Emerging Stronger from Covid-19

This week, NAAME Coordinator, James has been lucky enough to catch-up with the previous co-host of NAAME’s Annual Conference, Cassandra Andrews from Cassandra Andrews Engagement. The following content has been offered and shaped around getting your team back to work and some form of normality. We also discussed the importance of engagement and supporting your team in the current climate to increase motivation and the well-being of your remote working force.

Cassandra Andrews Background

Proud to be based in Norfolk, I run a global motivation and engagement business. I am a Business Practitioner of Motivational Maps for clients across a wide range of industries including manufacturing/FMCG, Engineering and Professional Services.

I am also the founder of Engaging Norfolk, a movement set up to help Norfolk businesses attract and retain talent.

If you’re curious about how motivated your team are or would like more information or support on Engagement Multiplier contact me for a chat.

Engagement and Communication

Engaged businesses are proven to have a significant competitive advantage. Keeping your people engaged during the Covid-19 crisis has undoubtedly been a defining leadership moment.

With uncertainty, remote working, furloughing, reduced economic activity, new working practices and possibly even redundancies, what can you do to put your people front and centre of your business to ensure you emerge stronger?

In recognition and response to a number of queries from business leaders, who want immediate and accurate data around the motivation and engagement of their teams, I would like to share two tools I use with existing clients. Both tools will undoubtedly add value to your business at this uncertain time and transform the way you do business forever.

Success Through Survey’s

Whilst surveying your employees right now might be the furthest thing from your mind, the fact is, it should be at the top of the to-do list. Why? In a period of such rapid change, fear and uncertainty, there are multiple reasons why leaders should run an employee assessment survey:

• In order to see where their organisations stand amidst all that’s changed and learn what’s working, what’s not, and where adjustments need to be made.
• To capture learnings, new insights, and processes developed over the last two months.
• To show employees their commitment to them, and the thoughtfulness with which forward planning is being conducted.

I’m recommending an entirely free tool from Engagement Multiplier, a trusted partner, that will enable you to assess how your teams are doing, capture insights learned over the last two months, and understand what’s working, what’s not, and where help is needed. Arm yourself with the insights you need to guide your company through this difficult time and emerge stronger than ever.

The free survey takes less than ten minutes for employees to complete and is really quick and easy to set up. Click here for more information and to sign up

Motivational Maps

In addition, using pioneering technology; Motivational Maps gives you real-time, hard data (or a score) around how motivated individuals, teams and the organisation is at a given point in time. It also identifies where there might be the potential for tension or conflict within teams.

Once we have a measure and understanding of what motivates every individual, my experience and expertise ensure your managers and team leaders have practical solutions to ensure that their team’s individuals’ motivators are being met.

Listed below are the top five reasons you should consider motivational maps:

Managing employees – The maps enable line managers to understand what motivates each employee in their team. I provide simple strategies to help leaders manage their teams more effectively.
Managing Teams – The maps help team members have positive working relationships by understanding the key motivators of their colleagues and where there might be the potential for tension or conflict. The information extracted enables better communication within teams and helps to break down ‘silo’ working.
Organisational change / restructure – Motivational Maps identify how ‘change positive’ a team is; which individuals you may need to onboard first and what preventative action you might need to take to ensure a successful change management programme or restructure.
Recruitment – To avoid recruiting the wrong person. Psychometrics tools won’t tell you whether someone has the motivation or ‘drive’ to do the job, motivational maps can. With the continued use of Motivational Maps, the recruitment process will become significantly more efficient and cost-effective. You will be able to identify the ‘right fit’ for both the post and the existing team.
Succession Planning – Identifying potential and aspiring leaders should be easier through the use of the maps to ensure personal development and career planning strategies are put in place.

The journey to an organisation that attracts and retains talent, begins with facing the truth and the only way to do so, is to ask the questions.