Insufficient work during Coronacrisis: What to do?

We have been working from home for several weeks now due to the coronavirus. The impact is huge. Both for individuals and for companies. Some organizations make lots of over hours while others are struggling to keep their heads above water. Do you belong to the latter group and do you worry about the future of your staff? We will show you in this article what you can do to keep your employees as satisfied as possible while retaining (part of) their income.

Immerse yourself in the government measures

First, the most obvious. See if you can use the measures that the government has drawn up. The government has now set up an extensive package of schemes to support entrepreneurs and keep as many jobs as possible during this crisis period. On this page you can find all information regarding these measures

Have employees take partially unpaid leave, vacation days or overtime

To be eligible for financial aid from the government, your business would have to meet a number of requirements. It could of course be the case that you do not meet these requirements or that you must wait a long time for the decision to take place. During this time, you would have to come up with alternatives for your employees. An option for you staff can be to take unpaid leave, vacation days or overtime. If this option is employed, the hours for which there IS work can be better divided. As a result, all your employees will continue to work and are involved in the organization and (hopefully) no one will be laid off. If you still qualify for the government regulations, these hours can be retroactively returned.

Stay involved and be creative in order to keep your staff happy

Perhaps the most important tactic: stay involved and keep your staff involved with your company. Whether there is little or no work to do, you must ensure that your staff still feel appreciated and included. Of course, your goal is to get everyone back to work after the corona crisis.

For example, just have a ‘vrijmibo’ (Friday afternoon drink) every Friday, but then online. There are plenty of tools that can make this possible. This allows you to catch up with each other, while enjoying a cold glass of beer. Your employees will continue to see their colleagues, and this will keep morale high.

A Friday afternoon drink is great for a chat but don’t forget to really check up on your employees. Employees are less likely to discuss their personal situation in a group setting. That is why it is good to have one-on-one contact with your employees on a regular basis. Try not do this via email or WhatsApp. If you have the means, definitely get in contact with them via an online video call or by phone. When your organization is very large, each manager can be responsible for their team.

And finally, get creative and surprise your staff with a little something by mail. This makes them feel appreciated and grateful to work for such a caring company.

Despite the fact that your employees now have less work and perhaps also less income, everyone appreciates when they are thought of. It is up to you to try to prevent and address all worries related to work and income. Be transparent with your employees and show them that you are doing everything in your power to be there for them during these difficult times.