The advantages of remote work have been proven time and time again. For instance, remote workers tend to be highly productive. Many enjoy flexible schedules that let them better balance professional and personal obligations. That’s not to say it’s always a walk in the park to collaborate with telecommuting workers, especially when the transition is new. Here are some ideas.
1. Help Them Feel Connected to Your Organization
Be proactive about engaging your remote workers rather than expecting it to just happen. Engagement makes employees feel a critical connection to the company and fosters a sense of loyalty that improves productivity.
Virtual headshots for remote teams are one way to promote connectedness. Employees get to see their photos on the company website and take a sense of pride in being officially and publicly recognized. Other ideas include the following.
- Recognize employee birthdays and milestones with virtual celebrations or gifts.
- Bring disparate employees together, even if briefly. For example, a virtual coffee session between employees from different departments who would otherwise never meet can be a lot of fun.
- Host meditation sessions or “happy hour”-type events.
- Set up local, regional, or companywide conferences or events where people in the organization meet face to face.
- Develop live remote co-working opportunities for those who would enjoy the interaction in a virtual office. They can chat with each other all day long and see each other just like they would in a physical office.
- Assign mentors (more on this in the next section).
2. Encourage Mentor-Mentee Relationships
It takes just one connection for an employee to start feeling fiercely loyal to your company. A mentor can provide this “click” for a newly hired employee.
Mentors are not necessarily the people new employees go to for team-related questions, although they could be. Rather, mentors help employees integrate into the company culture, serve as role models and sounding boards, answer questions, share tips, and act as work friends.
Down the road, these employees who were mentored can become mentors. Do provide training for mentors. It’s not typical for someone to know innately and instantly how to become a good mentor.
3. Recognize That Remote Work Is Not Ideal for All Positions
While remote work goes great for many job types, it is not a good fit for some positions. If remote opportunities do not seem to be working out, it may be a good idea to explore switching to in-person work rather than try to force a square through a hole.
Listen to your employees if they’re struggling. Find out why and what solutions might help. It could be that a hybrid approach works and you wouldn’t need to switch to fully in-person.
4. Invest in Technology
Technology is a critical part of remote workers’ success. Invest in tech such as collaboration software, computers, and computer programs. Develop policies and expectations for what remote workers are supposed to do themselves. For example, do they provide their own ergonomic furniture or do you give them an allowance for that?
5. Be Clear about Schedules and Flexibility
Remote work would not be possible without trust. Employers must trust that employees are doing their jobs, and employees must trust employers to stick to the expectations they set.
Some companies tell employees they can set their own schedules as long as they get their work done. If this fits your organization, you probably cannot reprimand employees who happened to not be at their desks when you made a surprise phone call. If you use time tracking software, be clear about how you are using it. Don’t be secretive, and don’t spy.
6. Remain Patient, Especially at the Beginning
Onboarding new employees and transitioning from in-person to remote work are two processes likely to have their share of bumps. Even if you prepare thoroughly (and you should!), a few things are going to go wrong. Patience and humor will help these processes go more smoothly.
7. Articulate Why the Company Has Remote Workers
If five leaders at your company were asked why the organization has remote workers, would they answer similarly? If remote workers in the same department answered why their jobs are remote, would they know?
Usually, there are multiple reasons to switch to a remote workforce, but they are not always communicated clearly. That is unfortunate because transparent communication assists everyone in setting expectations and understanding why certain work is being done this way.
At least once a year, evaluate the remote situation to make sure it still works for the company. Even if it does, it could be time to invest in different tools or technology or to change the setup a bit.
Having remote workers can save your business a lot of money and improve employee morale and productivity. To manage a remote workforce, it helps to foster connectedness between employees and the organization and to invest in the proper technology to make the arrangement a success.