7 Ways to Improve Employee Engagement for Remote Teams

Remote job vacancies have increased significantly in the past few years. Many employees now consider this job option when searching for new employment as it offers more flexibility.

It's reported that remote working has boosted employees' performance by 77%. A lot of people agree that having the freedom to work at their convenience has improved productivity and overall job satisfaction. Employees can now manage their time freely without being restricted from attending the office.

Remote working also benefits companies in separate ways. They no longer spend more money to rent a space and utility. Many costs are reduced following this new working model as well. 

However, one common downside of remote working is the lack of employee engagement. It’s more challenging to monitor and evaluate employees when they’re not in the same room as you. As a result, many employees feel disengaged from their work, which can lead to poorer performance and quality of output.

This is why it's important for companies to invest in the right tools and processes to get every employee engaged, even when they're not in the same room.

Here are seven tips on how to improve employee engagement for remote teams:

#1. Invest in gamification

Gamification in companies is great for team building and motivation. It encourages employees to work together to achieve common goals while also being competitive. There are many ways to implement gamification in the workplace. For example, you can create leaderboards, set up challenges in blockchain games, and offer rewards for employees who reach certain targets.

If you have problems with employee engagement, incorporating gamification in the day-to-day job will improve your employee's overall mood. Happy employees tend to be more productive, so it's a win-win situation for both the company and its workers.

#2. Use communication tools

Another drawback of remote working   is the lack of communication. This is where communication tools can help. By investing in the right software, you can easily host video calls, virtual meetings, webinars and conference calls with anyone in the world.

Effective communication is key to engaging remote employees. Make sure everyone is on the same page using communication tools such as Slack, Zoom or Google Hangouts. These platforms allow team members to easily communicate with each other no matter where they are.

#3. Encourage collaboration

Since remote employees are not in the same physical space, it's important to encourage collaboration among team members.   Collaboration can be a challenge when it's done via the internet because everyone can't see each other body language or facial expression which can help with communication. You can start assigning tasks that require a team effort, setting up regular video calls, or using collaboration tools such as Google Docs to encourage team collaboration.

Altternatively, you can create team challenges where employees have to work together to complete a task within a certain period of time. By collaborating, employees will feel more engaged and motivated to achieve common goals.

#4. Promote social interaction

When working remotely, employees can easily feel isolated from their colleagues. That's why many of them have experienced burnout and anxiety. This is not a good sign for employees and organizations, as burnout often leads to lower productivity and higher turnover rates.

To prevent this, promote social interaction among team members. This can be done by organizing social events (e.g., happy hours, game nights, eco-friendly events), starting conversations in group chat rooms, or creating an online space where employees can interact with each other.

#5. Provide employee recognition programs

Recognizing and rewarding employees for their hard work is a great way to keep them engaged. There are many employee recognition programs that you can implement in your company. For example, you can give out awards, offer bonuses or create a point system that employees can use to redeem rewards.

Make sure to acknowledge every effort your remote team makes because every little thing counts. This will show your employees that their work is appreciated, which will motivate them to do better in the future.

#6. Encourage feedback

Encouraging feedback from employees is a great way to get them more engaged in their work. You can set up regular one-on-one meetings, send out survey forms or hold focus group discussions to get employee feedback. Make sure to act on your feedback so that employees know their input is valued.

#7. Allow flexibility

One of the benefits of working remotely is the ability to work flexibly. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why many people opt for this remote working model as they can easily balance their work and life commitments.

As an employer, you should allow your employees to have a flexible work schedule. This means you should allow your employees to set their own working hours or take breaks whenever they need to. This will help them feel more in control of their work and less burnt out.

Wrapping up

Remote jobs have been on the rise in recent years due to technological advances. And as more companies are offering remote positions, it's essential to know how to execute this working model properly so everyone in your organization can be on the same page—and more importantly, engaged.

While remote working sounds fun, it comes with its own set of challenges. The most common one is engagement. It's crucial for companies to find ways to keep their remote employees engaged so that they can continue to be productive and happy in their work.