Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses across the world have experienced incredible shake-ups over the last few months. In the U.S., 7.5 million small businesses are at risk of closing for good because of the pandemic. 

If your business has been lucky enough to stay open, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been issues. We’re living in uncertain times, and that can cause stress in the workplace, and lead to a lack of productivity. 

As a leader in your business, it’s important for you to be able to motivate your employees, even in times of crisis, to keep moving forward. Adopting an environment of safety, inspiration, and encouragement can help your business to survive and thrive now, so you can become even bigger in the future. 

So, whether you’re a marketing agency that has been struggling with client loss or you’re in the oil and gas industry and want to work with new suppliers like Meetyou Carbide, let’s look at ways you can motivate your employees to make new deals, work with new clients, and produce quality work in times of crisis. 

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1. Communication is Key 

You’ve probably heard before about the importance of communication in relationships, but it’s just as important when it comes to the relationships you have with your employees. 

Check-in on them. Ask them how they’re doing, how they’re feeling, and what you can do to help them. If you have employees who are working remotely, reach out with weekly video chats or Zoom meetings that everyone can get in on. The calls don’t always have to be about work, either. You can help everyone to feel more connected and create a reduced-stress atmosphere by having a weekly hangout or virtual hangout. 

2. Make Sure Your Expectations Are Clear

Sometimes, a lack of motivation and productivity comes because employees don’t have any goals to work toward. 

One way to motivate the people working for you is to establish your expectations, make them clear, and to set clear goals for everyone. It can be a good idea to have “little” goals for employees along the way that are easier for them to reach. Each time they do, they’ll feel more motivated to continue to the next one. 

3. Offer Opportunities for Growth

It’s hard to stay motivated when you feel like your job isn’t going anywhere. If your business has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, you might not be in a position to give promotions and raises right now. But, it’s important to let your employees know that there will be opportunities for growth in the future, once things are up and running again. 

Doing so can give people something to work toward, and even compete for. That kind of motivation can help your business to find its footing again while keeping your employees happy. 

Though these times are stressful, it’s not impossible to get your business back to where it used to be. Keep your employees safe, try to reduce their stress levels, and let them know you’ll be there for them to keep them motivated in times of crisis and when things are going well.