The rising popularity of remote work has altered the landscape of work, allowing greater liberty to both business operators and workforce. Nevertheless, maintaining engagement and motivation amongst remote employees is an intentional and ongoing process, which requires new and innovative ways. To get around these issues, a strategy has to be designed by the organizations that not only protects but enhances employee engagement, creates a sense of belonging, and increases output in the cyclic virtual working model.

With a greater number of organizations adopting remote work policies, managers are challenged to review the existing employee engagement methods. The fineness lies in being steadfast and pliable – crafting an ambiance that promotes teamwork, encourages the balancing of work and other aspects of life, the quest for career development and taking care of oneself. In this article, we investigate practical, tested ways that can enable firms build and maintain a successful, engaged, and high-performing culture in a remote working environment.

Read Also: Mistakes to avoid while managing remote teams

Strategies to improve employee engagement

There are several advantages that accompany remote work, but it also demands a purposeful strategy to keep the employees motivated and engaged. The strategies discussed below aim to improve the morale and encourage employees to perform better. Engaging a remote team isnt just keeping the team busy, its about creating a supportive, inclusive, and thriving work culture. At Graffersid, we ensure that your work is recognized and rewarded while maintaining a thriving company culture.

1. Prioritize clear communication

Every successful remote collaboration relies on communication. However, this is prone to delay due to the absence of physical encounters. As a result, it is critical to create open lines of communication and ensure that all team members are on the same page about goals and expectations. To achieve clear communication, companies must deploy the right tools to keep the employees on track. Some such tools are- Slack, Trello, Zoho, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc. This will help the remote employees understand their tasks and stay connected with their peers and seniors. The seniors must also clearly establish their expectations from the employees, and encourage all sorts of feedback which can help the overall growth of the company.

2. Foster a culture of Recognition

Recognition is one of the best ways to keep employees motivated. Regardless of the size of the accomplishment, appreciating the efforts of the employees makes them feel important, which in turn encourages them to seek greater achievements. Acknowledging their efforts can be done in different ways and one of them is offering rewards or giving verbal praise. Bonusly and Kudos are examples of applications that can be used and incorporated in the daily working system, to help others recognize their peers’ wins as well. One-on-one feedback can also greatly help in boosting the morale of employees.

3. Encourage work-life Balance

A major benefit of remote work is the opportunity to design a schedule that fits the employee’s personal life. At the same time, employees who do not set any limits often find it hard to distinguish the two and work beyond designated hours leading to fatigue. Setting clear boundaries helps individuals commit to the designated work hours, allowing them to pursue personal activities later in the day. Offering flexible schedules can also help employees structure their day according to their most productive hours. This fosters autonomy and helps maintain motivation.

Lastly, it is very important to promote physical and mental well-being among your team to ensure maximum productivity. Offering flexible schedules so that the employees can organize their day around their most productive hours is another way to encourage work-life balance. This encourages independence and keeps the motivation high. Last but certainly not least, promoting health- both physical and mental- has to be done with the utmost priority to ensure that the team’s productivity is retained at its peak level.

4. Organize virtual team-building activities

Remote employees may struggle to effectively communicate with their peers. This can hamper the task coordination and consistency. For this, teams must be aligned in order to make the most use of resources and achieve a consistent output.  This fosters rapport among employees. It may be accomplished by conducting online quizzes, scavenger hunts, and virtual escape rooms, all of which can bring some excitement and creativity to the workweek. These activities allow team members to relax and communicate outside of work, encouraging personal connections. You may also use virtual coffee breaks, happy hours, and luncheons to foster social interactions.  

5. Professional growth opportunities

Remote employees also crave chances for their professional growth, helping them move forward in their careers. Engaging employees entails investing in their professional development and giving them opportunities to broaden their skills and expertise. Online courses and certifications on platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning can be offered to employees to help them enhance their skills. Seniors can also hold mentorship programs which can help new employees navigate their professional development.

Conclusion

Remote work has several advantages, but it also demands a purposeful strategy to keep employees motivated and engaged and build a sense of connection.The strategies discussed above aim to maintain morale and encourage employees to perform better. Engaging a remote team isn’t just keeping the team busy; it’s about creating a supportive, inclusive, and thriving work culture. At Graffersid, we ensure that your work is recognized and rewarded while maintaining a thriving company culture.