How To Keep Remote Workforces Engaged
Remote working has become integral to many modern businesses, with more than 44% of UK workers currently operating in home or hybrid work arrangements.
Hybrid working can offer a wide range of benefits for companies, including improved flexibility, convenience, and productivity. However, these arrangements don’t come without their own unique challenges.
Studies suggest that 23% of remote workers feel disconnected from their colleagues, while 17% believe that team communication has decreased. While hybrid work arrangements can benefit many employees, some of these ongoing issues can have a direct impact on team collaboration and workplace culture.
Bridging the gap between remote and office staff is key to building a positive and productive work environment, so let’s take a look at how employers can engage hybrid workers effectively.
Encourage social interaction through virtual events
Replicating the social aspect of office culture can be tricky for hybrid workers, but it’s crucial to keeping remote staff engaged and happy.
While virtual coffees and Zoom quizzes may feel like gimmicks sometimes, they can play an important role in keeping teams connected from multiple locations. Remote workers will still want to bond with their colleagues and catch up in a more casual environment, so make sure you’re encouraging social interaction through video calls and online platforms.
Maintain consistent communication between employees
Regular communication is absolutely crucial for businesses, whether it’s team members collaborating on a project or managers providing feedback.
Unfortunately, communication is also one of the biggest challenges that remote working presents. Although video calls are quick to set up, it becomes much easier for staff to delay or avoid conversations when they’re not sharing a desk or office space.
This is why employers need to ensure that communication is a central focus for their business, setting up regular check-ins and status calls that keep managers in touch with their team. If all workers can get into a consistent routine of scheduled video calls and meetings, then maintaining communication will become much easier.
Communication isn’t just about day-to-day projects, either. A small gesture like a ‘happy birthday’ message or a personal check-in can mean a lot to remote workers, and make staff feel significantly more connected with their colleagues.
Provide remote workers with the right equipment/training
If businesses want to ensure that remote workers can stay connected with their office-based colleagues, they need to provide them with the right tools and resources to do so.
As an employer, ask yourself the following questions when you’re trying to set up or improve hybrid working arrangements:
- Can remote workers join meetings, calls, and presentations quickly and easily?
- Do hybrid staff have all of the equipment they need to fulfil their responsibilities?
- Will any staff need to access files/documents from a remote server while at home?
- Do the IT department need to provide any formal training for device/software usage?
According to research, 17% of remote workers have experienced issues with a poor home setup or a lack of equipment. This can quickly make staff feel overlooked and disconnected, so if you want to nurture a positive business culture, be sure to invest in the right equipment for hybrid employees.
Hybrid working arrangements aren’t always easy for companies to maintain, but if you make a concerted effort to engage, support, and connect with remote staff, the benefits can be enormous in the long run.
Need support with recruiting for hybrid roles or attracting top talent to your business? At Barclay Meade, our specialists can help you to build highly skilled teams that make flexible working an overwhelming success for your company.
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