Remote work has become increasingly popular in recent years, with the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerating the trend of teams working from home, or other remote locations. While remote work has many benefits, such as flexibility and improved work-life balance, it can also lead to challenges related to communication, collaboration, and engagement.
Fortunately, with the rise of remote work, leaders have recognised the need to deploy engagement strategies that align with this new paradigm of work. Here we explore methods and tools that can assist you and your business develop a well rounded strategy to keep your remote teams engaged, happy and productive.
Goals provide a clear direction, sense of purpose, and a baseline for feedback on progress, which are all crucial elements for successful remote teams.
According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, employees who have clear and specific goals are 30% more productive than those who don't have any goals at all. The study also found that goal setting can improve employee performance by up to 18%. When employees have a clear understanding of what they need to accomplish, they are more focused, motivated, and productive.
When employees have meaningful goals, they are more likely to be engaged in their work and feel a sense of satisfaction. A study by Gallup found that employees who strongly agree that they have clear goals and expectations are 3.6 times more likely to be engaged in their work than those who don't. Goal setting helps employees to understand how their work contributes to the overall success of the team and the organization, which can increase their sense of purpose and engagement.
Goal setting helps employees to understand how their work contributes to the overall success of the team and the organization, which can increase their sense of purpose and engagement.
Reward and recognition programs are essential tools that organizations can use to enhance employee engagement, particularly for remote teams. When employees are engaged, they are more committed, productive, and less likely to leave. On the other hand, disengaged employees are less productive, more likely to leave the organization, and can negatively impact the company's overall performance.
Remote workers face unique challenges that can impact their level of engagement. These challenges include feelings of isolation, lack of social interaction, and difficulties in staying connected with the company's culture and values. Reward and recognition programs can help overcome these challenges by fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation among remote workers.
Remote workers face unique challenges that can impact their level of engagement. These challenges include feelings of isolation, lack of social interaction, and difficulties in staying connected with the company's culture and values.
Reward and recognition programs are designed to acknowledge and appreciate employees' contributions, hard work, and accomplishments. These programs are commonly used to motivate employees, increase productivity, and enhance employee satisfaction. In the context of remote work, reward and recognition programs can be tailored to meet the unique needs and challenges these team members face.
Research has shown that reward and recognition programs can have a positive impact on employee engagement. Gallup found that companies with high employee engagement had 21% higher profitability than companies with low employee engagement. Another study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that organizations with strong reward and recognition programs had higher employee retention rates.
There are several factors to consider when developing and implementing a reward and recognition program in the workplace.
These include:
Alignment with the company's goals and values: The reward and recognition program should be aligned with the company's overall goals and values. This will ensure that the program reinforces the desired behaviors and outcomes.
Frequency and timing: The reward and recognition program should be frequent and timely. Employees should be recognized as soon as possible after achieving the desired behavior or outcome - with the visibility of the recognition being vital, especially for a remote workforce
Inclusivity: The reward and recognition program should be inclusive, meaning that all employees, regardless of their location or position in the organization, have an equal opportunity to participate.
Variety: The reward and recognition program should offer a variety of rewards and recognition options to appeal to different employee preferences and motivations.
Measurability: The reward and recognition program should be clearly measurable, meaning that the organization can track and evaluate its effectiveness, and the that team members have transparency over the results
In a remote workforce or remote team setting, an employee development program can be a crucial tool to improve engagement and performance. When team members are working remotely, they may feel isolated or disconnected from their colleagues and peers, and feel like they have limited opportunities to learn new skills or advance their careers. By offering a robust employee development program, organizations can provide remote team members with opportunities to develop new on the job skills, improve existing on the job skills, and to upskill with the view of moving into more senior positions.
Here are some key ways in which employee development programs can improve engagement in a remote workforce:
Skill Development: Remote employees may not have the same level of interaction and collaboration with colleagues as they would in a traditional office setting. This can limit their exposure to new ideas and ways of working. An employee development program can provide remote workers with training and coaching opportunities that can help them develop new skills and stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends. This can make them feel more confident in their abilities and increase their sense of fulfillment in their work.
Career Growth: Remote workers may feel disconnected from their career paths and have limited opportunities for advancement. An employee development program can help remote workers identify their career goals and provide them with the resources and guidance they need to achieve those goals. By investing in their career growth, remote workers are more likely to feel valued by their employer and remain engaged with their work.
Connection: Remote employees may feel isolated and disconnected from their colleagues, leading to decreased motivation and engagement. An employee development program can provide opportunities for remote workers to connect with their colleagues and develop relationships. This can include virtual mentoring, team-building activities, and opportunities for cross-functional collaboration. These activities can help remote workers feel more connected to their team and the organization as a whole.
There is a wide variety of technology and collaboration tools that can help keep remote teams engaged and productive. Platinum Outsourcing's current tech stack internally, is Google Workspace, Asana, and 3CX, operating predominantly on Microsoft OS. However, our partners choose to deploy a wide range of tools to collaborate and engage with their remote teams. So we are super fortunate to see how a wide range of tools and methods are used in engaging with a remote workforce!
Video Conferencing: Video conferencing has become a popular tool for remote teams to communicate with each other. Owl Labs have said that remote workers who use video conferencing feel more connected to their team, and are more likely to feel productive and engaged at work. Video conferencing allows remote workers to have face-to-face conversations with their colleagues, which can help build relationships and improve communication.
Collaboration Software: Collaboration software, such as Slack or Microsoft Teams, can help remote teams stay connected and productive. According to a study by Gartner, teams that use collaboration software are 30% more productive than those who do not. Collaboration software allows remote workers to communicate in real-time, share files, and work on projects together, which can improve project visibility, as well productivity and cohesive collaboration.
Project Management Tools: Project management tools, such as Asana or Trello, can help remote teams stay organized and on track. Teams that use project management tools are 45% more productive than those who do not (Wrike). Project management tools allow remote workers to track progress, set deadlines, and assign tasks, which can improve productivity and ensure that projects are completed on time.
Virtual Team Building Activities: Virtual team building activities, such as online games or virtual happy hours, can help remote teams build relationships and stay engaged. Remote teams who participate in virtual team building activities are more likely to feel connected to their team, and are more likely to feel engaged at work. Virtual team building activities can also help remote workers feel less isolated, and can improve morale and job satisfaction (Hubspot).
Company culture is the shared set of values, beliefs, and behaviors that shape how people work together within an organization. It is influenced by a variety of factors, including leadership style, employee attitudes, communication patterns, and organizational structure - it is a complex and well researched topic! In the context of remote teams, there are several unique considerations that can influence the development and maintenance of a positive and productive culture.
One important factor that can influence company culture in remote teams is the degree of communication and collaboration among team members. In the absence of in-person interactions, remote teams may need to rely more heavily on digital communication tools such as video conferencing, instant messaging, and email (as discussed earlier). This can make it challenging to build rapport and establish trust among team members, which are essential components of a strong company culture.
To overcome these challenges, leaders of remote teams need to prioritize regular check-ins, promote virtual team-building activities, and create opportunities for social interaction. This can help team members feel more connected and engaged, and can foster a sense of belonging and shared purpose. We find that our partners who place a priority on engaging with their remote teams see better cohesion with their onshore team, and improved results.
Leaders of remote teams need to prioritize regular check-ins, promote virtual team-building activities, and create opportunities for social interaction.
Another key factor that can influence company culture in remote teams is the degree of autonomy and flexibility that team members are granted. Remote work often allows for greater flexibility in terms of scheduling and location, which can be appealing to employees who value work-life balance and autonomy. However, it can also make it more challenging to establish clear expectations and maintain consistent standards of performance.
To address this, leaders will need to establish clear guidelines and expectations for how work is to be done, as well as processes for monitoring and evaluating performance. This can help ensure that team members are held accountable for meeting their goals and delivering high-quality work, while still allowing for the flexibility and autonomy that remote work affords.
In remote settings, leaders may need to adopt a more proactive and intentional approach to managing their teams, as it can be more challenging to identify and address issues in real-time. Leaders of remote teams may need to prioritize communication, provide regular feedback, and actively seek out opportunities to engage with team members. This can help build trust and rapport, and can foster a sense of shared ownership and commitment to the success of the team.
In remote settings, leaders may need to adopt a more proactive and intentional approach to managing their teams, as it can be more challenging to identify and address issues in real-time
Overall, the culture of a company can have a significant impact on the performance of team members, both individually and collectively. A positive and productive company culture can help foster engagement, motivation, and a sense of purpose among team members, while a negative or toxic culture can lead to disengagement, burnout, and poor performance.
If you would like to learn more about remote teams, and how they can help your business scale, improve profits and drive a better customer experience, reach out to us for a chat here. We would love to hear from you.
