5 Tips to Keep Your Remote Employees Engaged
If you are managing a hybrid team of both in-office and remote workers, you need to ensure that every team member feels equally valued and engaged with the company. This is not easy to do, and some of the biggest challenges remote workers face is the feeling of isolation and a lack of purpose. This can cause businesses to lose quality employees when some simple steps could make all the difference to employee retention rates. Here are five tips to help you keep your remote employees engaged to ensure they feel part of the team and are motivated to perform at their best.
- Show that you care about their wellbeing
You should be prioritizing the physical and mental health of all your employees, but your remote employees may be at higher risk. Sick employees are less productive or entirely absent, both of which eat into the bottom line. To encourage your employees to prioritize their health, consider incentivizing physical activity such as a walk outside at lunchtime. Some managers have introduced healthy living challenges that the team can work towards together. Managers should also be having regular one-to-one meetings with each team member to check in on them from both a professional and personal angle.
- Organize regular virtual meetings
It is common practice for remote teams to hold virtual meetings for work projects using collaboration software like CoAmplifi, but it is also important to give the team the chance to interact socially. Businesses are built on relationships, and if every conversation is about work, employees are unlikely to establish deeper connections that lead to happier employees and more efficient working relationships.
- Listen to (and value) their opinions
Whether an employee is sat opposite you in the office or working on the other side of the world, they are a part of your organization, and their opinion matters. Give your remote employees plenty of opportunity to contribute to a group decision and keep them informed about the company’s relevant developments and changes. They should feel that they can voice a concern or ask a question without fear of being dismissed.
- Encourage personal connections
Your team is human, and they have their own personalities, interests, families, and personal challenges to manage in addition to their career. Remember that everyone needs some slack from time to time, and they will have unique strengths and weaknesses. By showing interest in their lives outside of work, that you recognize their unique talents, and that you want to develop their weaknesses, you will connect with them on a deeper level. Small gestures like sending a voucher on their birthday or asking how their weekend was can go a long way.
- Make work more fun
An increasing number of businesses are embracing gamification in their approach, i.e., offering rewards for teams who meet certain objectives or even for lighthearted competitions. The key is to keep the team working together towards a shared goal and to make them feel that their hard work has been recognized.
