Remote work is becoming increasingly common due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This alternative comes with many benefits but also poses some complex challenges. Chief among them is how to keep your remote team engaged.
These are some ideas you can consider implementing to increase engagement and boost the morale of your remote team.
Offer Bonding Opportunities
Leaving room for relaxation and friendly bonding go a long way toward building team spirit and increasing engagement. A smart strategy consists in creating a dedicated space for conversations not related to work, a sort of virtual watercooler where members of your team can exchange ideas freely and get to know each other.
Keep It Simple
There are myriad options when it comes to remote work software. With alternatives that include Slack, Zoom, Teams, Trello, and WhatsApp, the challenge doesn’t lie in finding the right tool, but in streamlining your communication process. Choose one app or program, or two at most, to allow remote members of your team to focus on their jobs without having to worry to check too many programs or apps.
Communication Is Key
“Overcommunicating,” or going out of your way to make sure that your message gets across is a good guideline to keep remote workers engaged. These are other ideas you can implement:
- Clear goal setting: Be specific about deadlines, results, and responsibilities.
- Keep everyone updated: Ensure that all relevant members are aware when a decision is made.
- Don’t bombard your team: Pick the best medium (telephone call, email, video meeting) to deliver your message and stick to that one.
- Encourage feedback: This is a basic communication rule, but it’s particularly important for remote workers. Ask questions, show interest, avoid being defensive and own your own mistakes.
Show Appreciation
Keeping your team engaged even when working remotely can be as simple as using a basic management tool: Showing appreciation. Workers everywhere are overwhelmed trying to balance all kinds of responsibilities in a usual and stressful setting. Chances are that the members of your team are no different. Giving sincere compliments makes your employees cared about and lets them know that their efforts are recognized.
