Steering Your Company Through The Coronavirus Pandemic

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With Australia about to enter stage three lockdown in the face of the current Coronavirus outbreak, things may seem bleak for the Australian workforce. But before employers contemplate standing down staff altogether, there are several measures they can consider to cut staff costs, retain workers and move into the future with optimism.

The most important action to keep front of mind is to keep communicating with your employees.

Communicate with Transparency

By leading with a sense of community and transparency, you will keep your workforce feeling secure and connected during this unprecedented time. While in times of crisis, many businesses tend to try and hide bad news from their employees, in the long term, this has been shown to have several adverse flow-on effects.

Everybody is aware of the current crisis we are facing, making transparency and open communication more important than ever. Scheduling regular meetings, phone calls, and sending email updates to your staff will inspire faith that you are capable of leading the company through this crisis and out the other side.

HR expert Iolanda Hazell describes this technique as the 3 C’s – clarity, consistency and calm.

“ During times of crisis, leaders must be clear and open when communicating, consistent in updates and remain calm”

Along will being clear and open in your communication, encourage your staff to offer any solutions or alternatives they may have for the company moving forward. By showing you value your employee's suggestions, you build a stronger, more cohesive team, and enhance your standing as a leader.

Look at All Your Options

There may be alternative strategies that can help your business move through the crisis while retaining staff . By moving to a four-day working week, for example, employers can cut their staff costs by 20% while retaining as many team members as possible. It is essential that in doing this, CEOs, managing directors and team leaders take similar steps and lead by example. Some workers may also be in the privileged position to be able to take an unpaid ‘sabbatical’, which they may be happy to do if they know it will save their (and other) jobs in the long term. While asking staff to take a pay cut may be a difficult conversation to have, you might be surprised to find staff are open to such options in the short term.

Take Advantage of Government Packages

While there is no doubt times are currently tough for Australian businesses, the government is continuing to offer financial assistance to ease the burden. The government has rolled out several stimulus packages in recent weeks to help small businesses stay solvent in the current market.

Furthermore, Scott Morrison yesterday announced a new $130 billion support package to help businesses keep their employees during the coronavirus crisis. This includes the JobKeepers payment, a wage subsidy plan which involves the federal government paying eligible employers $1,500 per fortnight for each eligible worker, about 70% of the national median wage. These payments will start on March 30th and will continue for six months.

This payment will go a long way to allowing business owners to retain as many staff as possible. You can learn more about the JobKeeper payment at the ATO website.

While there is no doubt these are uncertain times for many Australian employers, by looking at alternative working arrangements, taking advantage of government assistance and keeping communication open and transparent, businesses can try to retain staff and inject positivity into their workplace as they move into a somewhat uncertain future.

Book A Free Confidential HR Phone Consultation

To help business owners navigate the HR logistics of changing working conditions we are offering a free confidential phone consultation with HR expert, Iolanda Hazell, Director and Founder of Infinity HR. Call now on 0400 489 743.

Call Iolanda Hazell today on 0400 489 743 or email info@infinityhr.com.au to schedule a free confidential phone consultation.

References:

ATO Website - https://www.ato.gov.au/general/gen/JobKeeper-payment/?=redirected_JobKeeper

News.com.au Article - https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/coronavirus-australian-government-to-announce-wage-subsidy-scheme/news-story/2bd6357a052d220938f9cdab5768fd58

Disclaimer

The information provided on our blog is designed to provide helpful information, and does not constitute legal advice, and not intended to be a substitute for legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. You should seek legal advice in relation to any particular matter you or your organisation may have.