How to Keep Remote Employees Engaged
/Tips for building a focused, efficient, and productive offsite team
Understanding how to work remotely and manage a remote team has never been more critical than it is today. And beyond the current COVID-19 crisis, professionals have been working remotely at a greater capacity than ever before.
In the past decade alone, telecommuting has grown over 115%. This is a result of both enhanced technology and the willingness of many companies to let go of the traditional office business model. The practice has become so prevalent that 18% of people worked remotely full-time before the crisis, with this number only set to grow in the coming years—perhaps exponentially, as the course of the pandemic creates a “new normal.”
While working remotely has many perks, it also comes with its fair share of challenges. Keeping your remote employees engaged and focused is the key to maintaining momentum. Whether your company is permanently remote or is just bridging the gap during this emergency, you must keep everyone working towards shared objectives.
Here are five tips for building a strong, focused, and efficient offsite team.
1. Set them up with the proper tools and training
A strong and engaged team is only as good as the tools they’re using. The right communication, project management, and file storage platforms keep everyone communicating in real-time with the same sources of information.
Some of your employees may be new to working remotely and require additional training on certain programs. Dedicate time to this training upfront. Create learning sessions on how to use Slack (messaging), Zoom (videoconferencing), SharePoint (file-sharing), and ClickUp (project management)—or whichever tools you’re using. Collaborate with IT personnel to define these platforms and create instructional materials.
2. Set goals, expectations, and policies
Teams need clear benchmarks to thrive—and this doesn't change when working remotely. Set realistic and measurable goals for the team as well as individual employees. Make sure everyone knows how their work contributes to the organization and how they will be held accountable for these goals. And institute policies that account for the increase in remote tasks.
For example, it may be necessary to explicitly communicate etiquette rules that govern remote meetings to prevent frequent interruptions and cross-talk.
3. Communicate clearly and frequently
Communication is the most critical aspect of maintaining an engaged remote team. Employees often feel disconnected when working from home because they're missing that physical collaboration in the office.
Set up regular video conference check-ins with individual employees and the team. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help them feel more connected. These “temperature checks” boost morale and make everyone feel more engaged with one another—and give everyone a chance to ask vital questions.
4. Be as flexible as possible
Working from home is difficult for certain individuals, especially if it’s a sudden change. Employees may be dealing with children, elderly relatives, pets, and other personal issues of which you're not aware. For the most part, you can't expect them to adhere to the same schedule as they usually do in the office. Where possible, learn about these challenges and be as flexible as you can. Try not to focus so much on the hours worked as the outcomes.
For example, companies may consider changing standard meeting times to later or earlier in the day to account for parents who must now watch small kids or oversee their children’s education.
5. Celebrate and have fun with one another
Set aside time to recognize one another for accomplishments and special occasions. Consider sending gift cards or small tokens of appreciation to team members for reaching a goal or going above and beyond.
Don’t forget to have some fun. Create a space on your communication platform where employees can have non-work-related conversations. Share contests, icebreakers, or jokes. There are also plenty of remote team-building exercises you can try to make everyone feel connected.
Engaged employees make the best remote teams
Keeping your team engaged and focused is the only way to make offsite work a success. Without a traditional office set-up with frequent face-to-face interactions, it’s easy for everyone to go their separate ways and operate in a silo.
Engaged teams are passionate about their work, which means they are more productive and efficient. Offsite work doesn’t mean you have to lose that engagement. Adjust expectations, establish goals, and communicate regularly. You’ll knock this whole remote thing out of the park.
Carrington Legal Search is celebrating 20 years in business: we were in the trenches with our clients during 9/11 and 2008. We partner with our clients to identify leaders and mission-critical talent to shore up and grow companies even during the most challenging times. We are here for you! To make our nationwide network work for you, get in touch at 512-627-7467 or email mailto:carrie@carringtonlegal.com.