Xactly where I was on 9/11 — in school. Same Like most people, thing for the 2008 global recession, when I was working on my degree. So even though I’ve lived through some b to c database major crises with huge economic impacts, I’ve mostly watched them unfold from the sidelines.
Not this time.
As a millennial CEO of an ecommerce agency
not only am I figuring out how to lead a company through a downturn; I’m also leading a team of mostly 20-somethings through their first crisis in the workforce. Let me tell you, the stress is real on both sides. They’re looking to me for guidance in adjusting to this “new normal” of working from home (which is anything but normal for us), disrupted routines and major uncertainty about the future.
It’s hard to strike a balance between keeping up morale and helping my team deal with stress and anxiety in a the biggest names to the micro-influencer healthy way, and the reality that we need to keep the lights on for our company and our clients. Like everyone else right now I definitely don’t have it all figured out, but so far, we’re finding some successful ways to stick together and stay healthy and motivated.
For Mental Health Awareness Month
here are a few things I’ve learned about leading a young workforce through these unprecedented times.
1. Focus first and foremost on basic well-being
I recently did an “ask me anything” session for our currently remote team and someone asked how they’d survive without the bagel and croissant days at work. Yes, it was a joke, but it had a ring of truth to it.
For a lot of our younger millennial or Gen-Z employees, this is their first “real” job out of school, and they rely on it for more than just a paycheck. Our company gives structure, a social be numbers network and, yeah, even provides “perks” like fitness classes, lunchtime wellness workshops, and snacks. These might seem like “extras,” but we’ve found they actually result in a far more productive and healthier work environment.