Keeping a remote workforce satisfied can be a challenge. However, a thoughtful and well-planned remote work program can keep employees motivated, engaged, and even more productive than being office-based.
Video conferencing, drive storage, chat apps, and employee engagement platforms have made it possible to produce quality work while enjoying the convenience of working from home.
But there's also a downside to working at home.
Remote workers can sometimes feel 'left out’ of the workplace due to the lack of shared physical space. Also, some remote employees work in teams with people they have never met face to face, which makes connections more challenging, and makes some people feel excluded from company culture. Not only that but also remote working sometimes makes people feel demotivated and that deadlines and commitments aren't always enough motivation.
The good news is that there are ways to recreate this lost connection and strengthen employee engagement in your remote workforce. Here's how.
1. Keep people updated It's essential to keep your remote employees updated in order to prevent any anxiety they might be feeling, as they lack the constant feed of information that others in the office have. Make sure you have a business communication plan to share any updates or news with them.
Always provide remote employees with clear objectives, vision, and project updates which helps them understand how their role contributes to the company's success, resulting in a more engaged employee. Many tools have been specially built to fulfill this gap, keeping your employees connected and engaged with your company culture. Make sure to find the right one that suits your business plans and objectives.
2. Provide a platform for effective communication Voices of distant workers can get lost, leading to a feeling of not being valued and that their leaders are ignoring their ideas. When thinking about engagement for remote workers, prioritize ways to give them a voice by using effective communication and engagement platforms to boost engagement and make them feel included.
Choose a platform that helps keep them engaged and included by creating surveys and having one-on-one conversations. Also, you can use this platform to share company updates, events, policy changes, and even informal communication like birthdays and work anniversaries. And finally, integrating such platforms in your business will help you keep an open door policy that keeps remote employees engaged as they have a direct line to share ideas with their teams and management.
- Help them feel empowered It's essential to help your remote workforce feel empowered and encouraged. For example, be flexible about working hours and let them take ownership. And if you want to reduce turnover and keep a satisfied remote team, you must recognize their ideas and accomplishments and provide them with opportunities for career development.
Make recognition visible, so other members of the organization are aware of the valuable contributions they are making on a daily basis by calling out their big wins, which will consequently boost motivation and engagement, build a culture of appreciation and empower the rest of the team.
- Empower Employees With Effective Feedback Constant feedback allows progress done by employees to be measured and evaluated. It will enable immediate and regular feedback and promotes open communication, keeping all team on track and consequently helping them feel satisfied and slacked as they are fully aware of the big picture and are not missing out due to their remote working schedule.
When considering how to engage remote employees and how to keep them happy and motivated, keep in mind that nurturing and developing them is an ongoing task. Engagement is never a one-time task that can be crossed off your to-do list. Employees who are engaged are your most valuable asset. Keep up to date on new ways to engage your remote workers.