Working remotely has its share of benefits, such as saving time and saving costs on commutes. It also encourages better work-life balance. But working remotely has some downsides too.
Since your employees are not in the office with their team, they often feel less engaged and connected to their company. As a result, employees who feel isolated will have low levels of productivity and performance.
But when managers and company leaders enhance remote employee engagement and teamwork no matter the employee’s location, the organization as a whole will thrive.
Host meetings and casual interactions
Remote employee engagement will involve regular communications through video calls, instant messages, email, and web conference platforms. For example, when the entire team is working, a voice or video conferencing call can significantly benefit collaboration in the group. You can also utilize communication tools such as Slack and Trello.
It is critical to plan virtual get-togethers for non-work-related activities. At work, there is always something serious or stressful to discuss. But not every conversation needs to be dreaded. Instead, plan for work outings and casual meetings to keep employees engaged, relaxed, and excited to be part of the team.
Ensure that employees are heard and valued
Your employees must feel appreciated even if they are working remotely. Since they are not in the office with you, one of the options you can do is send a quick thank you or provide them with a lunch stub for their work anniversary. Small ways to celebrate and connect with your employees can mean a lot to them.
If it is someone’s birthday, you can send them a virtual gift card. If a worker has performed beyond expectations, you should recognize them for their efforts. Look for simple acts to show your workers that you care and notice their efforts.
Also, make sure that your virtual doors are always open. It is common to have miscommunications online. The last thing you want is for your employees to feel completely isolated and unable to connect with you.
It would help if you clarified that you are available for one-on-one meetings, and they can voice their concerns and questions to you anytime. You must be ready to listen and take action when an employee tells you their concerns.
- Nurture personal connections
Although you want to keep everything professional in your team, keep in mind that your workers are still human beings. They have loved ones, celebrations, and days where there may be feeling down. As an employer, you need to factor in their strengths and weaknesses to better connect with them.
You must know what your workers do and also what they enjoy doing. Then, once you know what they love, you can implement it in their work by creating assignments for them or awarding them with promotions.
Employees working remotely will feel more engaged and committed to a company if they know the company cares about them. Unfortunately, businesses often struggle with a one-size-fits-all communication strategy, and dealing with each employee based on the circumstances and their preferences is a better way to get a person’s attention.
Overall, companies must keep in mind that transparency and honesty are critical to meeting strong employee engagement regardless of whether they are working remotely or within the physical site of the office.
It is even more critical to foster employee engagement in remote working conditions. Employees who are home alone have more distractions and tend to be less focused. They are also susceptible to feeling disconnected and lonely. The result is compromised productivity and output. Level up their performance by connecting with them and stimulating them not just on a professional level but also on a deeper human level.
