The company that you all walked out of may have the same physical structure and furnishings as when you left, but the climate of the business, and potentially the culture, will have shifted drastically through the time that the building was uninhabited by workers.
There are a few key areas that need to be focused on to ensure that the people are able to rebuild their professional roles as well as the company, potentially into a better form than the one they left.
The mindset of your people, and what they are thinking and feeling, will affect the quality and quantity of their levels of productivity. You need to share as much valid information as you can so that they are part of this rebuilding process with you. They need to know their roles and how their competencies will be used going forward. This is the time to set new goals, lay out a fresh plan and involve your people in the road ahead.
Be aware of feelings. For many people, the lockdown experience was traumatic or stressful. They may feel inadequate returning to work or that they are frauds, not being as competent and ‘well oiled’ as when they left. Your reassurance is the key to keep motivation levels up, information flowing, and formulating a team that will build their future together.
There is no need to manage all issues at once. A streamlined strategy will ensure that the main objectives are known and bought into, and the action steps will be followed. When people return to their areas of expertise, they will develop a renewed confidence and reduced anxiety about what the future holds. The familiarity of doing what they know they are good at, will propel them to contribute to the regrowth of the business, under your strength and leadership.