How to Engage Your Workforce While Remote Working
As the six-month trial of a four-day working week gets underway, employee wellbeing and the impact of employee engagement on performance is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. The benefits of a shorter working week have been debated for years, but companies are only now beginning to take the plunge after the pandemic has caused the traditional working model to shift. ‘Work from home’ policies have demonstrated that remote working is both achievable and beneficial, and perceived barriers are beginning to fade away as employers work to redefine the ways in which they communicate and engage with workforces.
A CIPD report published in April 2021, explores how organisations can learn from experiences during the pandemic to make remote working a long-term success. The report highlights “the need for organisations to take a strategic approach to homeworking to harness its benefits and improve working lives post-pandemic”.
Here are a few ways you could go about implementing a strategy that focuses on wellbeing, communication, and collaboration to successfully manage remote workers and get the most from your hybrid working model:
Develop The Skills Necessary to Have Safe and Effective Wellbeing Conversations
In a remote environment, employers need to create opportunities to discuss both work and non-work-related stressors in order to foster a culture of openness around mental health. Use Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype or any other communication/collaborative working platform to catch up with your employees on a regular basis. And remember, working from home can be isolating, remind your employees about the wellbeing support your organisation has available and how to access it.
Explore Various Types of Virtual Collaboration
Although in-person meetings are often the preferred method of collaboration, successful organisations that are adept at working in today’s digital age understand that some of the best employees can work from anywhere in the world. Group projects, involving brainstorming and problem-solving tasks, can be harder to accomplish virtually than others, which is why it’s important to take the time to explore the functionality of the technological solutions at your disposal. From discussion groups to web conferencing, there is always a solution to suit your virtual collaboration requirements, regardless of the complexities.
Show Appreciation to Remote Workers
It’s easy for an employer to get caught up in the day-to-day operations of the business and forget to make time to incorporate regular employee feedback into their schedule. “These seemingly simple gestures make a massive impact on employee engagement.” Be sure to respond to and show appreciation for incremental progress, improvement, and efforts from your employees. This is key to building genuine relationships with your team, virtual or otherwise.
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