As we have shifted from working in the office to working remotely these days, how do we improve employee engagement? I’m going to talk about this blog to help entrepreneurs and employees alike have a healthy working environment despite working from home.
How Do We Engage Remote Employees?
In one of my previous blogs, specifically “Building Trust When Working Remotely,” I have mentioned that communication plays a vital role in working remotely. It plays a vital role when working in the office but more importantly when working from home. It is critical in establishing and maintaining engagement with any employee. Keeping in touch with workers who work off-site can sometimes feel tedious and laborious. However, as entrepreneurs or managers, we have to go the extra mile. We need to make more growth opportunities, and communication should be a policy initiative.
Make use of chat rooms.
There is a smorgasbord of chat programs out there. They are free, fast, and more casual than email and have a friendly atmosphere. It bridges the distance among all team members as it will make them feel a little closer to one another.
Video Calls and Meetings
Set up meetings regularly for updates and catch-ups. It doesn’t have to be two-hour meetings as a quick catch-up already works wonders. Make sure you listen to each of them and give your thoughts about their topics. This will encourage the team to talk and share some details of their lives and make everyone feel more connected despite working remotely. If your team members work far enough to have different timezones, set up a schedule where everyone can meet halfway.
Give Real Responsibilities
Real responsibilities make the remote employee feel more valued. It gives them purpose and adds to their career experience, rather than just someone who is only contracted to do specific tasks and is forever forgotten. These real responsibilities guarantee more communication and contribution for the growth of the brand or the business.
Show Appreciation
Like real responsibilities, showing appreciation makes your remote employee feel more valued. This is the icing on the cake. Recognition and appreciation are straightforward ways to show your team that you care for them. Statistics show that so many companies fall short in this area, so let us not be one of them. Let us be broadly thanking the people who work remotely for us for our brands or our businesses to thrive in this difficult time of the pandemic. Tokens need not be expensive ones. Individualized or personalized gifts already show how special they are for you because you have exerted effort to gift them. It really does have a dramatic impact.
Go forth and engage!
So, how do we improve employee engagement when we work remotely? All of the suggestions mentioned above are made to strengthen the bond between employers and remote employees. The ultimate goal is to engage your employees so you, as their employer, would learn what needs and concerns they have and prepare a basic framework to address the issues. By doing so, you will have employees who would care about you and your business and eventually be in a win-win situation as you grow more trust towards them and them towards you.
I hope this shortlist was able to help you spark a greater appreciation for your remote employees. They are critical assets to your business, and they deserve to be appreciated in every way possible.
