Help Your Remote Employees from Becoming Disengaged

Since the onset of Covid-19, many employees had to begin to work remotely.  In addition, the prevalence for working from home has also increased in recent years.  This may be a novel concept for some, but it could become a the reality for many.

Whether you are new to having employees working remotely or have veteran telecommuters, employees often begin to feel disconnected from their colleagues and organization when they spend the majority of their working hours logging in from home. Research shows that even in the best of times, only 19% of employees consider themselves ‘very engaged,’ so the question for remote employees is how to keep them feeling content and being productive?

Stay connected through Culture Continuity

Maintaining a consistent organizational culture for remote employees plays an important role in keeping them engaged.  The old adage can easily run true…”out of sight, out of mind,” but it doesn’t have to.  Here are some things you can do to help.

Through video conferencing, extend in-office experiences such as yoga, mindful, and company-wide meetings. These shared experiences help colleagues to feel more connected despite their physical distance.

Strive to maintain your culture of recognition

Employee recognition is a primary driver of engagement. In a Harvard Business Review report that studied “The Impact of Employee Engagement on Performance,” 72% of respondents agreed that recognition given for high performers had a significant impact on employee engagement. In addition, current industry research has shown that up 82% of employees would like more recognition at work.

In the month following the onset of the pandemic, one recognition company noted a 14% increase in the number of recognitions sent across its platform. This demonstrates that many organizations are getting it right during times of crisis by increasing the frequency of peer-to-peer and leader-led recognition.  Additionally you can look for new ways to recognize milestones outside of performance, such as birthdays or personal achievements.

The basics of a well implemented recognition program are vastly important during trying times. Make sure you use sincerity in recognizing your colleagues. Leaders must lead by example, recognizing employees for living the organization’s values, supporting their team members, hitting prescribed targets, etc. Propagate the recognition using executives on down throughout the organization.  It is especially important to allow for peer to peer recognition which can be the strongest of all. 

Measure activity

Whether your telecommuting continues to grow or your business goes back to normal, make sure you measure employee activity during the cycle.  You may see increased productivity within some departments and challenges within others. Watch for attendance at company-led virtual social events and examine their impact on overall engagement. Collect as much data as you can to understand what the ideal state of employee engagement looks like at your organization—whether it’s in-office or working from home. This data is invaluable to evaluate how heavily your culture is tied to being in the office and to understand how best to maintain continuity during organizational change and times of uncertainty.