5 Practices For Getting Employees To Follow The Covid-19 Protocols

One of my coaching clients is the Director of a department with 25 people. Employees in her department are returning to the central work site. During a recent session, I asked the director how it was going in terms of her team adhering to the new social protocols designed to keep everyone safe from Covid-19. She mentioned two situations that represent what I believe are the two main categories of employees who do not follow safe practices. The first one forgot. The second one rebelled. 

I’ve learned from clients and studied best practices that other companies are doing to gain compliance from all of their employees. I say all because it just takes one infected employee to spread the virus and see a spike in Covid-19 cases.

I’ve included what I’ve learned thus far in this list of five best practices. I’m sure your company is doing many of these things already. Still, you and your colleagues could benefit from reviewing these practices to see where there may be some gaps-especially item # 4. 

1. Hold An In-Service. The best way to handle a difficult or awkward conversation is to prevent it. Conduct a training that introduces the new policies (Including a checklist of expected behaviors), and have people attend it as they return to work. This gives you a chance to clarify expectations in an advantageous setting. It’s kind of like a “boot camp” because, similar to the military induction, it should be leader-led and hands-on. Have everyone go through the motions of hand hygiene, mask donning, temperature taking, or whatever the policies are. People are most uncomfortable when trying things for the first time. It’s best to have that “first” be in a controlled group setting where reasoned discussion can take place, rather than in an awkward one-to-one moment with a manager or peer. 

2. Offer A Clear Moral Frame. In the in-service, leaders should be unapologetic about the intentions of their policies. Leaders should speak personally, where possible, about why they think the policies are appropriate and right. 

For example, We know that a few simple behaviors are the key to saving lives for the foreseeable future. For example, research shows that if employees wash their hands five times during a work shift, transmission risk is reduced by as much as 45%. Even more promising, a review of multiple studies concludes that if just two-thirds of us wore even marginally effective masks consistently, the epidemic could be stopped. 

3. Allow Room for Disagreement, But Not Dissent. Leaders should acknowledge that some might disagree with what the company is asking. The truth is that organizations are asking customers and employees to do some inconvenient things that some may disagree with. What else is new? Many workplaces require employees to wear PPE even when some think it’s stupid. Lots of employers require drug testing that some think is invasive. People need not agree with everything in order to consent to it. So, don’t ask them to. Make it clear you are not asking for everyone to agree with leadership’s reasoning; you are simply asking for them to accept it.

4. Ask for 200% Accountability. We know that the only way we can create strong social norms for safe behavior is if people remind those who lapse. This means that when we observe people disregarding the rules that will keep us all safe—not to mention move economies and businesses toward recovery—then it’s our job to speak up. It’s all of our jobs to speak up. One of the best ways to ensure new practices are adopted quickly and practiced consistently is to create a culture of “polite reminding.” 

The key to avoiding confrontation is to ensure those issuing reminders do so kindly, and that leaders offer an example of receiving reminders with the utmost grace. The watchwords should be: “It’s kind to remind” and “When reminded, show gratitude not attitude.” Cover this in the in-service, including a lighthearted, playful way of practicing these behaviors.

a.  It’s Kind to Remind. An employee’s motive for speaking up is a better predictor of others’ response than we might think. If you are speaking up in an attempt to belittle, punish, or control, others will pick up on it and respond in kind. The key to mustering the courage to speak up is to remind yourself, “It’s kind to remind.” When your motivation is kindness, your words feel different. So, next time you’re worried about speaking up, repeat this phrase: “It’s kind to remind,” then open your mouth and save a life. And when your mouth opens, a great word to begin with is “Please.” 

b. Gratitude Not Attitude. One of the best ways to help us establish a norm of polite reminders in the world, is to offer an example of a polite response when you are reminded. For example, research in hospitals shows that when a doctor says “Thank you” after being reminded to wash her hands, the nervous nurse who reminded her is significantly more likely to offer a reminder the next time he sees a lapse. Any time someone reminds you to do something safe, look them right in the eye and say the magic word: Thank you! A quick, sincere thank you makes the tension they felt before speaking up disappear. And it disabuses all who see it of their fear of offering similar admonitions. So remember, It’s kind to remind. And when someone does, give them gratitude not attitude! 

c. Speak Up and Let Go. When you’re in an awkward moment writhing with uncertainty about whether or not to remind someone to be safe, I’ve found it helpful to do two things: Speak up and Let go. First, speak up. Don’t overthink it. Don’t amplify your own misery by imagining all of the horrible things that might happen if you open your mouth. Hardwire it. Make it automatic. Have a ready phrase at hand—something like: “We’ve been asked to have only five in the conference room.” 

Then, let go. Don’t hand your self-worth over to the other person. Let them have their own reaction. Usually what dresses up like resentment in others is actually embarrassment. And that is theirs to work through. It’s not a comment on your dignity unless you make it one. Break off eye contact. Don’t make it a standoff. Take a breath. Congratulate yourself for doing the right thing. Then let it go! 

d. Escalate Without Escalating. If someone appears unwilling to comply, pass the concern on to those who should handle it. Don’t turn it into a holy war by escalating matters unnecessarily in the moment. Emotions have tempos to them. Anger is fast. Calmness is slow. If you avoid pressing for a fast resolution, you can often find a more peaceful one.

 Check out a related post: A Culture of 200% Accountability Is Required When Returning to Work In an Ongoing Pandemic

5.  Sign a Commitment. People are far less likely to stray when they’ve made an explicit promise not to. For example, research shows that when we are presented with temptation to cheat, we are far less likely to give in if we have recently signed a promise to be honest. After disclosing and practicing the policies, ask for a commitment to comply. Having people sign a disclosure form that asks for a promise to comply, as an example, can encourage them to police themselves.

Stronger together!

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant

SMART DEVELOPMENT

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