Keeping employees engaged at work was often a challenge when everyone was together in an office. Nowadays, with many companies offering part-time or full-time work-from-home opportunities, those challenges have greatly increased.
The good news is that you don’t have to just accept the fact that workers won’t be as engaged with your company since they’re not in the office.
Follow these remote worker tips to keep everyone engaged and in the know:
- Stay connected: The top way to keep everyone engaged is to stay connected throughout the day—and not just via email or messaging platforms. Schedule routine video calls with the team so remote employees can see and hear from all of their team members. This ensures all of your remote workers feel like they’re part of the team and not just outcasts.
- Foster social interaction: Having brief conversations or going out to lunch with other coworkers isn’t a possibility for folks working from home. To combat any feelings of loneliness, you can foster team connections with virtual lunch breaks, virtual team-building exercises or virtual happy hours after work.
- Keep everyone in the loop: Many times, company updates are passed along from coworker to coworker at the water cooler instead of at actual company meetings. Remote workers can feel lost and less engaged with your company without those water cooler talks. Schedule weekly or monthly all-company virtual meetings to update everyone on the latest news and company status.
- Recognize employee contributions: Another way to engage remote workers is to recognize their hard work. Many times, remote employees work longer hours than their in-office counterparts, and it can be frustrating if they’re not recognized for their extra efforts. This can be accomplished by giving shout-outs to your hardest-working remote employees during your all-company meetings.
- Give everyone the tools to succeed: Another one of our remote worker tips is to give them the tools they need to succeed in their role. This extends beyond providing them with a laptop, keyboard and an extra monitor. Make sure they have access to all of the training they’d receive if they worked in your office.
- Be flexible: Perhaps the top perk of working from home is the flexibility it offers. Although you’ll want to make all internal and external meetings mandatory, allow your remote workers the autonomy around when and how they work throughout the day. This flexibility fosters a better working environment and keeps everyone happy.
- Consider coworking options: A coworking facility is where self-employed individuals or those working remotely for different companies can get together and get a sense of working in an actual office. Look into offering coworking facility memberships for all of your remote employees.
See what Windsor HR Services, Inc. can do for you
If you’re having difficulties with your current HR duties, turn to our pros at Windsor HR Services, Inc. We’re specialists at everything from payroll to employee benefits, and with our years of industry experience, we can even help you engage remote workers. Contact us today to get a quote for our services.