Employee Engagement During Furlough

Employee engagement was a top topic in 2019 and it's not surprising as it's proven that companies with high levels of employee engagement are 21% more profitable. 

Alarmingly, internationally 85% of employees aren't engaged at work. It’s too soon to say what impact being furloughed is having on employee engagement right now, but the early signs aren’t seemingly positive.

Right now companies are trying to keep hold of their people, stay afloat and navigate the very choppy COVID-19 waters. In the current economic climate, many businesses have found furloughing their employees the right thing to do. Despite this, it is so important to start thinking long term, as certainly, you need your team to return engaged and ideally able to get back into what they were doing before. 

For some workers furloughing has been perceived as a positive, a paid break from work that would never have otherwise been possible. For many others, it has been a worrying and uncertain time. Being out of work has caused workers to feel disconnected from their colleagues and company which is bound to have a negative impact.

For those holding the fort – let's not forget to keep them engaged too. A simple thank you and understanding of the challenges they are facing is important, let's face it is it tough for everyone at the moment. What flexibility can you offer them, are you being fair? Ensure they understand why the business has made the decisions it has.

What can you do?

Communication is key, for those on furlough, make sure they have the same opportunities to feel included. They aren’t working but can join in team catch-ups and social calls. Every business is different, but you really need to ensure people have regular contact and still feel involved to avoid negativity creeping in. Training is also allowed, is there anything that can help them learn to enhance their skills? This will allow them to feel more confident when returning to work. Make sure you keep them updated, do they know what is going on in the business? Do they know well you are or aren’t doing? Are they hearing these things from you or from office gossip?

For more tips generally on employee engagement and motivation download our guide: