Over recent years, remote work has grown in popularity, and with the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way businesses operate for the foreseeable, it will only continue to grow. If you run a business and your team are working outside the office, keeping everyone connected and engaged can be a challenge.
To ensure your business stays on top, here are some useful strategies you can implement into your operation which will improve employee engagement and boost productivity.
Use technology
Thanks to technology, there are numerous communication channels you can use to connect remote employees. Tools like Asana and Zoom are great for streamlining communication between team members to ensure everyone understands what is expected of them. When it comes to tracking employee performance, software from StaffCircle allows you to bring together several systems under a singular platform, helping to save time, boost efficiency, and improve productivity. Even in a remote working world, StaffCircle lets you have full visibility over your employees’ progress and engagement levels.
Ask for feedback
If your team has been working remotely since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s your job as a business owner to keep in touch with your team and ask for regular feedback. Your employees may have all kinds of questions and queries about how best to manage their workload from home, so you need to have answers ready and be prepared for constructive criticism. Employee feedback is necessary for creating a stronger and more robust workforce.
Hold regular meetings
When working on projects and tasks, scheduling regular virtual meetings with your team is a must. Unlike in a traditional office environment where you can call the team to the meeting room within seconds, things aren’t as straightforward when working remotely. Make sure you schedule meetings well in advance so employees can set aside time to dedicate to the meeting. Regular team and one-on-one meetings are useful for identifying strengths and weaknesses, relaying information, and most importantly, keeping everyone engaged.
Support new employees
If you have hired new employees in your business, many of them may feel less equipped to perform their role (especially when working remotely). This means you need to provide extra support to get them up to scratch with your tenured employees. Providing additional training and keeping communication lines open will not only help your employees settle in quicker but reduce your staff turnover.
Encourage health and wellness
Above anything else, your employees’ health and well-being should be your top priority. If your team gets sick and are unable to do their job, this can massively impact your operation, regardless of how well-oiled the machine is. There are lots of healthy habits you can introduce into your company, such as allowing longer midday breaks for your team to let off steam, or even by starting your own wellness program.
While working remotely does have its advantages in terms of greater flexibility and saving on commuting times and costs, there are drawbacks too. Unless you keep your team connected, problems can soon occur in your operation which could hinder projects and tasks. To stay on track, the strategies above can be a big help.
