Despite ongoing uncertainty and safety concerns, business is opening back up. Many employees that have been working remotely from home are returning to the office and most are only too glad to be getting back to some form of normal. So while it may feel we can all sigh with relief, the reality is that the pressure is going to be on. Getting back to work is one thing, getting back on track is another challenge altogether.

While everyone is aware of the adverse economic impact lockdown has had, expecting to be able to make up the lost time and productivity in the short term, is just not realistic. People are fatigued and stressed, more so than before. To expect them to work full throttle to make up profits, isn’t a viable solution. Right now people are the most important asset a company has. Simply because people have the ability to adapt, to use creativity and innovation to solve problems.

How can managers ease the transition?

How managers oversee their teams is going to make a significant difference on the outcomes achieved in a few months’ time. Here are 3 things to prioritise:

Core skills – It is always important to have the right people with the right skills in the right role, and in lean times there’s even less room for error. Having a discussion with team members to find out how they’re coping, if they’re experiencing challenges or if they need assistance can help them perform better and with a greater level of confidence. In the process you may also discover they could be the right person to spearhead implementing new technology or driving a new process which could aid business recovery.

Core values – When a manager has insight into an individual’s values, it helps with keeping them engaged and motivated. More importantly, aligning those values with organizational goals is where the magic happens. People work harder at things that interest them and which they consider important. So having conversations to discover values, and implementing accordingly can be the key to unlocking better productivity.

Core solutions – In the current economic times, managers need to be able to quickly identify and work towards resolving the most pressing issues. The challenge is that most budgets will be cut or non-existent, so solving these problems will require ingenuity and focusing on solutions, rather than problems. Ask the questions: What do we have? What’s missing, and how can we fill the gap? How can we adapt?