Remote work is not entirely new; it’s has been around for quite some time. However, most employers and employees have never experienced what it truly feels like until the pandemic has forced them to do so. Although this new normal has helped businesses thrive in the testing times, it also came with challenges for employers and employees. Employee engagement is of the biggest challenges most companies face today. As no one knows when to stop working remotely, it has become vital for employers to understand the strategies that foster the relationship between them and employees. A recent study shows that a highly engaged workforce increases profitability by 21%.
How employees feel working with you during these difficult times impacts directly on their productivity. More than that, it’s important for organizations to help boost remote employee’s mental and physical health. So, it’s crucial to understand how to deal with employee engagement and everything about remote work for long-term benefits. This article will be your guide that walks you through ways to keep employees engaged when they are working from home. Let’s get started.
9 Important Tips for Keeping Employees Engaged & Happy
Communicate frequently
Communication is an essential factor that boosts employee engagement. But it’s also the biggest problem when working remotely. So, always open your communication lines for employees. Leverage technology, use tools like Zoom, Slack, Teams to keep in touch with them. Organize virtual meetings, connect over the phone rather than emails to get the communication going. However, don’t expect them to pick up the phone every time you call. Understand their work timings or ask the best time to talk to save your time and show them that you respect their time.
Start a light-hearted talk instead of jumping directly into work matters. This makes them feel connected with you and your company.
Consider team-building activities
According to a Buffer study, unplugging after work, loneliness and communication are the three biggest challenges in remote work. People feel lonely and demotivated as they miss face-to-face interaction with their colleagues and managers. Moreover, their line between home and work is more blurred now. Therefore, not only their office has become their personal life, but vice versa. Their personal life disturbances may sometimes affect their quality of work. So, it’s crucial to motivate them with some non-work-related activities. Plan team activities such as multiplayer games, virtual coffee breaks, casual video chats, etc. These boost their mood, social interaction and prepares them for the next work week.
Show them you care
People love being loved. So, ensure they see that you care about them. Check-in on them frequently, ask about their health and family’s or what did they do on a recent holiday. Encourage them to put their physical and mental health and wellness on priority. Provide them timely feedback on their recent work. All these actions create a sense of belonging, and, of course, they need your time, but it’s all worth it. Above all, they are humans, so they need to be treated this way.
Listen to them
As said earlier, there’s less interaction, and there’s nobody to listen to your people. So, when you connect with them on a call, encourage them to speak and listen to them. It’s also necessary to involve them in team discussion and goal-setting process.
Give them feedback and ask them for feedback about the remote work. It’s a win-win for both of you to improve yourselves. This keeps employees more engaged and makes them feel belonged.
Recognize their contributions
People deserve recognition for going above and beyond and achieve something. Especially during these difficult times, it’s essential to recognize and appreciate your employees for their best work. However, a plain “thanks for your contribution” email doesn’t go a long way. Recognize them in a way that sounds like a human. Organize a call with the team or share the news on the group. Doing so boosts team morale which is essential no matter if you are working at the office or home.
Equip them with proper tools
Your employees need two things- motivation and proper tools to make the job done perfectly. So, try to equip them with all necessary software and hardware such as laptop, office set up, etc. If you can’t afford to buy in bulk, help them in purchasing their equipment at discounts.
Offer flexibility
Employees working from home doesn’t mean they should be working all the time. Moreover, managing personal life and work under one roof is easier said than done. Offer them little flexibility about work timings, meetings, or collaborative sessions. Creating a flexible work culture allows them to analyze the best time to work, collaborate and create a healthier work-life balance.
At the same time, measure their work and how your employee engagement ideas are working.
Encourage them to learn
You need to admit that this is the best time to learn new skills. Encourage people to sign up for a new skill. It can be either to upgrade their skills or a non-work-related skill that makes them more active. There is a bunch of free resources on online platforms for career and personal development. So, make sure you talk to them about it.
Keep their mental & physical health in priority
People have started realizing how important mental and physical health is. However, it’s also your job to remind them about their health and wellness. Ask them to meditate and exercise to keep their mind and body healthy. You can also provide them with vouchers for fitness or yoga class or psychotherapy sessions and show them that their health and wellness is your priority too.
Wrapping up,
Keeping employees engaged has become one of the common challenges among employers. After the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a drastic transition to how companies work, it is clear that remote work will only grow in the future. So, it’s essential to understand ways to keep employees engaged and boost productivity.
Most engaged employees are the happiest employees. And you know what a happy employee can do to your company.
To receive and stay updated about related content:
