We saw a boom in remote working after COVID entered the picture. And people cherished the work from home concept. The idea of being able to work and live in their comfort zone appeals to them. Thus, started the #wfh trend on social media platforms with pictures of them in their comfort zones. And soon, it became the new normal.
Companies allowing employees to work from home have taken time to adapt to the change. And now, firms are hiring employees from across the cities. However, companies must ensure that their remote employees are properly connected to one another and to the company. Here is a quick guide to making sure you are engaging and connecting with your employees.
1. Define Goals For Remote Workers:
Give your employees the target for the day. This way they will work in a goal-oriented way. This can increase their productivity and encourage them to work effectively. If employees do not have goals, they will lack productive work, which is bad for the company. They should understand their role and commitment towards their work even if they are not working in a cubicle.
2. Be Clear In Your Communications:
Communication is difficult when it is not in person. We can only judge the tone and intention of the person we are talking to which can be quite difficult to decode. It may happen that your employee is telling you something in a polite way but you take it wrong or vice versa. To avoid such situations, you must communicate clearly. So, instead of saying “I disagree”, you can start by saying, “yes, but I believe…”. By giving explanations and clear thoughts about what you are suggesting, there will be no misinterpretation.
3. Have Training Sessions:
Remote employees need training before they start working as a part of your firm. As they are not observing the working process and other schedules you follow they will never know how your company works. This will result in the alienation of employees and inefficiency in their work. You can create your training sessions by using LMS WordPress which allows users to create, design, and customize the learning sessions according to your business.
4. Consider Their Remote Workspace:
Work from home may sound convenient as employees are working in their comfort zones with flexibility. But the truth is office space provides full concentration on work. While working from home has distractions. There are doorbells, other people in the house, kids, and all other things that lead to distraction. So, when an employee is giving excuses for work not getting done in time, consider their explanation. This will make them feel you understand their problems.
5. Hold Weekly Video Meetings:
Just work and work with no interaction will make them dull. Conduct weekly meetings where you talk to employees and listen to them. Don’t jump to business conversations, instead start with asking them about the work pressure or anything that is bothering them related to work. These meetings will make sure you are updated with their position.
6. Provide Honest, Frequent Feedback:
Give your employees regular feedback to ensure their work is noticed. This will make them feel responsible and will encourage them to work on their flaws in work. Frequent follow-ups will also help you analyze their work and give them space for improvement.
7. Empower Employees With Flexibility:
As they are working from home, they can decide which time of the day is most productive for them. Let them work at their desired time. This will allow them to be productive and produce efficient work. Just make sure they update their work progress by the end of the day.
8. Offer Career Growth Opportunities:
Conduct seminars, workshops, and other work-related opportunities to let them learn something new. Give them opportunities that will help them upgrade their skills. You will be showing them that you care about them. Also, their upgraded skills will be useful for them as well as for your company. It will be a win-win situation.
9. Plan Unofficial Meetings:
Don’t just conduct meetings for business talk. Give them some space to talk about their life, goals, and other things. Casual meetings will make them open up and will let them know about their co-workers. As a result, you will develop a good relationship with your employees.
10. Plan A Yearly Company Retreat:
In this era of virtualization, few things are still impossible. Meeting face to face is a great way to reconnect. Plan a day for your employees to catch up with them in person. Once a year you can plan to meet up with your remote workers and spend some actual time with them. You can plan a one-day outing or a long weekend. This will refresh their minds and will charge them up for upcoming work.
Conclusion
When employees are working in the office, they interact with other employees and seniors on a daily basis and get the vibes of the working environment. They have discussions with their colleagues during the lunch break or while passing the lobby. But, in remote situations, these types of conversations are not possible and, as a result, remote workers may feel disconnected from the office and their co-workers. Hope you find this guide useful in understanding their situation and can use the above points in your workplace.
