Panelists:

Mr. Peter Tladinyane – General Manager of Corporate Services (Botswana Communication Regulatory Authority (BOCRA))

Ms. Sharon Maziya – General Manager of Corporate Services (Eswaziland Post and Telecommunications Corporation (EDTC))

Mr. Ebenezer Agbettor – Director (Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners, Ghana)

EMPLOYEES’ PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING

Mr. Peter Tladinyane said employees play a pivotal role in the success of an organization therefore, they should be well treated in that regard. He stressed on the need for leaders and managers to ascertain the emotion and psyche of their employees and provide the needed support for them to have sound mind.

PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING AND PRODUCTIVITY

“Organisations have tasks, visions and goals so for us to achieve these tasks and goals; we need a leadership that can guide employees. For you to get employees behind you to achieve goals, you need their psychological commitment so there will be a problem if that psychological commitment is not there,” he said.

Mr. Tladinyane therefore entreated leaders and managers to prioritise emotional and psychological wellbeing of employees adding that, “soundness of employees’ mind is very vital for an organisation to survive in crises”.

GUIDELINES TO MANAGING PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING

He offered a number of guidelines that could help organizations to effectively commit to ensuring employees’ wellbeing. The guidelines which he summed into seven pillars of human robust capital strategy included talent management at the workplace, robust succession management and planning, facilitating learning and development, and ensuring health and safety.

Mr. Tladinyane added that there should be adequate performance management system, employee engagement and robust employee relations where leaders meet up with the employees on regular basis to ensure they are on the same page.

He explained that an organisation which did not have these guidelines; human robust capital strategy in place was likely to fail in times of crisis.

He added that there should be a free counselling service for staff and a regular communication including online interactions between management and employees for a healthy organisational growth.

FLEXIBILITY OF LEADERS AND MANAGERS

Mr. Tladinyane further said that leaders and managers should deem it necessary to be flexible and compassionate in dealing with employees.

“Give employees the freedom to make choices about when they work, how they work, where they work and with whom they work,” he advised.

According to Mr. Tladinyane, ensuring employee wellbeing and giving them the freedom to work in their space of choice immensely improved productivity.

“A survey done in June revealed that most employees working from home are more engaged. Overall 60 per cent are very successful and more productive working from home because they enjoy it,” he said.

REVISE ORGANISATIONAL POLICIES

For her part, Ms. Sharon Maziya said organisations needed to revise and update their policies to meet current time. According to her, policies such as work attendance, safety rules and remote working needed to be updated and kept current taking into account the COVID-19 crises.

“So you will want, as an organisation, to revise all those relevant policies and everything else will start falling into place because you fix one thing and it leads to another,” she added.

TRANSFORMATION IS KEY

Ms. Maziya further indicated that COVID-19 crises was a period for organisations to undergo a transformation where organisations were compelled to adopt new work practices and employ the effective use of technology.

She advised all organizations to “jump onto the bandwagon and get moving” so as not to succumb to the crises.

“Nobody has ever gone through this before but you do not sit and mourn that you do not have the means to adapt to changes as an organisation. You have to forge ahead and stand firmly in the competitive market.” she said.

INSECURITY AND PRODUCTIVITY

Ms. Maziya further entreated leaders and managers to take a keen interest in managing insecurities of employees during the pandemic.

She mentioned that the fear of contracting the virus and stigmatisation, reduction in income and reduction in work hours contributed to employees’ insecurity.

While insecurities could undermine the competence and productivity of employees, she said, “organizations, therefore, have to build confidence in their employees”.

APPROPRIATE LEADERSHIP STYLE

Mr. Ebenezer Agbettor observed that the outbreak of COVID-19 across the world brought a lot of uncertainties and challenges including financial losses to organizations.

“Apart from financial losses, we also have COVID-19 impact on employees and employers where fear, anxiety and insecurity have become the order of the day”.

“In effect, the situation is testing stress levels and ability of leaders to stay on course and ensure that they keep navigating and excelling during this time of uncertainty,” he said.

Mr. Agbettor however advised leaders and managers to lead with agility and humility even in this this time of uncertainty if they want to stay on top of situations.

He indicated that the leadership style appropriate in this time of crises was Participative leadership style where decisions are made through consensus.

“Provide working environment that supports diversity. That means taking cognisance of talent irrespective of where it is coming from and make use of it for the benefit of the organisation,” he explained.

WHAT ORGANISATION STANDS TO GAIN

He indicated that should leaders create good working environment, employees’ morale would be heightened and would positively influence their emotional and physical wellbeing devoid of fear, anxiety and confusion.

This, he said would in turn have a positive repel on performance, productivity and revenue.

“The way and the manner in which the leadership role is played in managing the physical and emotional wellbeing of employees through the present uncertain situation which have resulted from the COVID-19 will go a along way to determine business continuity. Hence leaders must strongly encourage and advise to lead with agility and humility and must continue to engage employees,” Mr. Agbettor said.