Whether it was the advancement of technology or recent global events, the popularity of remote working has significantly increased in recent years and is expected to continue growing. Virtual teams tend to be happier and more productive than their in-office counterparts, and it’s essential to keep the positive energy flowing. To reap the benefits of remote work, you need to keep your workers satisfied and engaged. For example, an online trivia game is a fun way to bring employees together, create bonds, problem-solve and collaborate. Below are more ways you can achieve engagement in the workplace:
Using the right remote-working tools
Increased engagement is essential for productivity and efficiency, but it can only be achieved when your remote teams have access to effective tools that enable them to reach a higher level of collaboration. The simplest way to achieve this is by moving your business processes to the cloud. Such an infrastructure can easily be accessed anytime and from anywhere, giving your remote workers the opportunity to complete their responsibilities using more suitable schedules. Not to mention that the cloud will make automation and company-wide communication incomparably easier as well.
Prioritizing good communication
The best remote-working tools might not be enough for optimal engagement. The efficiency of your virtual teams also depends on how you utilize them. This doesn’t only mean maintaining the same goals and objectives as you would with in-office teams, but also prioritizing good communication and keeping all of your employees updated and informed. Along with cloud-based and other remote-working platforms, this could also be achieved through effective video conferencing tools that enable two-way conversations, weekly staff meetings, as well as regular check-ups.
Maintaining high standards
In order to keep your remote workers engaged and productive, it’s imperative to maintain the same standards of employment for the entire staff, which includes the same opportunities, benefits, and types of payroll. As this could be quite difficult to achieve with virtual teams, especially if you’ve decided to hire international employees, expert services can be of great help. For instance, you could hire a professional employer of record services that will take care of all the legal and administrative responsibilities for you. From onboarding and payroll to taxes and benefits, an experienced organization will help you ensure the highest possible standards for all remote employees.
Focusing on team-building activities
Team-building has been quite a powerful tool in the corporate world for quite some time now, and for a very good reason. They promote good communication and collaboration, they boost productivity, efficiency, and engagement among teams, they aid in raising satisfaction levels and employee morale, and they could also help to keep employees motivated and aligned with the company’s goals. What’s more, the options for great team-building activities are truly endless, even for remote teams, including multiplayer video games, virtual trivia nights, watch-along parties, online treasure hunts, and even interesting group chats.
Providing growth opportunities
While remote working does offer a number of benefits, many employees feel that they are forced into a stagnant position in terms of their career when working from home. This can have quite a negative effect on the engagement and efficiency levels of your workers, which is why it’s essential to provide virtual teams with the same growth and advancement opportunities as in-office employees. In an effort to make remote working an even more appealing prospect, it might also be wise to offer unique career opportunities for remote positions, whether that means giving promotions based on exceptional performance or providing free training and courses online.
Asking for relevant feedback
It’s no secret that being part of a virtual team often comes with a special set of challenges, and your staff will likely want to be heard regarding these problems. For that reason, it might be beneficial to regularly ask your employees for relevant feedback, and make sure you take their concerns into account before making any important decisions. This will help to make your team members feel more valued and appreciated. Providing feedback to remote workers could have a number of advantages as well, such as increasing motivation, boosting engagement, and raising overall job satisfaction.
From increased motivation and productivity to noticeable positive changes in your bottom line, keeping your remote workers engaged can evidently have a number of benefits for your business. Use the tips mentioned above as a helpful guide for increasing engagement among virtual teams and creating new growth and success opportunities for your company.
