Written by Varshith Mittapalli 12 June 2023 | 4 min readIt is always important to stay connected with your remote employees to maintain good morale and positivity. Check out this blog to explore 8 different ways that can help you enhance your remote work culture.
Remote working is now a part of our present. What started off as a possible alternative for companies with employees around the globe, is now an integral part of an ideal work culture, either by itself or as a hybrid workplace. According to Global Workplace Analytics, remote work has increased by 159% worldwide over the past 12 years.
An Ergotron poll of 1,000 full-time employees found that employees have become more accustomed to hybrid and remote office environments since the pandemic's inception. This means that it can be deemed as a powerful tool to increase job satisfaction and improve employee mental health and work-life balance.
With the ability to work from any location, employees have more options for flexible lifestyles that support - productive professional lives and fulfilling personal ones. However, there can be a few challenges that can come while implementing these initiatives which need to be addressed immediately and this is where staying connected with your remote workforce becomes ever so important. Read on to find out why!
Connecting with remote employees is not just about having meetings and following up about different projects – it is forming a bond that goes beyond tasks and deadlines.
Lack of workplace camaraderie is a prominent disadvantage of remote working. According to Owl Labs, remote employees are 21% more likely to experience difficulties in building and maintaining relationships with colleagues. Though employees work from the comfort of their homes, it comes at the expense of their interactions with the organization limited to work-related conversations. This monotony might lead to a lack of interest, burnout, or a decrease in productivity, and can affect your entire team.
Along with dealing with disconnect, here are some important reasons for us to connect with our remote employees
Now that we have understood the impact of such an important connection, let us explore different significant ways to do so -
A major challenge for connecting a remote workforce is that personal connection starts to diminish. According to Buffer State of Remote Work, 20% of remote workers struggle with feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is where scheduling one-to-one interactions with each of the remote employees comes to the fore, as it allows managers to stay in touch with them and ensure they are doing well. By taking the time to engage in personal conversations with each employee, you can establish a deeper understanding of their needs, challenges, and aspirations. This level of individual attention and support demonstrates your genuine interest in their well-being and professional growth.
These interactions also allow leaders to check in on them periodically. This extra focus helps in building firm relationships that help in fostering positive workplace camaraderie. Along with such interactions, implementing tools like Happiness and Mood Index can give valuable insights into your employees’ well-being.
Sending a corporate care package is a unique way to establish a distinct work culture. These packages can include personalized items such as company swag, snacks, or even handwritten notes to show appreciation and make them feel valued. Care packages not only create a sense of connection but also provide a tangible reminder of the company's support and care for its employees, even from a distance.
By taking the time and effort to curate and send personalized items, employees feel a genuine sense of gratitude and recognition for their hard work and dedication. This act of appreciation strengthens the emotional bond between the employee and the company, fostering a deeper connection.
Feedback is an integral part of any productive workplace culture, and even more so to stay connected with your remote employees. Actively seeking feedback from them indicates that their opinions and experiences matter. It sends a powerful message that their input is valued and contributes to the decision-making process. According to Buffer State of Remote Work, 61% of remote employees feel that their feedback and input can help influence important decisions within their organization. This sense of being heard and recognized strengthens the connection between employees and the organization, fostering a culture of mutual respect and trust. Technologically speaking, various channels for gathering feedback have emerged, including surveys and eNPS, alongside other methods. These methods not only help in collecting feedback but also help in identifying important data points and providing key inferences from the collected data.
A pat on the back. A high five. An elbow bump – there were different ways to celebrate each other's success while working in the office. With those avenues becoming a little difficult, recognition must be amped up from the usual amount to balance it out. According to Gallup, remote employees who receive regular appreciation from their managers are 43% more productive.
Recognition doesn’t need to be monetary; Consider public recognition, tokens of appreciation and gratitude, high-visibility development opportunities, and various perks and incentives. Invest in a rewards and recognition platform to make your life easier. From sending a simple thank you card to publicly appreciating your peers, it is your one-stop destination for all these tasks! Individualizing your recognition can also have a dramatic impact on helping your remote employees feel seen and valued.
Flexibility is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance the connection with your remote workforce. Offering flexibility to remote employees empowers them to have a greater sense of autonomy and control over their work and personal lives.
In terms of time flexibility, it means allowing remote employees to have some control over their working hours. According to the Gartner Digital Worker Survey, 43% of respondents said that flexible working hours helped them achieve more productivity. Not everyone operates optimally during traditional office hours. By allowing employees to choose their working hours, you recognize and leverage their peak performance times.
Flexibility can also extend to the methods and tools used for remote work. This includes providing remote employees with the flexibility to choose the technology, communication channels, and collaboration tools that work best for them.
One of the key benefits of virtual fun activities is that they provide a platform for remote employees to engage in informal conversations and get to know each other on a personal level. These activities create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere where individuals can share experiences, interests, and anecdotes.
Virtual fun activities also help break the monotony of remote work and inject an element of excitement and entertainment into employees' routines. Remote employees may miss out on the spontaneous interactions and shared experiences that occur naturally in a physical office setting. By organizing activities like virtual scavenger hunts, online escape rooms, or themed costume contests, you create memorable moments and shared experiences for your remote workforce.
Here’s a list of fun activities that can help increase socialization and engagement with the remote workforce -
Virtual Coffee Chats: Encourage remote employees to have virtual coffee chats to foster informal conversations and build relationships.
Online Team Building Games: Organize online team-building games or activities to promote collaboration and camaraderie among remote employees.
Virtual Happy Hours: Host virtual happy hours where remote employees can socialize and unwind together.
Wellness Challenges: Run wellness challenges to encourage remote employees to prioritize their physical and mental well-being.
Online Learning Sessions: Conduct online learning sessions or webinars to provide remote employees with educational and skill development opportunities.
Virtual Lunches: Arrange virtual lunch sessions where remote employees can eat together and engage in casual conversations.
Promoting continuous learning empowers your workforce, helps in meeting your business objectives, and demonstrates to team members that the company cares about their long-term success. Professional development helps to sustain culture, minimize burnout, and maintain productivity in addition to adding exceptional abilities. From a remote setting perspective, it enhances the employees’ sense of purpose and shows the leadership’s interest and investment in their growth. According to Gallup, remote employees who have access to learning opportunities are 55% more likely to feel engaged and satisfied with their work. Incorporate an LMS to create a repository of different resources and track the learners’ progress. This gives an opportunity for remote employees to upskill themselves and find new ways to contribute to the company’s growth.
Give remote employees chances to enroll in fun classes that allow them to explore new interests, hobbies, or skills outside of their typical work responsibilities. These classes could include anything from virtual cooking lessons and art workshops to fitness classes or language courses. This helps build interpersonal relations beyond work, an aspect that can be affected by the transition to the remote setting.
Employees appreciate the chance to engage in activities they enjoy, which in turn leads to a stronger sense of connection to the organization.
This is another perk you can offer to your remote employees. It can be noise-canceling headphones, an amazing chair with great lumbar support, or allot a specific work-from-home allowance for them to choose their own gadgets! Our point is, by helping them spice up their workplace at home, it creates a dedicated space for them to work without distractions. These accessories can indicate your investment in their well-being and can inspire them to be their best. Here are some gadgets and accessories that can upgrade their workplace -
All in all, the above points are such that all of them gel well with one another – implementing them individually or together can enhance your connection with your remote team without any apprehensions. In case you are unsure of where or how to start, implementing a rewards and recognition program can be a great first step.
It is also important to note that remote working is not a temporary fix but a new normal, which is why consistency is key. Any initiative taken must be implemented after surveying and understanding what is required for that work culture, and special efforts must be taken to maintain consistency and transparency throughout.
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