There had already been a trend of companies hiring remote workers. Those companies have plenty of experience with dealing with a team that covers the entire planet. With the current pandemic, many companies have been thrown into the world of remote working and are not experienced enough to bring their team together.
How To Keep Remote Workers Motivated And Working As A Team?
It isn’t easy motivating remote workers and helping them work better and feel like they are part of a team. And, of course, it is very important to be able to do this for both your business and for your employees sake.
In this article, I will give you a few ways that you can manage your remote team and keep them productive and happy.
1 – Do team building exercises
Companies love to bring their departments together and do some events that help them build relationships with their coworkers. These events can be fun and also very inspiring at the same time.
Companies with remote workers have also been doing team building, but in different forms. Even though you can’t bring your employees together to one place, you can still do things like a virtual scavenger hunt that will be fun and help employees to bond even if they don’t share a physical office.
2 – Reward their achievements
Many employees are happiest when they feel that their efforts are recognized. And this is especially true for remote workers since they can often feel invisible.
Have a system where you can give your workers some fun rewards when they achieve a goal or just exhibit good work ethic. When they go above and beyond, you should be offering them some gadgets or even downloadable products if they can’t receive a physical gift.
And, of course a gift certificate can go a long way since they are able to pick their own reward.
3 – Give them opportunities for growth
Nobody wants to feel like a cog in the wheel. Even a remote employee needs to feel like they can rise in the ranks of their respective department. When a new role is created, make sure to give the position to somebody already in the company rather than a new hire.
Career advancement is a make or break consideration for many workers. If they don’t feel like there’s room to grow within a company they will often look around for a good opportunity. And when they see others being promoted from within, then they are more likely to stay since they can see that there is always a possibility of advancement.
4 – Hear your employees
The lack of a physical office can lead managers to forget that they can still have an “open door” policy with their employees. You should make it clear that there is always time to schedule a virtual meeting to address issues that they may be facing in a confidential and open way.
Communication goes both ways so make sure the channels are open so you can also communicate your needs and expectations with them.