Springfield Business Journal_2020-11-16

Between employees working from home and sales not hitting at their best, companies are finding time to do more professional development during the pandemic. Brett Baker, co-owner of Trustpoint LLC, conducts sales management training in Springfield. He helps peo- ple build more confidence and trust in order for them to prospect, sell and generate more revenue. Right now, he’s helping hone skills in a set- ting other than an office due to the pandemic. “I would break it down into a behavior, an atti- tude and a technique,” Baker says. “You got to do a new behavior. You might have to do it virtually versus face to face. The at- titude is the ‘comfortability’ or the comfort zone of being on camera, doing your job virtually rather than the other way. Then there is the technique ... to build trust on camera.” According to the 2020 Economic Growth Survey by Springfield Business Journal, 68% of businesses allowed employees to work from home during the pan- demic. “A silver lining is that working remotely, or sell- ing or managing remotely, can work,” Baker says. “In some cases, it’s working so well, I don’t think some places will go back to the old way of doing it – meaning locations and team meetings. They can do it virtually.” Nearly a quarter of respondents in SBJ’s Eco- nomic Growth Survey agree, saying they’ll rent less physical office space post-pandemic. Thomas Douglas, president of in- formation technology firm JMark Business Solutions Inc., hired Baker for sales training while his employees were working from home. Douglas says with people uncertain about the virus, sales have softened. “Sales and marketing is an area we are investing in as we try to con- tinue to grow,” Douglas says. “And so, with some junior salespeople inside the organization, if we can accelerate their learning curve, it’s good for everyone.” He says role-playing sales situations with Bak- er has been the most helpful component of their training specific to the pandemic. SILVER LININGS You can’t experience full wellness without tending to both physical, and mental and emotional health.” “A silver lining is that working remotely, or selling or managing remotely can work. In some cases, it’s working so well, I don’t think some places will go back to the old way of doing it. Dr. Shelly Farnan , Burrell Behavioral Health Brett Baker, Trustpoint LLC Individual and team training Mental Health Businesses allowed employees to work from home during the pandemic Soul Care for Business COVID-19 led some businesses to confront deep-seated issues on the fly by Christine Morton · cmorton@sbj.net While coronavirus gave businesses a violent shove into the future, it also forced companies to look at important topics otherwise set aside. Some leaders have sought out mental health care for their employees, invested in professional development and team building, and strived toward a healthier work environment. Supporting businesses with self-care techniques and connection during the pandemic is an ongoing mission of Dr. Shelly Farnan. She is a psychologist and director for diversity and inclusion at Burrell Behavioral Health. “Our survival states are exhausted; we are ex- hausted, and it doesn’t turn off when you walk into work that Monday morn- ing. This is affecting us always, and it’s affecting all of us,” Farnan says. Farnan has led 35 private and virtual mental health support experiences in the past five to 10 weeks. The experi- ences are part of the Be Well Commu- nity. The “community” is educated on three neuroscience principles: Human brains are survival brains, people sur- vive best in connection with others and humans survive with hope. “When our brains experience hope, we create the chemical dopamine,” Farnan says. “And that dopamine is required to keep us moti- vated, to achieve and to help make the best next decision.” The Network, a young professional’s group with the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, participated in a Be Well experience in spring. Ka- tie Jones, coordinator for The Network, sent sur- veys asking its 450 members what they wanted to learn. “People were just really looking for opportuni- ties to still connect,” Jones says. Janet Dankert, CEO and president of Community Partnership of the Ozarks, says she is looking into the Be Well program for her 60 employees after attending a presentation through the chamber. She says her employees have been on the front lines of the pandemic dealing with community issues, such as homelessness and child care. “As helpers in the community, as service providers, we always make everything about everyone else,” Dankert says. “And sometimes, it’s just hard to know that it’s OK to think about our own self-care.” The need for mental health care and holis- tic wellness is not avoidable any- more for business leaders, Farnan says. Neither can they put in a five-year plan, she says, because employees are hurting right now. “For those organizations that don’t already have a wellness that embodies emotional and mental health, I do believe this will be abso- lutely required moving forward,” Farnan says. Janet Dankert wants to provide mental health resources for front-line employees. NOV. 16-22, 2020 4 · SBJ.NET