Be there: Engaging with team during this stress period

As founders wade through impact and uncertainty created by Covid-19, it is critical for them to engage deeply with their team.

While as founders, you may be worried about business continuity, revisiting business model, redeploying capital/resources, rebaselining budget, your employees would also be under extreme stress. Employees would be worried about their own health and that of their near and dear ones, basics like food & medicines, emi payments / money for day to day living, potential job cuts, salary cuts etc. 

As founders & leaders, you will have to engage deeply with your entire team at all levels. 

• Direct access: Support direct access between you and your team through one on one sessions or WhatsApp as may be required.
• Plan regular meetings (over VC platforms like Zoom) with the entire team for Guidance and Q&A: This will help in addressing problems faced by the team members. By providing direct access, you would be able to clarify rumors as well as share your approach for managing the business at this time.
• Plan daily calls with leadership team: Working closely with the leadership team would help in understanding challenges faced by employees on the ground and resolving them.
• Work on skilling plan for the team: By creating and rolling out ultra-skilling plans, employees will have multiple benefits like getting ready for the future & utilizing time for a positive reason. As employers, you will have the benefit of getting skilled employees when things come back to normal. 
• Allocate Money for urgency: Plan for a fund to support employees in need

What are the additional initiatives that founders should take to help their employees?