Keep employees engaged during social distancing with these best practices

April 6, 2020

This paid piece is sponsored by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

The Sioux Falls Development Foundation will hold its quarterly Workforce Recruitment Council virtually this week with guests who will share best practices on keeping your workforce engaged during COVID-19.

The free virtual meeting will be from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, and held via Zoom. To register, click here. 

“Some of our key focuses include talent development and partnering with businesses. The COVID-19 outbreak provides an opportunity to develop your talent in a new way by employing strategies that engage and motivate them even while they’re not in the office,” said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

“We’re looking forward to connecting our business partners with others in the community who are employing best practices and eager to share them.”

At Raven Industries, where all employees who can work remotely are doing so, the company has implemented a number of good habits that it will share with the Workforce Recruitment Council.

“One of the coolest things the company is doing is having virtual coffee breaks,” employee benefits manager Josh Neugebauer said.

“Right now, you aren’t bumping into people around work, so it becomes a lot less personal. When you have a meeting, it’s straight to business and then right off, so this encourages those interactions to still happen.”

So Neugebauer’s team brought a mug of coffee or tea to a 3 p.m. virtual break, gave tours of their work spaces and got caught up.

Raven also expedited development of a mobile app that allows team members to communicate more easily.

Neugebauer advises maintaining a work routine regardless of where you’re working.

“You can sleep in a little bit, but make sure you’re taking a shower and getting dressed so there’s the differentiation between your personal and your work life. And make sure you’re working in a space that’s different from where you sleep. It blends the line a little too much.”

To register for the free Workforce Recruitment Council meeting, click here. 

Note: This session allows for self-submission of recertification credits for SESHRM members.

Inside the new (home) office, remote workers find ways to keep working

Want to stay in the know?

Get our free business news delivered to your inbox.



Keep employees engaged during social distancing with these best practices

The Sioux Falls Development Foundation will hold its quarterly Workforce Recruitment Council virtually this week with guests who will share best practices on keeping your workforce engaged during COVID-19.

News Tip

Have a business news item to share with us?

Scroll to top