From the C-Suite to the administrative staff, every company in America faces an uphill climb when it comes to motivating their employees in the COVID era.
 
Whether they’re working from home or socially distancing in hollowed out office spaces, the emotional toll exacted on the American worker by the pandemic has been – and will continue to be – severe.
 
Being a leader doesn’t exempt you from feeling fear or uncertainty as a result of everything that’s going on but your role at your company is now more important than ever. Stay away from all the wildly varying “facts” and opinions of the experts and pseudo-experts and focus on what you can control.
 
Right now, the first item on your To Do list must be helping your company survive the pandemic by getting your employees the support they need to negate the negative impact COVID has had on their morale.
 
To that end, you would be wise to bring someone in rather than trying to do it yourself. In a drastic situation like this, you need someone who doesn’t have a personal connection to the toll exacted on your employees’ lives by furloughs, lockdowns, illness and perhaps even the loss of loved ones.
 
The right motivational speaker will have an extensive background in business in addition to having lots of experience coaching and training. They will also be well-practiced at using distancing tools to learn about your company and dispense insightful industry-specific advice to your team.
 
Here are the Top 5 reasons why it’s more important than ever to bring in a motivational speaker to combat COVID malaise:
 
1) They spice up daily routines
 
When people perform the same tasks day-in and day-out without any real change to their routine, it’s easy to lose motivation. Add to that the isolation of working from home and the problem can be magnified to unmanageable levels. An energetic motivational speaker will give them a chance to see things differently and appreciate what they have rather than what they’ve lost. They’ll be able to provide inspiration from their own lives and apply it to your team’s situation and the company’s goals.
 
2) They provide a fresh perspective
 
Breaking out of a rut can be difficult especially if it is caused by a situation that can’t be changed (e.g. working from home). But, it’s not impossible and the right speaker will come armed with ideas your people won’t have heard before. The ideas of an outside expert is often the shot in the arm needed to change attitudes.
 
3) They increase energy-levels and determination
 
When employees are more energetic and determined, they perform at higher levels. The right speaker will draw on their own experiences to help your people increase their levels by giving them the mental tools they need to overcome any adversity they’re facing. Choose the right speaker and your employees will emerge from their virtual sessions more capable of keeping themselves inspired and motivated.
 
4) They have skills you don’t
 
No matter how good you are at your job, you might have to admit you’re not the most patient person in the world when it comes to listening to your employees talk about hardships they’re dealing with. Motivational speaking is a highly specialized field and the good ones are (almost literally) worth their weight in gold. The right one can work miracles for a company trying to scale new heights so once you find one that works for you, make them a regular feature of your employee career development program.
 
5) They show your employees you care
 
Putting your money where your mouth is shows your employees you are serious about them. By bringing in an outside expert to teach them new techniques and strategies, you’re telling your employees: “I appreciate you and you are worth investing in.” While it is possible the speaker won’t say anything that you haven’t expressed a thousand times, the fact that you went the extra mile to get that message across will resonate with your employees.
 
Any way you shake it, that makes engaging a motivational speaker for your employees a win-win, especially at a difficult time like this.