While remote work has trended over recent years, many employees were thrust into the great work-from-home experiment for the first time by COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. As these orders lift, CEOs are making news for extending the option for continual teleworking—but is that the right decision for your association? Consider the following benefits and drawbacks:

Pros

• Reduced costs

From a financial perspective, telecommuting benefits everyone. USA Todayreports working from home will typically save your employees about $4,000 a year. Remote workers will also save you money on office supplies, snacks, and overhead. According to Global Workplace Analytics, employers can actually save over $11,000 per half-time telecommuter per year. 

• Increased productivity

One Stanford study found that employees who work from home exhibit a productivity boost equivalent to a full day’s work compared with in-office counterparts. Time spent commuting is reallocated to business, and employees who are mildly sick are more likely to continue working at home, rather than taking a sick day (which begets another especially timely bonus: no sharing illnesses).

• Increased talent

Offering the ability to work from home presents the potential for you to work with anyone in the world. This not only increases the likelihood for you to recruit the very best, it also benefits your association by strengthening cultural diversity.  

• Reduced turnover

Work-from-home policies are effective in recruiting and retaining employees. Allowing employees to telecommute can increase job satisfaction and loyalty, which result in a long-term staff that develops an increasing degree of knowledge about your business. In addition, less time and money are spent advertising for open positions, screening, interviewing, and hiring new staffers, and bringing them up to speed on job responsibilities.

• Increased happiness

In addition to the cost savings listed previously, moods of employees and employers are prime for a boosting by the lack of commute and office distractions (like the kind of gossip that can creep into traditional work settings). Attesting to the utility of happiness, an extensive study into happiness and productivity by Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, in collaboration with British multinational telecoms firm BT,  found that workers are 13% more productive when happy.

Cons

• Decreased camaraderie

Team building plays a critical role in company culture, and it can be harder to establish bonds with remote employees. A Harvard Business Review study shows that a lack of close contact with people inhibits the formation of trust, connection, and mutual purpose. If you do decide to extend your work-from-home policy, you will want to do everything you can to keep your employees engaged while they work remotely. 

• Security concerns

You will need to address the risks involved in connecting remotely if you want to extend the option to work from home to your employees. Sivan Tehila, director of solution architecture at Perimeter 81 and founder of Cyber Ladies NYC, lists the following concerns and hazards of remote work:

1. Home Wi-Fi security
2. Phishing scams
3. Insecure passwords

• Difficulty separating work life from family life

A clear distinction between work life and personal time exists when going into an office. Working from home includes the potential for this line to blur, which could compromise focus and set your employees up for burnout.

• Inability to extend option to everyone 

Not every type of business can ask its employees to work from home, and not every job position can be performed remotely. In addition to caveats of operations and roles, employers should be mindful of disparities in access to office equipment and internet. 

• Risk of personal and professional isolation

It may be more difficult to gauge the emotions, morale, and well-being of teleworkers, so you will need to prioritize checking in with any remote workers to ensure they aren’t feeling disconnected. Of course, the presence of people doesn’t eliminate the possibility of loneliness, so supporting your staff’s mental health should be part of your leadership approach, regardless of whether or not your employees are working from home.

As your association continues to deal with the ongoing disruptions from COVID-19, permanent remote work could complement necessary cost-cutting measures. However, you may determine the obstacles of telecommuting outweigh the benefits. Either way, there’s no better time than now to thoughtfully evaluate your work-from-home policy. Determining what makes sense for your association and your employees deserves thoughtful consideration, and we hope this breakdown helps.  

We’d love to hear your valuable association perspective. Share your position for or against permanent work-from-home policies by emailing [email protected].

Your association and its members are facing a lot right now: cancelled events, budget cuts, resource allocation, policy updates, the constant struggle to stay relevant in a ceaselessly changing landscape. It’s a lot to think about and work through. Because of all that, it can be almost too easy to let diversity efforts fall by the wayside. However, studies have shown that having a diverse, inclusive workforce pays dividends for any business or association. As working from home becomes the new normal and geographical barriers are removed, there is more opportunity than ever to cultivate diversity. 

Why Focus on Diversity Now? 

Aside from the obvious moral reasons for making a diverse workforce a priority, the COVID-19 pandemic is truly a crisis the likes of which the world has never before seen. Everyone, your association included, is navigating uncharted waters. It is paramount to embrace and encourage cognitive diversity to help your association through this time of uncertainty. A range of perspectives from employees of widely different backgrounds will be invaluable in coming out on the other side of this crisis strong and ready to move forward. 

How to Promote a More Diverse Workforce 

1. Educate your leadership on the benefits of diversity. It all starts at the top. If your recruiters and managers are unaware of how valuable a diverse workforce can be, take the time to elucidate the advantages. To get the ball rolling, have them take an online course for cultural or other sensitivity training. 
2. Reexamine your current recruitment practices. Take a close look at your recent job postings. Is the language tailored to reach the broadest audience possible? Are you culturally sensitive in describing what makes your company or association a good place to work? Have you had a presence at a wide range of job fairs at different locales? Do your recruitment materials (brochures, webpage, etc.) accurately represent a diverse group of employees? Is your company in compliance with Federal EEOC guidelines? 
3. Tap into existing employees. Encourage your associates to provide testimonials that cover the ways your organization values diversity. This can be a great tool for recruiters and a source of reassurance for prospective candidates. And, while you’re at it, ask your team if they know any great candidates from diverse backgrounds. Yes, there is the potential for employees to suggest people who are very similar to themselves, so to encourage more diversity, consider offering a referral bonus specifically for underrepresented minorities. This study suggests that paying a bonus for diverse referrals made a significant difference in decreasing unfair treatment and increasing employee retention. 
4. Tap into community resources. To cultivate a truly diverse workforce, you may need to consider recruiting from more nonconventional sources. Look for community groups, staffing firms, and adult education centers that match job seekers such as refugees, immigrants, and other minority groups with employers. Churches, cultural institutions, and colleges can also help you connect with candidates. 
5. Offer benefits and workplace flexibility. On-site daycare and a flexible work schedule make you attractive to just about any prospective candidate. However, there are other things to consider, such as allowing paid time off for cultural and religious holidays not observed companywide or amending the dress code to accommodate diversity-friendly (but still office appropriate) clothing. Perks attract employees. It’s that simple. 

The shift to remote work has opened up new and exciting opportunities to expand your existing talent pool by hiring amazing and unique individuals—regardless of where they reside. Gone are the days where it was necessary to have a physical office in cities with diverse populations. As working from home becomes a mainstay, efforts can shift to recruiting and nurturing talented people from all over—and that spells success for 2020 and beyond.

This letter originally appeared in the May/June 2020 issue of BoxScore magazine.

By Michael D’Angelo, President, AICC, The Independent Packaging Association

“My head is spinning.” I must have received more than 50 emails in the past month that included that phrase or something similar. Phone calls, too. COVID-19 has created such a period of uncertainty, and AICC members want to know the latest, share what they’ve learned, and interact with their friends and colleagues. Multiple government agencies have come out with a dizzying number of orders, limitations, programs, and directives. Some of these change from day to day, and there is no end in sight.

AICC’s great staff has responded by creating forums and new media to bring our member companies together in ways we had never before been considered. Canceling the Spring Meeting and postponing SuperCorrExpo to August 2021 are unprecedented decisions that had to necessarily be taken. Videoconferencing with nearly 400 AICC members attending is certainly a new experience, as are AICC webinars with more than 150 attendees. Effective as they are for providing vital information, they will never replace what former AICC President Steve Young has so accurately termed the “handshake” nature of our business.

I have a favorite saying that I use from time to time: Know Your Why. We know our why—it’s you.

We have to tip our hats to AICC’s member companies. You are essential businesses—shockingly, it takes a state to declare you so—that have magnificently responded to the demands on supply chains brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. I have seen and heard firsthand the concern that you have for your employees, your customers, your business partners, and each other. We have to tip our hats to the employees who show up for work on the production lines that keep everything going. We have to tip our hats also to their office colleagues, who have to navigate through challenges that come from working out of a home office that doubles as the kitchen table, with the kids in the next room. Graphic Packaging, although an integrated company, posted an image on social media with the following message that, I believe, encapsulates what the independent converter and their suppliers have done and are doing: “Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear hairnets and safety glasses—the dedicated men and women at our mills and plants who are working tirelessly to ensure food gets into homes.”

Heroes for doing their job under conditions we could not have imagined six months ago. Heroes before we even consider the masks, PPE, hand sanitizer, and other products AICC member companies are producing for their employees and for the health care workers and first responders in their communities.

I’ve been thinking a lot about teams since this crisis began. Your teams, the AICC team, the team that we all become on a video conference, a webinar, or an in-person meeting—the industrywide independent printing and converting team. Vala Afshar once wrote, “We are not a team because we work together. We are a team because we trust, respect, and care for each other.”

That is the strength of AICC.

Michael D’Angelo

AICC President

This article originally appeared in the May 2020 issue of Worldwide ERC^®’s Mobility magazine. Read the full issue here. Shared with permission.

By Heather Larson

Whether you view stay-at-home orders as the “Great Pause” or the longest intermission ever, many of you and your employees have been working from home. For many of us, this is new. The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionized how we spend our time. Long commutes are distant memories along with gym visits, water-cooler chats, medical appointments, and salon visits.

As the leader of your workforce, you must help them navigate the current challenges, whatever those may be. They may well be different for each individual.

“The goal is to help at-home workers understand that staying physically and emotionally healthy benefits them, and not just the company’s ‘bottom line,’” says James Jackson, Psy.D., psychologist and professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “If people understand that health-promoting programs and policies are actually for their growth, they will experience them as positive. They will find that adherence to them—far from being demanding—is desirable.”

It is extremely important for employers to strive to maintain as much normalcy as possible for their employees at this time, says Brian Wind, Ph.D., founder and CEO of NOVOS Behavioral Health Solutions. No matter where everyone is working from, continuing to encourage deadlines, conference calls, and an overall sense of stability can be tremendously beneficial. People can easily become unmotivated, especially if they aren’t used to working from home, he says. Giving them specific responsibilities can help.

In other words, even though there’s physical distance between you and your staff, it’s still important that all of you spend time together.

Connect With Your Employees

Jackson explains that although regular technology-enabled meetings keep teams connected, the most important way to promote community and connections is to assist employees in finding shared meaning in the work they do. Help staff embrace the idea that they are working together for a larger purpose; they all have a role to play, and the team suffers if they don’t play that role.

Even for teams that were remote prior to the pandemic, it is common to see companies not placing enough effort into making their staff feel connected, says Brittany Ferri, an occupational therapist in Rochester, New York. 

“Planning group video calls to hear and see co-workers can really help lighten the mood,” notes Ferri. “This can also calm some employees worried that other staff are mad at them, etc., since reading text and email conversations all day can easily be misinterpreted, especially if we are feeling tired or sensitive.”

Not everything has to be focused on work. Take time to share good news such as births, birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones. Encourage employees to show off their pets or reveal their home offices to give others tips and inspiration, Ferri says. Staff might plan fun group activities for short breaks throughout the day, such as group yoga, guided meditation, or playing a short game together. Also encourage your staff to get up and move around frequently during working hours.

Support Your Team’s Well-being

Jackson says promoting both physical health and mental health is vitally important but perhaps never more than now.

“Optimal physical and mental health contributes to better stress management, greater levels of resilience, better cognitive functioning, and ultimately more productivity,” explains Jackson. “Creating a climate where employees can attend to and honor physical and mental health isn’t just a feature of the manager’s job during difficult times—in many ways it isthe job.” 

This can be accomplished by employers being intentional—creating resources that employees can access, modeling the importance of this in your own life, and incentivizing participation in programs that promote wellness, Jackson says. 

Ferri cautions employers to be cognizant of employees who are taking excessive time off, displaying drastic changes in productivity, expressing significant dissatisfaction with working at home, and are increasingly unreachable throughout the workday. Take extra measures to reach out to them to talk about their workspace, health activities, and the state of their emotional health. All of this should be done individually through one-on-one check-ins via phone or video calls, she says.

Remind them of available resources such as counseling through employee assistance programs (EAPs), insurance benefits, or personal days, suggests Ferri. Ensure that workers are taking the time they need to rest and recover from the stresses of the current situation.

Reassure Your Staff

It’s quite common for emotional issues to come to the forefront during times like these.“Anxiety, depression—or for that matter, more generic mental health difficulties—are certainly on the rise during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Jackson. “Some of these symptoms are typical right now—really, to be expected—but they shouldn’t be ignored.”

Key things to look for, says Jackson, include marked changes in productivity, behavior, or attitudes that reflect deviations from the baseline. Red flags are increased irritability, problems focusing, reactivity, addictive behaviors, and not maintaining the suggested work schedule, just to name a few.

Supervisors or managers may be psychologically sophisticated, but they aren’t psychologists. They can encourage, support, empathize, and listen, but often the most helpful thing they can do is facilitate referrals to mental health providers and work to create climates in which mental health is valued and mental health treatment is not a source of shame, says Jackson. “Refer these individuals to mental health professionals in their community available through your EAP,” she says.

Suggesting simple at-home tips and tricks such as going for walks and practicing mindfulness can also help, says Wind. Employers should also be open to the fact that some of their workforce may need to take a break to preserve their own well-being. This can be accommodated, he says, by providing a lighter workload temporarily or even encouraging them to take some time off in order to regroup.

Follow a Cadence

One vital way to help maintain both mental and physical well-being is to encourage employees to adopt a regular routine.

The key to determining a schedule for your day, says Jackson, is to prioritize the right things and lean into them with great intentionality. Try, for example, to get up at the same time every morning and go to bed at the same time every night. Strive to eat three healthy meals a day, exercise regularly, and set up consistent times to interact with other people in the context of self-care.

Ferri adds her own tips: Make coffee or tea in the morning, listen to a podcast, and get dressed as though you were going into the office. Attempt to dedicate a separate area of your home for work. This may be difficult for those who don’t already have a home office, but do separate where you work from the space where you relax, so you can “turn off” your brain at the end of the day.

Keep your water intake up, step outside for fresh air and sunlight several times a day, keep all work out of your bedroom—since this can affect how you sleep—and log off work at the assigned time and leave it alone until the next day, recommends Ferri.

Take Regular Breaks 

Sometimes you get into a rhythm and don’t want to stop working, but you must. This is applicable to both employer and employees.

“Quite literally, give yourself a break,” says Ferri. “Stretch and take walks throughout the day; don’t chain yourself to your computer.”

Physician and Ayurveda specialist Rachna Gadhok, M.D., suggests doing yoga to break away from work.

“It has been proven to help in stress management, lowering anxiety, and cortisone levels,” Gadhok says. “If new to yoga, practice balancing poses, belly breathing or yogic breath, and alternate nostril breathing to calm the mind and relax.” Instructions for doing these can easily be found through a Google search or on YouTube.

Create Quality Time 

It’s also helpful to make the most of the time we have with our loved ones. Use family time to relax and maybe learn something new. Try a new recipe and give everyone a task, attempt new dance moves with your kids, paint, or learn a different language. All this helps to calm down the overall environment, says Gadhok. 

Call those you miss, or write them letters. Tell them you’re grateful for the roles they play in your life. FaceTime and Zoom also make excellent tools for connecting with those you can’t visit during this time.

We all should try and make the most of our current situation, because none of us knows how long this will last, and the least we can do for ourselves is to try to create a setup and structure that we are somewhat comfortable with for the time being, suggests Ferri.

Final Thoughts

Wind says employers can play a major role in helping their employees stay healthy all around, during a pandemic or not. Employers should continue to remind employees of physical and mental health benefits offered through their insurance so that they can feel comfortable getting care when they need it.

At press time, nobody knows for sure how long they and their employees may be working from home. Although some states and countries now show signs of gradually reopening, that may or may not become permanent. By refining routines and adopting coping tactics, employers and their staff have the best chance of maintaining health and wellness in this time of COVID-19, no matter how long it may last.

BY HOLLY ALFANO, CEO, INDEPENDENT LUBRICANT MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

This letter originally appeared in the May 2020 issue of Compoundings magazine.

I’m writing this month’s letter from my home office. We are about 12 days into the 15 that President Donald Trump says are needed to “flatten the curve” of the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor of Virginia has closed all nonessential businesses, requiring the ILMA staff and me to work remotely.

A lot changed very quickly. Oil prices plunged to new lows. The stock market tanked. And a new phrase—“social distancing”—entered our vocabulary.

The cancellation of ILMA Engage was a major disappointment to our staff, with 90% of the work having been already completed. But we soon embraced a new challenge: to ramp up the flow of information and resources to members, anticipating what issues would emerge. As the staff began meeting over video chats, we agreed that as a team, this is our opportunity to shine and to reinforce the value of ILMA to members.

As states began to issue stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders, ILMA wasted no time reaching out to the National Governors Association requesting that lubricant manufacturers be designated as “essential businesses.” Thankfully, the governors came through, and ILMA quickly developed information to help our members in their new role as an essential business, while most other businesses were shut.

We quickly developed a COVID-19 Resources webpage, which has been updated daily. We provided guidance on how members could manage employee issues that would inevitably occur during a pandemic. What happens if an employee becomes ill? What happens if an employee refuses to work? ILMA developed a “Frequently Asked Questions” document on employment issues.

The slowdown and closure of businesses resulting from the pandemic had many effects on ILMA members, and ILMA was there to assist:

• As Congress reacted to the crisis with a relief package, ILMA gathered critical information for members on Small Business Administration loans and other business assistance included in the legislative package.
• As members began preparing to apply for American Petroleum Institute (API) licensing for GF-6, ILMA learned they were having issues with the availability of the Romaszewski Oil Bench Oxidation (ROBO) test. ILMA reached out to API, and on April 1, API invoked Provisional Licensing, giving members needed leeway to submit ROBO results. When API lifts its Provisional Licensing, oil marketers with provisionally licensed formulations will have six months to obtain and submit a passing ROBO result.
• Grease manufacturers and the National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI) approached ILMA about the shutdown of the castor industry in India resulting from the pandemic and how without access to that product, the grease industry would be effectively halted around the world. ILMA, NLGI and the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers developed a letter outlining the issue, which was delivered to Trump administration officials and the Indian Embassy. The letter asked for outreach to the Indian government to reopen the essential castor industry and nearby ports.

We lost our much-anticipated meeting, our chance to connect and network with friends and colleagues. But the work of ILMA never stopped. Rather, it intensified. It is my hope that, as we helped to make the case that lubricant manufacturers are essential, our members also recognized ILMA in that light.

Holly Alfano

Chief Executive Officer

ILMA

BY JASON GAMEL, PRESIDENT AND CEO, AMERICAN RESORT DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

This letter originally appeared in the May 2020 issue of Developments magazine.

I’m as disappointed as anyone that we won’t be able to hold ARDA World 2020 as planned and showcase the fantastic work that ARDA and its member companies have been dynamically engaged in all year. It was absolutely the right decision to cancel the meeting and to do all we can, as an industry and as good corporate citizens, to help slow the spread of this awful coronavirus.

Although the event will not happen this year, I’d still like to thank all those who planned for the annual gathering of our maturing, evolving, increasingly tight-knit timeshare industry.

This starts with our volunteers, from speakers and moderators to the meetings committee and the awards committee. We have for years enjoyed the high production values brought by Mike Kinder Productions, who will be missed greatly as this would have been his last waltz with us. Finally, our board, executive committee, and staff all had been working vigilantly and creatively, and they were ready to pitch in wherever needed, as they always are.

But our work will go on, and this community will continue to stand strong together in the face of the headwinds of adversity brought about by the COVID-19 disruptions to our economy in general and to the travel industry specifically.

ARDA’s leadership team and volunteer members already have continued that work by making absolutely certain that we’re in the forefront of the conversation, and at the right place at the right time, when Congress and policymakers in the White House are making key decisions.

In fact, our industry literally had a seat at the table in a key meeting with the president himself about federal stimulus package considerations, along with representatives of hospitality brand leaders like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt. Our advocacy efforts with public officials are stronger than ever right now in Washington, D.C., and at the state level.

We have overcome economic obstacles like the 2008–2009 Great Recession and national tragedies like the terror attacks of Sept. 11, and we’ve always rebounded quickly. Resilience is part of our DNA. Thanks to our product, our community, and our commitment to putting people on vacation with their families, our timeshare owners always have been ready to go back at the first safe opportunity. They share our commitment!

This unusual time has strengthened my resolve to be proactive and strategic and to communicate with our staff and all of you based on our current Focus Five mantra, which prioritizes: (1) moving forward on federal and state legislative work; (2) maintaining the organizational health of ARDA; (3) strengthening our communications efforts, including launches of the newly revamped ARDA.org and ARDAROC.org websites; (4) fighting fraudulent players in the secondary market; and (5) ensuring that ARDA is essential to you and your business.

We are committed and as focused as ever on the tasks at hand, and with our skilled staff, experienced volunteer members, and highly qualified consultants, the future is bright for the timeshare industry.

Jason Gamel

President and CEO

ARDA

Our pets provide consistency and companionship in the cutest form. In normal circumstances, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists some of the health benefits of having a pet as:

• Decreased blood pressure
• Decreased cholesterol levels
• Decreased triglyceride levels
• Decreased feelings of loneliness
• Increased opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities
• Increased opportunities for socialization

In a time as unusual as this, pets are a godsend. Because many of us share a special relationship with our pets, YGS decided to celebrate National Pet Week, taking place May 3–9 this year, and we’re excited to share our furry friends with you:

Some of our pets are relishing more time with us as we work from home, while others are providing ineffable comfort as we walk through the door at the end of a workday in a weird world. This may be an uncertain time, but the human-animal bond perseveres!

Stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma—these are unfortunately becoming more common as we attempt to break through to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic. As fear, death, and economic uncertainties continue to affect the lives of many, your employees may be among the hundreds of thousands of people trying to cope during this emotionally challenging time.

While many people hope to manage these effects and fight the fear themselves, everybody deals with trauma uniquely. Sadly, the natural response for many is to internalize these feelings and/or turn to substance abuse. And although there are viable resources (see below) that provide advice and consolation, the stigma surrounding depression, anxiety, and grief leaves many feeling like they have nowhere to turn.

Because the crisis has also had a financial impact on businesses, there has been a downstream impact on employees. In times like these, employees begin to experience high levels of anxiety and uncertainty around job security. Some may suffer an immediate financial impact, which can lead to an even higher level of insecurity. Such stressors can result in a strain on relationships and families, which adds to the emotional difficulties these folks are already facing. Employees may be worried about their ability to provide even the basics for their families. Individually, they may worry about their safety and security due to the risk and continued spread of the virus.

Reduced hours at work or social restrictions can lead to a sense of isolation from coworkers, friends, and family. When feelings of safety and security are lost, the ability to function optimally becomes compromised.The American Psychiatric Association Foundation’s (APAF) Center for Workplace Mental Health offers these key tips to help you measure and improve the well-being of your workforce:

• Show empathy and be available. Simply being open to and making the time to talk about employees’ anxiety can make them more willing to discuss it. Check in routinely.
• Stay connected with communication and meeting tools. Virtual meetings and internal events can offer valuable face-to-face time with colleagues.
• Recognize the impact of isolation and loneliness. Pinpoint signs of mental and emotional struggle by looking for changes in communication style and productivity.
• Encourage online training. This can be a welcome distraction while bolstering your employees’ skills.
• Check in with your Employee Assistance Program and health plan. Look into what support and availability these programs can provide, and communicate any viable options.

All leaders—whether they’re HR professionals, executives, or team leaders—must go to work to provide the necessary resources for employees and routinely share these updates. And to elaborate on the APAF’s first point above, be mindful in the moment and listen in a way that allows employees to speak without being interrupted or judged for what they may be sharing. Employees should be able to feel open to sharing their feelings when they’re at their most vulnerable.

Resources

If you do find that your employees are already or becoming anxious, fearful, depressed, or worse, they have to know that they’re not alone and that it’s truly OK to talk about these feelings. Be ready to offer guidance on resources outside of your organization. Here are several that can help:

• Anxiety and Depression Association of America
• APAF
• Mental Health America
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (1-800-950-6264)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
• Crisis Text Line (text “HOME” to 741741)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Treatment Referral Hotline: 1-877-726-4727)
• CDC
• World Health Organization

By now, you’ve likely heard of the 880-page bill known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the financial relief package signed into law to combat the negative impact COVID-19 has had on the economy, businesses, and individuals. If you have the time, by all means read it for yourself and try to glean what benefits might work best for your association during this crisis. For the rest of us, here are the highlights: 

Support for Small to Midsized Businesses

This bill highlights a new emergency Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which establishes a Small Business Administration loan (SBA 7(a)) for businesses with 500 or fewer employees. To qualify, your association must have been in existence on February 15, 2020 or earlier. Incentivizing companies to keep workers on the payroll, the biggest thing to note is this loan is forgivable if the business keeps staff on the payroll between March 1 and June 30—therefore, this loan basically turns into a grant. The forgivable loan can be taken out for as much as $10 million (or 2.5 times the average total monthly payroll costs from the one-year prior to the date of the application) and can be used to cover payroll, health insurance, and facilities costs, in addition to debt service. Look to your local financial institutions to process this loan, but do be cautious. If you haven’t already applied, do so here.

Support for Larger Businesses

If your association is on the larger side, say between 501–10,000 employees, there’s something in the CARES Act for you, too. The less than great news is that through this new Industry Stabilization Fund, the loans for these larger entities will not be forgivable like the one described above. However, these loans will not have an interest rate higher than 2% and will not accrue interest or require repayment for the first six months of the loan term. 

Economic Injury Disaster Loans

EIDL creates emergency grants for eligible nonprofits and other applicants with 500 or fewer employees, enabling them to receive checks for $10,000 within three days. According to sba.gov, businesses in certain industries may have more than 500 employees and be eligible if they meet the SBA’s size standards for those industries. To apply, you must have been in operation prior to January 31, 2020. There is an interest rate of 2.75% with this one, however. Also worth noting is that the $10,000 advance is forgiven, even if the borrower is denied further EIDL loans. Apply here for emergency EIDL funds.  

Reimbursable Payroll Tax Credits

Sections 5102 and 3102 of CARES outline expansions to paid sick leave and family and medical leave, respectively. Employers paying for this mandated paid leave are entitled to claim a refundable tax credit for any paid leave costs that exceed the amount of payroll taxes owed. In other words, the government will cover some or all of the costs of these paid leave mandates. 

Here is a breakdown of those payouts, according to councilofnonprofits.org:

• Under the Paid Sick Leave Mandate: Employers paying for employees who must self-isolate, obtain a diagnosis, or comply with self-isolation recommendation with respect to coronavirus may receive tax credits of up to $511 per day. Payments to employees caring for a family member or for a child whose school or child care center is closed, qualified sick leave wages are capped at $200 per day. Both types of wages are capped at 10 days in the aggregate. (Section 7001)
• Paid Family and Medical Leave Mandate: The refundable tax credit for qualified family leave provision is capped at $200 per day and $10,000 each quarter. (Section 7003)    

And speaking of taxes, employers are now allowed to delay payment of the employer portion payroll taxes; they are payable in equal halves at the end of 2021 and 2022. 

Note: This post is purely informational and is not meant to serve as legal advice. 

Developed by the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation as a means to introduce children to future job possibilities, Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day falls on the fourth Thursday in April each year. This year was obviously a little different as many of us have brought our work home with us because of stay-at-home orders. And with all the school and childcare closures, more than one day has become take your child to work day!

As a way to commemorate this program, we asked the kids of YGSers to submit pictures of what they want to be when they grow up. Here are some of the highlights:

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If you’re worried you’ve missed out on sharing this experience with your little one(s), fret not. In recognition of these unprecedented times, the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation has invited participants to choose their own date to celebrate in 2020. We hope you enjoyed a glimpse into some of our youngsters’ dreams.

By JoAnn Bartoletti, Executive Director, National Association of Secondary School Principals

This letter originally appeared in the May 2020 issue of Principal Leadership magazine

I’m sure none of us would have imagined we would be closing out the 2019–20 school year this way. As we look back on spring 2020 and the impact COVID-19 has had on our schools and communities, I hope you are always reminded that your efforts have been nothing short of heroic.

In this time of crisis, you looked for the opportunity. You are working tirelessly to ensure the success and well-being of each student and adult in your school communities. Since schools have closed, you have distributed millions of meals; led your faculty through the massive shift to remote learning; and sustained the spirits of your students, teachers, and the local community. This year, your success as a school leader won’t be measured in the number of work packets distributed or how much material was covered. It will be measured by how well your schools cared for the community and how you made them feel.

While COVID-19 has tempered the excitement and anticipation of the typical end of a school year, this extended school closure reminds us just how valuable face-to-face engagement with students is on a daily basis. It will likely provide us some clues on how to make the best use of the time we have with them. NASSP looks forward to engaging you in that discussion once we all come out on the other side of this crisis stronger and wiser.

As you continue to navigate these uncharted waters and a path for the 2020–21 school year, I encourage you to take care of yourself and stay connected. Current conditions can punctuate the isolation many principals already feel. Reach out to a colleague, activate your network, and maintain communication. Please remember that you are not enduring this crisis alone.

While your heroic efforts continue, NASSP is committed to reminding you of just this. We are here to provide you with the connections, discussion, and resources you need, while also advocating for the resources and conditions that will allow you to lead your school through these unfamiliar days.

Finally, thank you. Thank you for your leadership, your dedication, and your relentless efforts during these trying times. And thank you for allowing us to be a small part of your extraordinary work.

Sincerely,

JoAnn Bartoletti
Executive Director, NASSP

The COVID-19 outbreak and its socio-economic ramifications have resulted in elevated stress and anxiety for many. As the CDC notes, “coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.” Here are some strategies you can employ to mitigate an understandably strong emotional response to an infectious disease outbreak. 

1. Accept that there are circumstances outside of your control.

You can’t control if someone cuts you off in traffic, and you certainly can’t control the outbreak of a pandemic. What you cando is spend your time on more productive and satisfying pursuits. Where should you start? Create an individualized plan to manage your stress and develop positive, yet realistic affirmations to aid you in developing a productive inner dialogue during and beyond this unprecedented crisis.

2. Get moving. 

It’s called a runner’s high for a reason, though according to the Mayo Clinic, virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. How? Physical activity not only strengthens our bodies, it stimulates the release of feel-good brain chemicals such as endorphins dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.Regular exercise also helps balance your body’s level of stress hormones, such as adrenaline. You can stay fit during quarantine by streaming workout videosor going outside if the opportunity exists—just keep in mind the do’s and don’ts of exercising outside during stay-at-home orders. 

3. Practice relaxation techniques.

From  focused breathingto guided imagery, The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes the goal of all relaxation techniques is to produce the body’s natural relaxation response, characterized by slower breathing, lower blood pressure, and a feeling of increased well-being. Begin improving your emotional, mental, and physical health by exploring Verywell Mind’s list of the top 4 relaxation strategies for anxiety, selecting a technique that suits you and your lifestyle best, and practicing daily.

4. Eat healthy foods.

As Aetna notes, “eating healthy food promotes the growth of ‘good’ bacteria, which in turn positively affects neurotransmitter production.” So, consider adding 10 stress-busting pantry staples to your arsenal as you combat additional stressors brought about by the novel coronavirus, and turn to Eating Wellfor an array of healthy recipes and instructional videos to stay creative as you stay at home. Your happiness will increase as your overall well-being improves, and you’ll be happy to know you can still enjoy snacks. 

5. Get a good night’s sleep.

While you may have tossed and turned before, you may be finding it even harder to fall asleep during these times of uncertainty. Anxiety causes sleeping problems, and according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, new research suggests sleep deprivation can cause an anxiety disorder. So, it’s especially critical to address this vital component of your overall health. You can feel rested and recharged when you combine the following healthy sleep tips from the National Sleep Foundation with other self-care measures in this blog. 

6. Say no when you need to.

As social beings, we’re all striving to strengthen our relationships, so obliging a request seems natural. That said, our good intentions have the potential to exhaust our capacities (and then what use are we to ourselves or anyone else?). COVID-19 has created heightened stress, so it’s especially important to keep your bandwidth in perspective in order to avoid burning out. We all need to be mindful of our own limits and the limits of others in order to preserve mental health. Not used to saying no? Follow Grammerly’s guidance on how to say no politely. 

7. Spend time with those who bring you joy.

Social ties play a beneficial role in the maintenance of psychological well-being, so don’t let COVID-19 stand in the way of human connection. If you have access to a device, Harvard Health explains the features of various apps so you can determine which meet your needs in order to stay in touch with those you care for and love. 

8. Exercise empathy.

While social distancing guidelines prevent us from literally putting ourselves in other people’s shoes, it’s critical to try to understand what others are feeling in the midst of a pandemic. Don’t rush to judge someone who’s struggling to navigate this new normal, and don’t beat yourself up over any challenges you’re facing. We’re all in this together, but we’re all experiencing this unprecedented crisis uniquely. Keep conversations with your family, friends, and coworkers open and honest, and foster feelings of fellowship by exercising empathy.

9. Recognize that it’s okay to not feel okay.

The pandemic has led to a series of losses, from our sense of safety to our social connections to our financial security. It’s no wonder we are collectively and individually mourning our lives of yesteryear, as well as the future as we had envisioned that is now forever altered. George Bonanno, PhD, a psychologist who heads the Loss, Trauma, and Emotion Lab at Teachers College, Columbia University, notes,“It’s okay to feel grief over what we’re losing. When we do that, it allows us to let grief do its job, so that we can move on.” Familiarize yourself with the five common stages of grief so as not to deny your own grief or that of others. Keep in mind the grieving cycle is not necessarily linear, and these emotions are natural.

10. Seek professional support.

Managing the stress brought about by the COVID-19 outbreak is a lot to handle, but thankfully there’s truth in the talking cure. If you do not have an established relationship with a mental health professional who is readily available to assist you, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Treatment Referral Hotline (1-877-726-4727) is a trusted source for general information on mental health and local treatment services. Those living with a mental health condition, their family members and caregivers, mental health providers, and the general public can receive support by calling or emailing the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for free at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or [email protected]. You’ll be able to speak to an actual person when you call either number, but keep in mind helplines are only an initial support system for people in emotional distress.

We’ve adjusted our personal and professional roles, all while coming to grips with the surrealism of life during a pandemic. While uncertainty is intimidating, it is also endurable if we don’t lose sight of what matters most. Try not to get too busy or overwhelmed to take care of your emotions with the same diligence offered to your body. Be safe, be well, and be good to yourself.

Know of a self-care technique you haven’t read about here? Contribute to the conversation by emailing [email protected].

Around the globe, most office employees are learning how to work from home. While the transition to remote operations involves a change of routine, a new setup, and a lot of technology, probably the biggest challenge that comes with a home office is juggling work and parenting.

Even parents who are accustomed to working from home are having to face the new frontier of closed schools and shut-down daycares. And aside from the structure of mealtimes, naptimes, and homework, a lot of hours exist in which kids are looking for something to do. While it may seem tempting to plop your tot in front of the TV, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting screen time to 1 hour for children ages 2–5 and recommends avoiding screen time altogether for children younger than 18 months. Studies have shown that too much screen time can get in the way of hands-on learning that is vital to a child’s development, and it can also have a negative impact on sleep patterns.

So, the question becomes: How should parents working remotely keep kids occupied during work hours? Some parents at YGS started a group chat to stay connected and share ideas. Here are some of the solutions we exchanged:

• Wide Open School – This website offers daily schedules with suggested activities, organized by age group. Many of these activities are designed to get kids moving, to use their minds, and stay away from screens.
• Mystery Science – Is there anything better than free science lessons? This great resource offers ideas for hands-on activities and mini lessons, all organized by age group and each segment details the estimated time allotment, to help you plan your day and keep kids engaged.
• Audible – What kid doesn’t love story time? In response to school closures, Audible is offering free stories you can stream through your laptop or mobile device. Just as reading helps kids use their imaginations, listening to audio books is another great screen-free way to keep kids thinking.

Even though parenting while working may be unchartered territory, sharing this experience with colleagues certainly makes it easier to navigate. We are fortunate at YGS to share a culture of comradery. Exchanging ideas to keep our kids occupied and engaged is just one way we can help each other through these uncertain times. We hope you find these resources helpful too!

If you’ve found a great website or idea for managing work while entertaining children, share it in the comments section below.

By Sheriff Daron Hall, 2019–2020 National Sheriffs’ Association President

This article first appeared in the 2020 May/June issue of Sheriff & Deputy magazine.

Our Nashville community—devastated by the March 3 tornado—hadn’t yet caught its breath before the fear and impact of the coronavirus hit. Balancing multiple crisis situations at the same time, however, is what sheriffs do on an almost daily basis. Our job is to handle what’s in front of us, look ahead at what may come, and humanize the circumstances so we can bring reassurance to our neighbors, employees, and inmate populations.

Sheriffs are in a unique position: We make decisions that impact many people and sometimes, those decisions aren’t very popular—but they’re the right thing to do. During the current national public health emergency, Nashville-Davidson County is releasing qualifying inmates early, granting furloughs for the first time in decades, and suspending service of most civil warrants. We are facing staff shortages while ensuring that essential operations continue. 

It is imperative for sheriffs to continue to work closely with federal agencies to ensure that our longstanding partnerships can help heighten public safety—especially now, as every sheriff and deputy in the nation has assumed the role of first responder to a global health crisis. 

I appreciate the opportunity to serve as NSA president, and I’m proud to have met so many of you along the way. Over the past year, I have strived to make decisions that separate sheriffs from any particular political party and organize the association’s leadership in a way that brought thoughtful and impactful decision-making to its Management Subcommittee, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors.

Although I will soon end my term as your NSA president in unprecedented times, I will leave you in the capable hands of Dane County (Wisconsin) Sheriff Dave Mahoney. He and I have worked closely over the past few months to ensure a smooth transition, and I wish him a safe and productive tenure. 

As county sheriffs, we bring leadership and authority to our offices and communities. In these times of incredible crisis, let’s serve them with integrity and decisiveness. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next-best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” 

Godspeed. 

Sheriff Daron Hall

Davidson County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office

As an essential organization during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly one that requires employees to work on site, leaders have a responsibility to maintain a safe working environment. That being noted, as more tests for the virus are conducted, more tests will come through positive, and businesses must be prepared with a plan to minimize the impact of an employee being infected.

When an employee on your team notifies you that they’ve tested positive, you much first ask that person which other employees they have been in “close contact” with. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “a person who has been within 6 feet of the infected employee for a prolonged period of time” constitutes “close contact.” Even if the infected employee has been working from home, it’s important to still ask if they’ve had any contact with co-workers, just in case. If the infected person has, in fact, had any close contact with a co-worker, those other employees must be notified without exposing the identity of the infected employee. That guidance is in accordance with confidentiality requirements laid out in the Americans with Disabilities Act and some state laws.

After communicating to employees who have been in close contact with the infected individual, leaders should be prepared for responses of fear and uncertainty about next steps. Chances are, leaders and HR professionals are not medical doctors, so instruct them to connect with their own physicians and to consult the CDC website’s COVID-19 resources.

It is at this point that leadership may decide to notify the entire company staff that somebody within the company has contracted COVID-19. Again, it’s very important to not identify the infected individual orany of the individuals who have come in close contact. Transparency can have a positive impact while maintaining confidentiality.

For more information on taking the right measures the ensure the safety and confidentiality of your employees, several HR and legal resources are available from the CDC, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the U.S. Department of Labor, which extends to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Beyond those sources, several leading HR-focused organizations—Littler Mendelson, the Society of Human Resource Management, and Nonprofit HR—are providing up-to-date FAQ pages, hosting webinars, and offering other invaluable resources during this time. 

In this time of unprecedented peril and isolation, it can be difficult to stay engaged in your work and keep those creative juices flowing. To discuss this issue, we convened a virtual roundtable with our design team—Reynaldo Alvarado, Zon Buckley, Deborah Burgess, Megan Hacker, Tara Roth, and Mike Vucic—to get an inside look at how they’re staying fresh and collaborative, despite the changes in scenery and workflow. 

Q. What methods have you utilized to stay in contact with other team members for brainstorming and sharing your work? What are your preferred platforms for team collaboration?

Deborah Burgess: We’ve been using Microsoft Teams a ton. Through it we are able to chat, call, do video conferencing, and share files so that we can keep the collaboration going while working from different locations.

Megan Hacker: Agreed. Teams is great. It’s always helpful to send PDFs and screenshots throughout the creative process to get a second (or third) set of eyes on something. 

Tara Roth: Gotta go with Teams as well. I love that we can easily share documents back and forth and it keeps everything in one place, which proactively eliminates a lot of communication breakdown that could otherwise occur. 

Zon Buckley: In addition to Teams, we recently used Zoom to have a virtual happy hour, which was so much fun. It was great to actually see my coworkers rather than an IM or voice over the phone.

Q. Have you found your creative drive is waning since the quarantine? How so?

Reynaldo Alvarado: A little bit. Having a 6-month-old baby can be pretty distracting every now and then.

MH: A feeling I know all too well, Rey. It’s not easy to feel creative when you have a 1-year-old clawing at your leg, so yes, my creative drive does take a hit from that sometimes. I find it easiest to work on more mundane design tasks (flowing and formatting text, creating PDFs and Word docs, doing text edits, etc.) during the day when she’s awake and occupied and to save projects that require creative focus for while she is napping or after she goes to bed. 

DB: I think the creative hype you get from physically being around other creatives is different now. Being in the same room with other creatives trying to problem solve is always a melting pot for good ideas, so I definitely think the energy has dwindled a bit.

MV: I disagree! Having a creative mind isn’t something I can turn off. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the office or at home. Where I pull inspiration from certainly has changed (typically out and about at stores, art galleries, concerts, etc.), but the emotional component of what is going on today is definitely fueling my creative drive.

ZB: I’m with Mike on this one. I’m approaching each project the same and finding creative process to be the same in or out of the office.

Q. For those of you who are feeling it, how are you combatting that lack of inspiration or creative drive?

DB: Like I said before, Teams is a good solution. Even though we are physically separate, we are still finding ways to collaborate. Another thing I’ve loved is that Adobe has been doing live streams with different creatives constantly throughout the day during this time. You can tune into the them working from their homes and watch them discuss their industries and various areas of expertise. Really great.

RA: I am going for walks and exercising at home. It’s good to step away every once in a while and come back with a fresh mind. Also looking at Pinterest, Behance, and Dribbble.

TR: I’ve been trying to take more breaks. Physically standing up and walking away from my computer helps, or if I have reached a roadblock with one project, I will start working on a different project. I find that when I take a break it gives me the time or space to resolve the issues I was experiencing faster than if I try to power through.

MH: When I’m experiencing a lack of inspiration or just wanting something to jump-start my creative juices for a new project, I often utilize Pinterest, Dribbble, and Behance, as Rey suggested. They are three well-established platforms that showcase every kind of designer and project you can imagine. I pull inspiration for my projects from a wide breadth of sources on those platforms so that none of my end products look too similar to something that already exists. For example, I may pull a color palette from a packaging design project, a typography style from an editorial layout, a texture from some signage, a photographic effect from some environmental design, etc. 

ZB: Ditto for me. I’m using the same methods I used before the quarantine—sites like Pinterest and Behance are go-tos for inspiration and to ignite the spark.

Q. Have you found inspiration at home in unlikely places? 

TR: I would say the kitchen. During my personal time, I really enjoy cooking and baking, so I’ve been challenging myself to try out new recipes that I haven’t had time to try before. Sometimes it’s a success, others it’s a complete failure. Either way, it’s been fun experimenting and learning new things. 

MV: It’s lawn-and-garden season. How can you not be inspired this time of year?

DB: Agreed, Mike. One of the things I’ve noticed is that my awareness of nature has increased. Simple things like flowers, trees, grass, and the smell of fresh air have all been so inspiring. We’ve thrown almost all the windows open in our apartment and are just pausing to breathe in the outside, and that has been invigorating. 

I’ve also been taking a page from Tara’s book and playing around in the kitchen and baking more. It feels like another form of art to me and allows me to create in a more hands-on, tactile way while working remotely. 

Q. What is the best piece of advice you’d like to share with fellow creatives to keep the ideas flowing?

DB: Creative community is important! Having other creatives around you to bounce ideas off of keeps you fresh and prevents you from getting stuck in a creative silo. Even though we aren’t physically with each other, the ability to ask questions, get opinions, and collaborate with each other is vital to our growth as individuals and as a team.

RA: I agree with Deb. Communicate and share your work with other team members. And look at those creative websites we mentioned before—Behance, Pintrest, and Dribbble.

MV: Get up and move around. Nothing is stopping you from taking a walk outside to get fresh air and clear your head. It’s easy to let the day get away from you when working from home. I find myself starting work earlier and ending later, but I have been forcing myself to take a walk outside to clear my mind.

MH: Totally, Mike. I can’t say I’ve ever designed anything that hasn’t benefited from me walking away from it for at least an hour or two, maybe even a day or more. I know there are always deadlines to adhere to, but if I can spare the time, it’s always worth it in the end. After staring at something and “pushing pixels” for hours on end, it’s always helpful to get a fresh set of eyes on a project, whether it be my own, a fellow designer’s, or even the objectivity of someone who isn’t a designer. I’ve experienced many design epiphanies when I sit back down to something after taking a break from it. My favorite thing to do while taking a break is to walk my dog, because it gets my mind focused on something else for a bit.

ZB: Keep the mind going. I find myself always thinking through creative problems. Whether it’s a home renovation, a fun way to rearrange a room, or even making up songs that include my cats’ names (my favorite). The point is to keep the mind moving and exercise the creative muscles in any way possible. A rolling stone gathers no moss, as they say.

 TR: Keep an open mind because even though we are stuck indoors, sometimes the tiniest of things can spark a huge idea. 

Staying connected to your community is especially important in times of uncertainty. While this makes sense, figuring out how to maintain communication and overall unity can be challenging when social distancing guidelines are in place and you and your members are abruptly thrown into a work-from-home scenario. Here are some ways to combat feelings of isolation and invigorate your mission’s vitality in this brave new world. 

1. Keep up the good (net)work. Your members are undoubtedly your most valuable asset, and you’ll be flattered to know the feeling is often mutual. Across all industries, joining a trade association affords businesses and entrepreneurs the opportunity to network with potential clients, partners, employees, customers, and friends. While COVID-19 is impeding in-person opportunities to shake hands and swap business cards, online networking is a viable alternative. If your association doesn’t have one already, now is an optimal time to instate an online messaging board to support your members. Not sure where to start? Hostinger Tutorials breaks down and compares the best forum software options, and Your Membership by Community Brands provides information on how to launch your online community. Once you’re up and running like The Alzheimer’s Association, keep Higher Logic’s online community tips top of mind and marvel at the member connections made. Make sure to grow your association’s grid too. Participating in LinkedIn Groups is also a great way to build valuable relationships, share your expertise, and find solutions to your industry-specific challenges. 
2. The best laid plans often go astray, but persistence pays off. Your association knows member gatherings of grand scale create unrivaled camaraderie and increased trust. You’re likely also aware even the most calculated conferences and meetings tend to involve unforeseen challenges of some sort (from understaffing to thwarted insight resulting from incomplete data collection). While nothing compares to the unprecedented hurdle of a pandemic, your innovative thinking has equipped you to overcome obstacles of the past and will allow you to surmount the COVID-19 outbreak. Even though your in-person event is no longer an option, transforming your original intention into a virtual alternative maintains your ability to host an event capable of offering members educational and networking opportunities while driving both revenue and growth. Always on the cutting edge, Salesforce explains  how to turn an in-person event into a compelling virtual experience, and Capterra compares features and ratings so  your association can find the right event management software. 
3. Don’t confuse the cost of something with its value. Your association likely already offers resources at reduced rates to members, but now is the time to consider offering products and services at significantly discounted rates or for free. The National Association of REALTORS®has a history of curbing the cost of member benefits during difficult times, and the Right Tools, Right Now initiative exemplifies the association’s approach to customized assistance in response to a pandemic. It might be difficult to stomach the idea of a loss of revenue of any size right now, no matter how small. But rest assured discounts like these will not be detrimental to your bottom line; rather, they will  enhance your reputation and promote the kind of word-of-mouth marketing Time notes can be, “as effective as traditional advertising.” What you do now to put your members first in this uncertain economy will enhance your identity and strengthen your industry’s solidarity.

As YGS President Jack Davidson notes, “It’s critical to maintain communications not only with your customers and members but with your own teams, as many are adjusting to extended remote work scenarios.” Strengthening connections is essential to your association’s perseverance amid the novel coronavirus crisis. The digital dexterity you develop today to keep in touch with members and keep members informed and in contact with each other can continue to serve as a savvy cornerstone to your success in the calm after this unparalleled storm.

Amid the spread of COVID-19, organizations and their members are adjusting to a new normal of working from home (WFH). Humans are nothing if not adaptable, but a rapid change to remote work causes us to scramble for productivity solutions. In the spirit of being #alonetogether, we’re sharing encouragement and advice on the WFH life in which many of us now find ourselves:

1. Challenges exist, but your work can and will still thrive. You and your organization’s members may be feeling overwhelmed by your new work environment or exploring ways to optimize it. From managing expectations to knowing your WFH weaknesses, NPR’s Yuki Noguchi provides “8 Tips to Make Working From Home Work for You.” Lest we forget the importance of remaining comfortable and satiated, The Verge has our backs and bellies for all in need of WFH furniture and gadgets or concerned with how to order takeout safely and ethically. With your creature comforts in check, you can invest in your team’s success through  16 learning courses from LinkedIn focused on enhancing working remotely. Parents are part of your organization’s workforce, and you may have kids of your own. WFH while caring for children is as hard as it sounds; that said, tailored tips from  CNN and USA Today can support succeeding at this balancing act.
2. Your collaborative potential is limitless. At face value, social distancing may seem like the end of teamwork, but as Workable details, tools exist for every aspect of the virtual workplace, from communication to project management. Unsure of which to choose? TechRadarranks the best online collaboration tools of 2020, and Creative Bloq reveals 12 free tools for sending large files smoothly and worry-free. Do your research and rest assured technology will keep your organization’s synergy unscathed. 
3. Mental health advocacy will empower your connections. The introduction of a pandemic and a sudden switch to WFH may accentuate anxieties for you and your members. As Forbes relays, “leaders understand … that promoting mental health and overall organizational health are the same fight.” Don’t hesitate to touch base with your coworkers and members about how they are emotionally, psychologically, and socially managing the impact of the novel coronavirus, and make them aware a guide exists from the National Alliance on Mental Health to help mitigate mounting stress. As always, be mindful of the multidimensional existence of your members and open up discussions to topics outside of work. Psychology Today’s article addressing the difference between isolation and solitude can serve as a catalyst for those hoping to curate a timely philosophical conversation. 

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect employers in the U.S., the federal government has continued to issue guidance pertaining to unemployment, the latest of which relating to state-level unemployment insurance (UI) flexibilities.

Under this most recent guidance, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), federal law now permits states to amend their UI benefits laws and to pay benefits in scenarios including:

1. An employer temporarily ceases operations due to COVID-19, preventing employees from coming to work
2. An individual is quarantined with the expectation of returning to work after the quarantine is over
3. An individual leaves employment due to a risk of exposure of infection or to care for a family member

Important note: Federal law does not require an employee to quit in order to receive benefits due to COVID-19’s impact.

To learn more details regarding your area’s specific legal standards, plus other valuable employment-related information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the suggested resources below.

Top Resources

To find specific information regarding your area’s UI benefits laws, CareerOneStop hosts a searchable portal through which you can access links to general information, links to claim-filing resources, and links to resources noting legal updates pertaining to state benefits.

Another valuable resource is the DOL’s COVID-19 and the American Workplace webpage, which includes various employment-related fact sheets, Q&As, posters, and a Field Assistance Bulletin on the Temporary Non-Enforcement Period Applicable to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has a COVID-19 resources page on its website that HR professionals can reference as they navigate through this busy time. SHRM’s communications include e-learning and a daily newsletter to help keep you informed and part of the evolving conversation.

Finally, Nonprofit HR, a firm focused on talent management needs and human resources for nonprofit organizations, has populated a Coronavirus Digital Information Portal on its website. The webpage includes information on COVID-19 and how nonprofits and HR professionals can best go about serving their organizations and communities effectively. Plus, they host a weekly town hall webinar series for speakers and attendees to virtually discuss any issues related to working through this pandemic.