Remote work has become very popular in the last decade, and now there are millions of employees working from home. This has had a positive effect on the working world — research has found that companies with remote workers have a 25% lower employee turnover rate, which significantly reduces hiring costs. And it isn’t just the companies who benefit from remote work. A second study found that employees who occasionally work from home are 24% more likely to feel happy and productive.
So there are lots of benefits to remote work, but there is also one clear downside. Remote workers work independently, which means they can miss out on company culture and feeling like part of a team. Thankfully there are a few ways to get around this.
Here are four ways you can make remote employees feel more involved.
Switch Up Your Leadership Style
Managing a virtual team is very different to managing a team around you, so the first thing you should do is think about switching up your leadership style. You can’t watch over your employees as they work, which can be a little frustrating, but it just means that you need to hire remote employees who you truly trust.
It is also important to come up with innovative ways to track your remote employees’ progress and results. You could do this through weekly meetings over Skype, or you could use a messaging service such as Slack so that they can easily message you with any worries or concerns. This means you will still be an effective leader, even if you aren’t actually in the same room as your employees.
Build a Team Atmosphere
A team atmosphere is a big part of most work environments so it can be beneficial to create a team atmosphere for your remote employees. Sure, they won’t ever be in the same room as each other, but they are still a team who work together! So try to set up some communication channels to ensure that everyone can be social; for instance, on Slack you can create a group chat where employees can discuss work issues.
Promote a Good Work Life Balance
Finally, it can be beneficial to promote a good work life balance. Many managers worry that remote employees don’t work as hard because they are not supervised, but in reality this is far from true. In fact, a recent study found that remote workers are often more engaged and productive than staff who are based in an office. So if you are outsourcing HR to a virtual assistant, encourage them to take regular breaks throughout the day. This will help to boost their productivity levels and it also means that they are less likely to feel stressed or overwhelmed.
You can also promote a good work life balance by celebrating employee achievements. For instance, you could give an employee the day off after they complete a successful project. This is a simple way to show that you care about your employees’ overall well-being.
