It has been almost a whole year since all our lives changed drastically due to the Coronavirus Pandemic and as we are now in the 3rd National UK Lockdown, many teams continue to work remotely. The Pandemic has shown both employers and employees that working remotely is an option and many companies have decided not to return to the traditional office environment for the foreseeable.
Working remotely has it’s perks but also brings a whole host of new challenges to contend with, including keeping your team motivated and engaged. Whilst some employees thrive working remotely, others may be really missing the social aspect of the office environment and the human connection.
Keeping your team engaged whilst you work remotely, whether it is for the short-term or long-term is so important as it has a direct impact on wellbeing and motivation which then impacts work produced.
This blog post will give you some ideas on how to keep your teams engaged when working remotely that you can implement straight away.
Team Building
In a recent study by Slack, they found 85% of workers want to feel closer to their remote colleagues. This means it is really important to still make time for those conversations that do not just focus on work. Try to organise team building sessions such as a Friday Evening Cocktail Class to bring the team together. You could also send out care packages or activity packs which will spur creativity and boost employee engagement.
Be Clear on Expectations
Remote employees need direction so they don’t just feel stranded at home. Put together an onboarding kit for your team with clear information on tips, tools and processes to help them.
You could include:
- Where to Ask for Help – the best way to get in touch with their manager?
- Emergency Procedures – what to do if they are sick and who they need to alert.
- Goals – what output you expect from them.
- Working Hours – when they are expected to be available and what flexible arrangements can be supported
Face-to-Face Contact
Although we cannot necessarily meet up in person right now, the good thing about technology is that we can still see each other face-to-face whilst working remotely. This contact and communication is really important when it comes to your remote employees feeling part of a team as it is a great way to bring everyone together and catch up. Try to arrange a weekly or bi-weekly call with your team using software such as Zoom or Google Teams.
Communicate
Check in with your employees often and make sure you are encouraging them to tell you if they are struggling or trying to juggle other elements of their life whilst working (e.g. childcare or home schooling).
Be Flexible
A degree of flexibility is needed in the current climate due to the constant changes and guidelines. Employees may be experiencing new challenges whilst working remotely such as having family at home or home schooling, so be mindful as to how this will affect the way they can work right now. This is a short-term challenge they need to face so be aware of what they are dealing with and let them know you understand.
Show Appreciation
Employees want to be appreciated for their hard work and this can have a huge effect on the motivation and overall happiness of employees. Saying a simple thank you or paying a genuine compliment goes a long way and when employees feel cared about, they’re more inclined to go above and beyond for you.
We hope this blog post has given you some creative ideas on how you can keep your teams engaged whilst working remotely. No matter how long this goes on for, it is so important to keep your employees happy and do everything you can to make this time that little bit easier for them.
Why not use this time to gain valuable insights that will help your teams better understand themselves and discover how to become better connected with others with The Everything DiSC Workplace® profile. It offers actionable ways to strengthen workplace relationships, something that’s increasingly important whilst remote working: DiSC Workplace Profile – Continuous Improvement Projects Ltd (ciprojectsltd.co.uk)