With so much of the workforce already working remotely and predictions that by 2020 50% of UK employees will be working from home, we thought it might be useful to talk about how you can keep a remote team engaged.
Employee engagement is so important to a business and its productivity.
According to a Gallup poll, highly engaged workforces outperform their peers by as much as 147% in earnings per share. To add to that, engaged employees are also 87% less likely to leave their organisation.
So, you can see why it is important to make sure that your employees remain engaged and invested.
But how do you do this with a team that is working remotely? It might not be as difficult as you would think.
1. Communication
Have you ever heard the saying ‘Communication is key’? Well this is true in all aspects of life, including when working with a remote team.
It tends to be that remote workers are left out of the loop with communication because they are not physically present to be told or to overhear office conversations. With all the platforms available to communicate online, there is no excuse for them not to be included. Project management platforms like Asana, Monday or Trello can be used to keep the whole team up to date on where you are with a task.
Being kept up to date with projects or with company decisions will help them to feel like they are part of the organisation.
2. Face to face interaction
If the location allows for it, getting the team together as much as possible and meeting the remote employee in person will give so much value, it will be well worth the potential long journey. Why not plan an annual get together, a Christmas party maybe, or just an excuse to go to the races…?
If a meeting in person is not possible, video calls are the next best thing. Being able to connect with the employee over a video call, allows you to get to know them much better than a phone call or an email.
3. Set clear tasks
Remote workers and office employees alike will benefit from clear tasks and responsibilities being set out. Productivity increases when an employee knows what they must do and when it has to be done.
A remote worker is more removed from the company culture and could be seen as having less accountability. As long as the project is set out clearly from the beginning, communication is regular and feedback is given there should be no reason for someone working remotely to have any less accountability than if they were in the office.
4. Give feedback
There may be a tendency to not give as much feedback on a piece of work if it has been completed remotely. Make a point to give remote workers recognition for their good work and contributions that they are making to your organisation.
You should consider sharing this feedback with the rest of the team (just as much as you would with an office counterpart). This will not only make them feel valued but also part of the team!
5. Provide tools for time management
Just because someone works remotely, does not mean they are good with time management or organisation. Provide the employee with as much training as they need and guidance on how to manage this better.
As with the communication, using collaborative project management platforms or time tracking platforms such as Toggl, can significantly help with this.
Looking to create a culture of engagement in your workplace? Give us a quick call on 0161 883 1149 to talk through your needs.
