As we see images of how the BP oil disaster is destroying wildlife and businesses in the Gulf Coast, the tragedy may be directly or indirectly affecting your workforce too. No one is exempt from feeling its impact on top of the general stress of toiling in a still-uncertain economy. Emerging triumphant from the Gulf and economic crises requires more than your employees just showing up and clocking in—you need a motivated workforce more than ever. Here are the top 10 ways executives, managers, supervisors, department heads, and others in charge can motivate individuals and teams during these very uncertain times.

1. Hold regular team or staff meetings. Keep everyone posted on the latest developments and be upfront about the unknowns. Consistent communication and awareness-building are essential.

2. Take the bull by the horns. There is no magic bullet for ending the crisis in the Gulf or solving the economic problems it is causing. Getting involved breeds commitment, so use pre-shift meetings and solicit efficiency and quality improvement ideas to forward on to management for consideration.

3. Treat missed work days sensitively. Stress is real, and it creates physical manifestations that mirror regular illnesses. The key to dealing with absences is direct contact with employees to identify problems, while expressing that you miss them at work and socially reinforcing their presence upon their return.

4. Rally people together to help fellow employees. Work together with union, HR, or employee volunteers to solicit coats, gifts, or food for colleagues directly impacted by this crisis and the economic downturn.

5. Emphasize the importance of looking after oneself. Provide internal and external resources for health and wellness improvement, with tips for getting proper rest, healthy nutrition, and keeping physically fit.

6. Give regular one-on-one feedback. During tough times people doubt their abilities and need to know how they are doing. Lack of recognition has been identified as a source of stress independent of the turmoil we are in. So give specific and meaningful praise and recognition as often as you can.

7. Encourage volunteering in the Gulf region. Allow employees to get “paid time off,” separate from their vacation days, to join other volunteers in the region. If the company is not directly involved in rescue efforts, at least allow employees to join their communities, churches, or other aid groups and ask them to report back and share their experiences. Put their experiences in the company newsletter, Twitter feed, etc.

8. Deal with the real emotions first. Provide genuine, sympathetic feedback and acknowledge employees’ internal roller coaster of feelings and emotional and psychological stresses that accompany present and anticipated changes. Set up and increase employee assistance program counseling and support, as well as credit counseling services.

9. Deal with the situations second. Each person’s life holds a different set of circumstances. Listen carefully without interrupting and determine the harsh realities quickly and with caring concern. Supervisors must make more face-to-face time with employees during these uncertain times.

10. Prepare for the “what if” scenarios. Determine who might lose the most, whether it is job loss or change in job position. Set the stage with these individuals and start some job planning and coaching in preparation of the worst.

Incentive columnist Roy Saunderson is author of Giving the Real Recognition Way and president of the Recognition Management Institute, www.realrecognition.com, which consults companies on improving employee motivation that leads to increased productivity and profit. He can be reached at roysaunderson@realrecognition.com. Also, tune in every Tuesday to his radio show, Real Recognition Radio. This page is protected by Copyright laws. Do Not Copy