Keeping employees motivated, engaged , challenged and happy are the primary goals of employers that have chosen or have been forced to have a remote work force.
The Challenges:
1. Motivation and engagement
Implement
Daily check-in meetings can help employees from feeling so isolated.
Conduct daily check in meetings on video chat apps such as zoom or Microsoft teams.
Employees should be asked to leave their microphones on and to show their video feed. This will allow you to see and hear and note the persons body language.
Encourage casual conversation at the beginning of meeting and at the end of meeting.
2. Recognition
Implement
Virtual Bulletin Board
Your in-office bulletin board may be packed with employee updates, kudos, photos, and other fun stuff that enhance relationships. Take that same bulletin board concept and put it online. Create a space where remote team members can post funny pictures, cartoons, and comments to each other. This type of open forum can help remote employees feel less isolated and more involved with the company.
3. Clarify Goals
Implement
S.M.A.R.T. goals- establish Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and time-bound goals.
4. Emphasize culture
Reconsider company values
Your company values lay the foundation for your work culture. Considering this dramatic shift in the workplace to working at home, it might be worth taking another look at your company values to see how they reflect a new reality. You could also even consider redefining them all together in order to promote a more connected work culture for everyone.
Set clear expectations
When your employees are at home, it can be difficult for them to know exactly what is expected of them, which can cause them to work less efficiently. Make sure you agree on clear goals so they can stay productive and on task. For example, setting expectations on which communication channels to use helps set the tone and encourages communication.
Communicate often and openly
While you are reconsidering your values and setting expectations, it’s also a good idea to establish “rules of engagement” for communication.
Don’t just leave the watercooler conversations for the office. Find a community online where your employees can gather and facilitate similar conversations. Most communication tools can be left open all day either as a desktop app or browser tab, with notifications to keep you updated, opening the door for a collaborative workspace. Just be sure that your employees know how often and which communication channels to use so they can check-in while working from home.