The popularity of remote work has increased steadily over time and will only increase in the coming years. People become acclimated to working remotely as more people and enterprises discover its advantages.

Generally speaking, remote workers are more productive, engaged, and content. Businesses may recruit and keep top talent by offering remote and flexible work choices, which makes companies more appealing to top personnel.

But it’s not always simple to manage a remote staff. Fortunately, maintaining employee engagement wherever they work is one approach to the problem. This article discusses effective techniques for motivating your remote workforce.

Mix Up Working Remotely and On-Site

Employee engagement is increased by remote work, particularly when employees alternate between working from home and on-site.

Spending time at the office fosters a sense of community among staff members and enables in-person teamwork and collaboration. However, working from home is typically more effective at keeping people engaged, relaxed, and content.

Utilize Technology to Stay in Touch

You can stay in touch with your remote employees by making smart use of technology and efficient communication channels. Don’t forget to use video conferencing as well. 

Despite the fact that email and online chats are excellent ways to stay in touch, face-to-face interaction can make your virtual team feel more at home in the office setting.

Establish staff meetings and often use video calls with screen sharing. This can influence how your internal staff members regard the remote workers and create a sense of teamwork among your remote employees.

Show Your Concern for the Staff

Build trusting relationships with your remote employees and give them permission to find a balance. Set acceptable limits for schedules, responsibilities, and performance expectations to respect their time. 

Spend some time talking with them about their hobbies, pressures, mental and emotional health, and family and personal interests.

Request and Take Note of Criticism

In order to let employees feel they have been heard and that their opinions are respected, let them know when you act on their input or why you won’t be acting on it. Employees are happier and more engaged at work when they feel valued.  

Don’t hesitate to offer helpful criticism, either. Encourage employees to seize chances for growth.

Appreciate the Efforts of Your Staff

Although they put in more hours than their coworkers who work in offices, remote employees frequently don’t feel like they belong on the team. Making employee recognition a top priority is one approach.

Make use of real-time viewing, commenting, and awarding features offered by an online recognition platform to enable every employee. Employee appreciation is a key factor in determining employee engagement.

Employees who receive regular praise from peers and superiors feel more connected, respected, and appreciated.

Assist Your Most Recent Hires

According to research, 76 percent of recent hires felt less prepared to perform their jobs than 85 percent of long-tenured employees. This means that when working remotely, new hires require additional support.

Managers should offer more resources, communication, and training to help new remote workers get up to speed.

Stay Adaptable

The flexibility that remote work affords employees is among its best features. Give your staff flexibility in how and when they work during non-team meetings and collaborative sessions, even if you may need to set aside time for these activities.

Count on them to finish the job. For employee engagement and happiness, managers and employees must develop a trusting relationship. 

Additionally, flexibility allows workers to establish a schedule that suits them best, improving their ability to balance work and personal life.

Conclusion

Mastering how to manage and motivate your remote staff is more crucial than ever because remote work will only increase over the next few years. Utilize these suggestions to make the most of a remote workforce and maintain your team’s happiness, well-being, and productivity throughout the entire year.

BreakoutIQ is here to assist if you need ideas for remote team-building activities. We help you coordinate a virtual holiday team-building event to bring your remote teams together. 

We design interactive experiences where groups practice creative problem-solving and play together in pursuit of a common goal. Contact us now to learn more.