Motivating, Supporting, and Engaging Remote Workers

Managers looking to engage workers will find no shortage of strategies, exercises, or programs online. In fact, at this point most managers will know their favourite strategies and be using them actively. But are these strategies optimised for engaging remote workers?

As restrictions ease around the globe, workers can return to the office. Yet, remote work continues to see increased demand. It appears that many employees enjoy the comfort and flexibility of working at home, even when given the option to return to the office. Working from home is becoming a new normal and managers should jump on board. After all, it has been shown to create higher productivity at lower costs.

It won’t be easy — increased work flexibility requires managers to reassess their strategies for motivating, supporting, and engaging remote workers.

Below we go through five strategies that managers can use to improve the lives and work of their at-home employees. Taken from research conducted in July earlier this year that studied the transition of 278 individuals in their transition from a corporate to at-home office.

1. Focus on what tasks employees are finishing (not when)

The flexibility that workers gain when moving into remote work is a key selling point. It’s part of the reason why employee’s productivity and wellbeing see a boost with remote work. It’s important not to take it away. Attempts to retain control over working hours isn’t the way to go.

2. Help co-workers communicate

The survey found that loss of co-worker support was a major factor of friction when it came to the remote work transition. To ensure that your workers don’t lose support when they make the change, invest in communication technology.

Additionally, consider organising extra social activities for your workers outside of office hours. This way at-home workers in the area have a chance to meet up in person.

3. Encourage volunteering and mindfulness

The interactions that come from working in an office can help provide a sense of meaning. When workers go remote, this meaning becomes lost. Ensure that workers are still feeling fulfilled by encouraging them to take part in volunteering or giving back in other ways. Considering setting up volunteering activities for your teams.

You can also promote mindfulness exercises to your employees. This will help them retain their sense of purpose and has the added benefit of reducing burnout.

4. Provide feedback

We’ve talked about the importance of recognising employees work in the past. It’s no surprise that it would be important for remote workers as well as in-the-office. Providing recognition can help employees develop confidence in their abilities. A confidence that translates into increased comfort completely remote work.

Training, webinars, and counselling services can also assist in this regard.

5. Communicate the company’s higher purpose

Employees should feel as though they are doing work which matters. This is true for all employees, but even more relevant for remote workers.

Knowing an organisation’s purpose is both motivating and encouraging. If purpose is primarily driven by in-office interactions, then remote workers are left out of the loop. This is why it is important to reach out and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Measuring your efforts

It’s important to check in with your remote workers. Ensure that they are happy, healthy, supported, and engaged. You will want to find out if your efforts to connect with them have been effective.

If you are dealing with a substantial at-home work force, this will be hard to do alone. Our CiVS employee surveys can help. These surveys can be tailored to suit your company’s objectives and provide valuable insights to help your company improve. We want to help in your mission of engaging remote workers and becoming the best company you can be. That’s why we provide your company with a detailed summary report. Taking out the clutter, while retaining all they key insights.

Spark your interest? contact the CiVS team at info@civs.com.au or give us a call at (08) 6314 0580.