With 4.3 million U.S. employees reportedly working from home, the demand for more flexible work arrangements is top-of-mind for employers. However, the question isn’t only how to accommodate the demand for more flexibility. Leaders also want to know the secret to employee engagement for remote workers.
As stated in the response to the 2018 Worldcom Confidence Index, “Business leaders planning to increase focus on attracting, retaining and energizing employees in 2018.”
Padilla’s internal communication experts outline several methods leaders to increase employee engagement for remote workers:
Establish clear goals and expectations
Ensure that employees understand what working remotely within your company looks like. For example, do you expect employees to be available during set office hours or are work hours more flexible? Discuss these expectations up front and revisit these conversations on a regular basis.
Be inclusive
Don’t leave employees out of the loop simply because they aren’t physically in the office. Invite remote employees to join all meetings via phone or video conference. Also, take into consideration time zone differences when scheduling. From time to time, host a meeting where all employees join via video conference so that everyone is on equal grounds.
Schedule regular touch-base meetings
Meeting regularly will help remote employees feel more connected to leaders, fellow team members and the company as a whole. Touch-base meetings offer remote employees a space to be heard. Use this time to discuss any challenges or concerns, check-in on progress and share feedback.
Facilitate personal connections across the team
Without being in the office with other colleagues, remote employees may struggle to feel a part of the team. Take proactive measures to facilitate personal relationships. For example, leaders can post a weekly “get to know you” question for all employee to answer and discuss together.
Want other ideas for engaging remote employees? Read the three additional tips from Padilla on increasing employee engagement for remote employees.
Padilla builds, grows, and protects brands and reputations worldwide by creating purposeful connections through advertising, digital and social marketing, investor relations, and brand strategy. Since 1961, the firm has served consumer, agricultural, environmental sciences, financial services, food and beverage, health, higher education, manufacturing, and technology industries. Padilla offers services in the areas of marketing communications, corporate communications, crisis communications, digital marketing, measurement and analytics, media relations and design.
