Upon the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March, companies across North America were forced to refocus their priorities. Setting aside the various goals and objectives that they had set out to achieve at the start of the year, businesses shifted their full attention to the front lines and worked to assist their employees in navigating through a time of crisis.

To guide leaders in helping their employees tap into their sense of purpose, we recently hosted the first episode in our Talent.ed webinar series. Michael De Guzman, a Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at President’s Choice Financial and a widely recognized industry leader, joined our host, Spencer Greenwood, to discuss how an organization could come together in support of their employees during the pandemic.

If you missed the conversation, we’ve got you covered! Here are our webinar highlights, featuring four key takeaways that will help talent acquisition professionals lead through crisis:

Communication is key

Effective company leadership starts at the top, especially during COVID-19. Executive leadership teams were forced to come together and address their employees’ concerns at the start of the pandemic. As employees shifted to virtual workplace environments and took on new roles at the start of coronavirus’ spread, a brief period of chaos ensued as workers adjusted to their new circumstances. Businesses needed to tinker with different options to determine what was most productive for their teams. Many companies found success in holding daily conference calls to provide upper management with an opportunity to set the tone and establish goal-setting measures for the future. With clear and honest messaging and constant communication, companies were able to control their employees’ concerns and keep them motivated on crucial business tasks that were at hand.

Emphasize an “all-in-this-together” mentality

From company presidents and CEOs to entry-level workers, all employees were forced to make sacrifices at the start of the pandemic. As business needs shifted, workers were tasked with staying “on-the-clock” for longer periods of time to accomplish urgent assignments and other objectives. Organizations saw the need to pivot quickly and demonstrate unparalleled agility to remain successful. Many businesses scrapped KPIs and other performance measures and instead focused on a more team-oriented mentality to boost motivation and strengthen morale in their workforces. By working together as one, collective unit, some companies saw a huge increase in productivity and results.

Foster self-care

As employees faced mounting work pressures, they also were forced to handle the rising stresses caused by the pandemic. Leaders who chose to promote self-care and mental health often saw teams who were more motivated and focused. Encouraging employees to voice their feelings and open up about their pandemic experiences ultimately helped to foster a more inclusive working environment for many organizations. By leading with empathy, preaching positivity, and endorsing a healthy work-life balance, management teams proved that the safety and well-being of their employees were top of mind.

Help employees understand the “WHY”

For many frontline workers, the COVID-19 pandemic provided a one-of-a-kind opportunity to make a difference. From doctors and nurses to grocery store workers and sanitation employees, individuals from around the world made a positive impact on their communities during this time of crisis. Organizations that aided their employees in discovering a sense of purpose in their work lives motivated them to perform at a high level. By internalizing the positive impact that workers could have on society, companies helped give rise to heroism and selflessness at the perfect time.

To learn more about how you can help your employees to find their purpose, stay tuned for the next episode in our Talent.ed webinar series! Be sure to read Acara’s latest blog posts here.

If you have further questions from the webinar, connect with Spencer Greenwood, the webinar’s host, on LinkedIn. You can also reach out to our webinar’s featured guest, Michael De Guzman, on LinkedIn.