Some background: I was asked by a few people to share some advice on how leaders can support their teams through the Coronavirus. For those wondering, my background and a big part of my work is people leadership in organisations. I originally shared this advice via my Instagram account, @talentary_

This is general advice and by no means exhaustive. There’s a lot to consider and that’s tough. Feel free to reach out if you’ve got any specific questions.

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Now is the time to provide clear, authoritative leadership and to decide on your approach.

You will have to get more comfortable being more instructive and directive than you usually would as your team members are likely to be feeling stressed, confused and unsure about whether it’s safe to be commuting to/from work, working in the office, meeting with clients, etc.

Be educated, informed and empathetic.

Will your office/biz stay open? Can people work from home (WFH)? How?

If you have casual or temporary staff, they will be the most impacted by reduced work hours or business closures. Some people may not be able to WFH. What are the options for them? What support can you offer?

Communicate often and frequently.

Consider how you can support your employees’ mental health.

If you have an employee assistance program (EAP) in place, share those details so people can get help managing anxiety, challenging emotions and thoughts.

Don’t have an EAP? Share mental health resources. If you’re based in Australia, you might find the links in my Wellbeing Toolkit helpful.

Want more leadership resources? I’ve created a Leadership Toolkit just for you.