To create the finest possible experience for remote employees and ensure your teams remain engaged and motivated, it’s crucial to start by establishing a remote working policy.
This policy helps set clear expectations around engagement and productivity.
While this may sound intimidating, it is quite manageable. There are always plenty of free resources like templates available online as a guide (EL Blue, n.d.).
Even if your organisation only has a handful of remote workers, having a policy in place is essential — especially as more employees are choosing to leave behind the daily commute.
Additionally, with more teams turning their homes into extensions of the workplace, organisations need to go beyond simply offering allowance for, let’s say, a desk and chair. They must fundamentally rethink online communication practices and assess whether their current tools truly support connection and collaboration (Perkbox, n.d.).
With that foundation laid, let’s dive into how you can keep your remote teams engaged and the benefits that come with it.
1. Give Remote Employees a Platform to Be Heard
Using a digital survey tool is one of the most effective ways to collect feedback from remote teams. Sending out brief surveys weekly or fortnightly gives employees an opportunity to share their thoughts. This reinforces that their input is valued and their experiences matter. For instance, when launching a new benefits package, it’s essential to understand what perks employees truly appreciate.
2. Maintain Face-to-Face Interaction
Video communication plays a key role in keeping remote staff engaged. A common complaint among remote workers is the lack of visual interaction with their peers, which can lead to feelings of disconnection. Regular video calls help maintain a sense of team belonging and cohesion (Perkbox, n.d.).
3. Implement a Structured Scheduling System
Introduce a scheduling framework that promotes collaboration between remote and on-site team members. This helps manage expectations and prevents assumptions that remote employees are always available. While remote working does allow employees to work at their most productive hours, it is harmful to assume an on-site team member’s most productive time is the same as the remote worker’s. Time differences should also be taken into account when implementing an online schedule (EL Blue, n.d.).
4. Communicate Company Updates Regularly
Having regular discussion meetings on a platform of choice (whether it be Teams, Zoom, or another) for your business does wonders.
These meetings allow senior leaders to share updates and provide a platform for employees to ask questions. This transparency helps keep everyone aligned and engaged.
5. Set Clear Goals for Remote Teams
Establish individual or team objectives through video meetings. Online learning tools can support skills development where needed. Combining short-term wins with long-term goals helps employees stay motivated and track progress toward professional growth.
6. Foster a Digital Space for Idea Sharing
Create a dedicated online space for employees to exchange interesting insights or ideas related to your industry, market, or product. Remote work can limit spontaneous conversations, so this kind of virtual hub encourages meaningful dialogue and connection.
7. Take Initiative on Employee Wellbeing
Remote team members may not always voice their concerns directly. Managers should proactively check in, especially if someone seems more distant than usual. Staying attuned to team morale is a critical aspect of leading a remote workforce.
Studies show that employees who work from home benefit substantially from the increased flexibility that working from home gives them. This causes employees to be more efficient and productive as they can work during their most productive hours with the highest focus (EL Blue, n.d.).
Remote working offers employers a wider range of talent and skill as they are able to hire people they believe to be most suited for their business, regardless of their actual location. This leads to a workforce with broader diversity (Perkbox, n.d.).
