Spending hours on end with your co-workers and sharing experiences is likely to blossom into close connections. You're also likely to know when they are going through a difficult time, like dealing with the dread of home renovation.
Home renovations are stressful and difficult, especially for a working professional, as they disrupt one’s daily routine.
A full-time employee going through the home renovation will be under a lot of pressure juggling many responsibilities and tasks.
During this period, they need all the support they can get, and here are five ways you can show yours.
Frequent Check-ins
Avoid asking vague questions like “how are you?” and ask specific questions on the progress so far, what's left to be done, or how they're feeling with all of it. While they share, listen attentively.
When someone shares their concerns, you won't always know what to say or do which is fine. You can simply listen to them, follow up with questions, or encourage them.
Doing this frequently and most importantly, checking in the right way, would help them a great deal. However, take care not to overwhelm them with too many questions or impose your opinions on them.
Offer to Help
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Never undervalue the impact your words and actions can have when it comes to supporting an employee during a difficult and stressful time.
Think of active ways you can support them. You could offer to help them catch up on work they missed, help them meet deadlines at work, grab them lunch, or fill in for them in their absence. Let them know you're available to help if they need anything. You could even help with recommending reliable tradespeople for plumbing installation and repairs, electrical work, painting, roofing, or any other work that may need doing. Knowing the contractor is reliable from a trustworthy source is a great help in reducing stress or worry surrounding the renovation project.
If you’re a business owner, you can offer to help an employee by extending loans to them if they hit a financial roadblock during the home renovation process.
Simple gestures like these can bring them so much relief and they'll be grateful to you.
Remind Employees to Practice Self-care
Under such intense stress, an employee can forget to care for their physical and mental health. They're so occupied with the need to get things done as soon as possible that they ignore their personal needs.
They spend more time worrying about everything other than themselves. However, towing this path can lead to physical exhaustion or a mental breakdown.
You would be helping them a great deal by reminding them to practice self-care. Encouraging them to take breaks will go a long way in helping them stay sane during this period.
Offer Flexibility
As a supervisor or manager, the last thing an employee needs is a rigid work environment. You can support them by making their schedules as flexible as possible or better still, allowing them to set their schedules.
Set flexible deadlines and distribute some of their workload across the team if you notice that they are struggling. Approve their leave requests during this period and be understanding of the situation.
Above all, encourage other co-workers to be patient and understanding of the situation during this period. These kind gestures will do wonders for camaraderie in the workplace.
Signpost Them to Sources of Help and Support, e.g. FHA 203(k) Loans
What better way to show active support than recommending sources of help?
Thankfully, home renovation loans give homeowners access to funds needed to fix their homes. No matter if the home renovation is large or small, this complete FHA 203(k) loan guide caters to whatever needs they have.
Even with a budget, the financial responsibility of renovating a home is likely to have an impact on the employee. With the many invoices and unplanned expenses, connecting them to financial aid is sure to help them.