Encouraging Employees Who Don’t Work The Typical 9-to-5
By: Sheldon Yellen
Tags: Workplace Culture, Company Culture, Employee Engagement, Employee Experience

You often hear about “the 9-to-5 grind” — the typical eight-hour work day for most people with traditional office jobs. How to endure, combat or embrace “the grind” are often the subjects of workplace how-tos. But what about supporting the employees in occupations with unconventional hours like emergency services personnel, construction or hospitality to name a few.

These employees frequently work abnormal hours or travel at a moment’s notice, often sacrificing family dinners, holiday parties and other special events to be on the ground wherever they’re needed. This is especially true for my work family at BELFOR Property Restoration who, due to unexpected disasters, are often asked to leave their relatives and homes on weekends and during holidays to help other families facing the worst days of their lives.

As part of fostering an inclusive and engaging company culture, it is important for business leaders to be aware of the needs of these team members. While they might not be in the office five days a week, they are the ones out in the field — at all hours of the day and night — serving your customers.

Here are a few tips for how to manage and encourage your employees and colleagues who work atypical jobs.

1. Care for the employee’s softer side. Remember that at the end of the day, your employees are people, too. Whether they’re on the road or working opposite hours, they still need reassurance of a job well done, especially if you don’t see them often. Sometimes, being a night shift worker or “road warrior” can be a very tough and lonely life, especially since it can get in the way of personal relationships.

Let your colleagues know you care by checking in. I always make a point of dropping by to say hello whenever I’m close to a BELFOR office. I usually bring some lunch or seasonal treats so that my team members know they’re appreciated.

2. Lead by example. As the leader of the pack and the one asking employees to make these sacrifices, you can inspire your on-call and traveling employees by exemplifying the values of your organization through your actions.

As a frequent traveler myself, I know how hard it can be. But I have my little tricks to prioritize communication and connection with loved ones — whether that’s stepping away from a dinner for a phone call with my family or keeping my watch on “home time” — so I always feel tied to my wife and children. It’s these little things that show my colleagues that I know where they’re coming from.

3. Incentivize and show recognition. It’s not an easy task to be on duty all night or on the road during holiday weekends — so company leaders should show a little extra appreciation for those employees, whether that’s a small celebration to bond or an office outing to give back to the community.

My special way of recognizing my colleagues is through personalized birthday cards. I write each and every one of BELFOR’s 8,000+ team members a handwritten note for their birthday to show that I appreciate and value their contribution to our mission. Recently, at the start of winter, the leaders of our Michigan headquarters made sure that team members’ vehicles were filled with de-icing fluid and properly prepared for cold weather driving conditions as a “thank you” to the BELFOR family for their hard work.

4. Keep an eye on safety. A recent BELFOR survey found that nearly half of Americans didn’t know what items they should have on-hand in the event of an emergency. In addition to preparing for the holiday rush — no matter the industry or profession — employees should have an action plan for their personal health and safety.

At BELFOR, we stress the importance of preparedness to our customers and the same goes for traveling and on-call colleagues. Let your workers know that you’ve thought about health and security as well as emergency precautions and protocols, and clearly define emergency procedures should anything go wrong.

5. Seize any opportunity for a meetup. Just because your team members are traveling the country or working uncharacteristic hours doesn’t mean you can’t meet up, collaborate and celebrate successes. Some of my greatest memories as a frequently on-the-road CEO involve encountering colleagues across the country and abroad. Instantly, the world seems more connected.

These encounters don’t have to be serendipitous. If I have upcoming travel, I like to arrange meetups and opportunities for other BELFOR road warriors who will be in the same area so we have a chance to connect. I use downtime to plan an excursion or a group outing — somewhere we can relax, sample some local fare and just get to know each other better. That’s when my company starts to feel like a home that I take with me wherever I go.

Look after your employees, especially when the craziness of the work can interfere with personal lives. Making them feel cared for goes a long way. After all, they’re the ones who are packing up their lives and leaving their families to represent your brand with pride all around the world.