatever you are doing for the benefits of your employees, those efforts should reach the employees so they know about the good steps their company is taking. Employees should know that their organisation is taking care of them so they become psychologically bound to return the favour. You do not have to put much effort on productivity if your employees are mentally happy.

Responsibility of Employees

Not all the efforts are to be done by the organisations only. Some responsibility lies with the employees. They should adhere to the rules and regulations proposed and maintained in the office premises. They should encourage others to be disciplined and result oriented when the companies are supporting them with every effort. Their upward productivity will keep both organisation and employees happy and growing.

Happy Employees means more productivity

Productivity is the byproduct of the collective quality work and effort of all the employees combined. Whenever an employee thinks less about their surroundings, he/she is more focused on his/her work. Happy employees can bring positivity at the workplace, among each other. This helps the organisation to increase employee productivity in the workplace.

What you did today will affect your employee retention and new hiring

Whatever measures you will take today, the effect of those measures will reflect in the overall perception of current and future employees of your organization. Your current efforts will seriously affect your ability to acquire the talent from the market in the future. How you treated your employees in this pandemic situation, will decide the retention rate and new hirings. Candidates always talk to previous and current employees whenever joining an organisation like companies do the background check of employees.

Expectation and Reality

This brings you to the question, what do you expect from your organisation and your employees? You should practically look towards the action and efforts of your organisation or employees and act accordingly. Unrealistic expectations from the organisation, employees and market can bring a high level of disappointment and dissatisfaction. If you are looking for the formula to increase employee productivity in the workplace, look at the productivity which is practically possible in the current market.

Please let us which other you are taking or planning to take for your employees or organisation.

Please share your experience or thoughts about the current scenario and the future. 

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