Remote Work: Keep Your Employees Engaged! The How and the Why

Although it’s a new year, many aspects of 2020 we’d love to kiss goodbye to have carried over to 2021—yup, we’re still in a pandemic. Everyone I know has adjusted to remote work by now, finding new opportunities they did not have before, like turning on that Zoom Star Wars virtual background to let “the force” get themselves through another normally drab team meeting.  

But in all seriousness, employers and employees alike were initially struggling to stay engaged in their work from home, especially when it wasn’t meant to be remote. However, many have found they enjoy the flexibility and sort of autonomy remote work comes with. There is in fact potential for certain businesses to overall benefit from this switch to remote work as well.  

Remote Work Statistics: Navigating the New Normal states, 

 “research shows businesses lose $600 billion a year to workplace distractions, and that remote workers are 35% to 40% more productive than their in-office counterparts. 

Among performance-based remote work statistics in 2020, 94% of surveyed employers report that company productivity has been the same (67%) or higher (27%) since employees started working from home during the pandemic.” (Emily Courtney) 

In addition, statistics show “Companies allowing remote work have 25% lower employee turnover those that don’t.” (OwlLabs) 

To truly reap the most benefits from the increase in remote work, there are things employers found help keep employees engaged, happy, and therefore, productive.  

Here are habits employers have adapted to best benefit from switching to or significantly increasing remote work. 

 

Communication 

• Consistent and clear communication in the office is so essential, and now that everyone is miles apart from each other, even more important to make sure everyone is on the same page. To keep the cogs in your machine turning smoothly, everyone should know their part, what they are contributing to the team effort.  
• Especially during this COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to unfold and change, policies and restrictions are subject to change right along with it. Many have started implementing sending weekly updates on the pandemic and how it will impact the company and its employees.  
• Frequent communication also opens dialogue for any questions or concerns employees may have. The pandemic is impacting many mentally/emotionally, and with emotions running high, getting employee feedback on how they’re feeling will help to understand the general mood of your workforce, then act accordingly. Even if your workforce seems to be handling things well, they will appreciate that their boss cared to ask and check-in.  

Get everyone on video 

• Virtual check-in meetings help a lot with providing open lines of communication. However, they also provide a way for employees to engage in face-to-face interactions, which we all know we are lacking in our social lives nowadays.  
• Even though the face-to-face interactions are virtual, they are still a form of social interaction. It forces the employee to get out of their pajamas and treat the work day like a work day, brainstorming and strategizing with colleagues as they would in the office.  

Lead by example with a good remote work setup 

• If some employees are having trouble adjusting to remote work, it can help to lead by example with how you set yourself up for success at home. When others see that you are in the same difficult situation as them, working amongst many distractions, but managing it well, being productive and engaged, they will see its possible and be motivated to do the same! 

Helpful Tips to share:

• Invest in noise-cancelling headphones to have your full attention and focus on the task and during virtual meetings.  
• Avoiding clutter or anything in the background that may be a distraction to others during meetings.  
• Facing a window or natural light so you are clearly seen on video. (Although I know it can be entertaining conducting meetings as a mysterious silhouette in a swively office chair. But I’d say let’s keep it professional and remember we are trying to lead by example). 
• Create a home office, a designated space for work. (No, not in your bed!) Yes, not everyone can afford to have a whole separate room as an office, but even choosing a corner in the room and putting a desk there can already be the start of your new remote work environment.  

Avoid micromanaging 

• From home, you may not be able to check–up on your employees the way you would in an office environment. Knowing how many distractions there are, knowing how responsible and disciplined one must be to work from home productively, it’s tempting to keep making sure each employee is on task throughout the day. Although you want to be communicating regularly with your team and lead them in the right direction, you don’t want to mirco–manage, as that makes employees feel like you do not trust them. Remote work does require a lot of trust from the employer. Creating open lines of communication for transparency allows for employees to keep their autonomy but stay on the same page. 

Promote employee well–being 

• In light of the current situation, it’s important to practice empathy, understanding, and offer support to employees working from home. When employees are anxious or stressed about their personal or family’s well–being, it’s difficult for them to stay engaged or productive. For those who are sick, taking care of sick/loved ones, or are adjusting to new child-care arrangements, remind them of flexible work arrangements, if that is an option, or even time off if necessary. That way when they do work, they have a clearer, more focused mind. 
• FMP Consulting states, “To foster employee well-being, give employees autonomy and flexibility to create work from home environments that best suit them and promote activities such as breaks, physical activity, and meditation.”
   

 

All in all, it’s very easy to let the pandemic dampen out moods, motivation, and productivity. However, the impacts of the pandemic are a perfect reminder to fight to stay resilient despite what life throws at us. The pandemic required huge adjustments for everyone, but it’s important to analyze and implement which adjustments can set you and your team up for success. Now let’s discover and reap the many benefits there are to experience through remote work! 

 

 

Written by– Marusya Madubuko 

 

 

Citations: 

https://www.uschamber.com/co/run/human-resources/keeping-remote-employees-engaged 

 

https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/remote-work-statistics/#gref 

 

https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/remote-work-statistics/