Like other leaders, you learned tremendous lessons while dealing with the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Perhaps you discovered that your accounting and finance team had to work remotely for an indefinite amount of time. Maybe you found new technology for staying connected with your employees. Overall, you learned that remaining adaptable during a crisis is vital to both your team and company. You discovered that flexibility is required to make fast decisions based on little information. You also found out that regular communication with your team to provide information and check on their physical and mental health was a top priority. As a result of these experiences, you know that emphasis on adaptability needs to remain high in order to keep your team engaged and productive.

Discover four ways to stay adaptable as a leader in 2021.

Make Decisions According to Company Values

Your decision-making must align with company values. When your team members understand how company values impact the decisions you make, employee engagement increases. Showing a path to decision-making through company values lets you create responses and actions that promote feelings of employee support and connection to the organization. This is especially important during a time of crisis.

Prioritize Your Employees’ Needs

Make filling your team members’ needs one of your top priorities. They must feel strongly supported, especially during a crisis, to continue producing at their best level. For instance, show appreciation for your employees’ contributions. Ask teammates to point out each other’s accomplishments as well. Mention how everything added to your team’s success. Also, do what you can to enhance your team members’ work-life balance.

Address Employee Concerns

You need to understand and resolve employee concerns as quickly as possible. One of the best ways to do so is by providing regular surveys asking your team for honest feedback about what is on their minds. Because their issues may change quickly, especially during a crisis, you need to understand where they are at and how improvement can be made. Finding solutions keeps your team engaged and feeling supported.

Emphasize the Importance of Self-Care

Regularly remind your team to prioritize daily self-care. This includes focusing on their diet, exercise sleep, and emotional regulation to promote health and well-being. For instance, emphasize the importance of taking regular breaks during the workday. Also, suggest activities such as meditation, journaling, or walking to relieve stress. Additionally, remind your employees to stay in regular contact with you, their colleagues, family members, and friends through phone calls or video chats. Plus, remind your team members to get enough sleep each night. Your team will feel more supported and connected to your organization, resulting in increased engagement and productivity.

Add to Your Accounting and Finance Team

When you need to add accounting and finance professionals to your team, get in touch with Mercer Bradley. As a leader in staffing and recruiting for companies in Western Canada, we create matches that work both short- and long-term. Find out more today!