The remote working model has become rather prevalent ever since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. It’s safe to say that this model is here to stay because some companies have completely bought into the remote working model.
But even though remote working has advantages, managers of virtual teams have had to look for creative ways to keep their employees engaged. One of the biggest challenges is that remote employees frequently feel less engaged and connected to their company since they’re not in the office with the rest of the team, which can affect output and performance. Additionally, there tend to be many distractions associated with working from home, like chores which also could affect productivity. That’s why it’s important to keep employees engaged.
To keep a remote workforce engaged, the entire organization should prioritize employee engagement. Regardless of an employee’s location, the business prospers when managers and corporate executives promote employee engagement and coordination. Here are some ways to build a highly engaged remote workforce.
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Make Them Feel Appreciated
Team managers should prioritize making employees feel appreciated. When employees feel valued, their productivity and satisfaction will likely increase. It shows that the company cares for them. Even people that work remotely deserve to feel valued. After all, your employees are arguably one of the most important components of your organization.
Therefore, you should find simple methods to thank your staff frequently because you aren’t at the office with them every day. For example, you may take them to lunch on their work anniversary. Or you could send them a meal voucher at their favorite restaurant. If it’s somebody’s birthday, consider sending them a virtual gift card. Find small ways to show your staff that you appreciate them.
Virtual Team Building Activities
Virtual events and gatherings are slowly becoming the norm these days. These events aim can help to foster relationships amongst teammates. Specific games, activities, and themes can be used as virtual work happy hour ideas to increase employee engagement. Examples of happy hour activities you can do are virtual happy hour bingo, something in common, and virtual happy hour trivia, among others.
Encourage Health And Wellness
While you can’t force anyone to engage in physical activity, as a manager or team leader, it would be wise to encourage your teammates to stay active for their benefit. Prioritizing employee health is important. Ultimately, if your staff members become ill, they won’t be able to work as effectively.
Maybe you can incentivize your staff to go outside, prepare a nutritious meal, exercise, or develop a healthy habit. You could buy basic fitness equipment like yoga mats and skipping ropes for your staff as an incentive. Even better, you could launch a team wellness initiative. Not only will this benefit your employees’ health, but it will also strengthen their bonds and show them that you genuinely care about their overall well-being.
Virtual Meetings
To keep your virtual teams engaged, you must hold regular virtual meetings. Teams can stay in touch through video conferencing, instant messaging, email, and web conferencing services. Regular voice or video conferencing calls may significantly improve group collaboration. Thankfully, there are several options for team collaboration software that organizations can choose from.
Moreover, setting up online gatherings where employees can discuss things that are unrelated to business is also essential. They can have separate chat groups where they discuss issues unrelated to work. When teammates trust each other, they can discuss anything freely. Make time for team-building activities like informal video calls or team trips to keep staff interested and motivated.
Keep Communication Lines Open
Since remote working allows people to work on flexible schedules, managers must keep their communication lines as open as possible so that they’re able to address employee concerns timeously. Consider the fact that workers in your team may live in different time zones, so they may have irregular working hours. Some people may be available at times when other people aren’t.
Even though it’s unrealistic to expect everyone to be accessible around-the-clock, virtual employees will feel more connected to the organization if they know they can contact their coworkers and maintain contact online.
Give Employees Tools To Succeed In A Virtual Workspace
The key to increasing engagement and performance is to equip staff with the right tools and resources to perform at their highest level. So, make sure your remote team has the resources and knowledge needed to complete the task, regardless of whether they are new hires or seasoned workers.
Conclusion
Since managers for virtual teams can’t constantly monitor employee activity, they have to afford employees a certain level of trust. However, they can do some things to foster team cooperation and engagement. Keeping employees engaged will benefit the organization greatly. The tips mentioned above can help keep your employees engaged but note that the list isn’t exhaustive. Every team is different, and managers may try different approaches to engage their employees.