How to motivate Your Remote Team During These Stressful Times

From a recent edition of Incentive Magazine comes these simple yet effective ways to acknowledge and value your team members now and after the pandemic.    

Meaningful recognition is more important than ever with more employees now working remotely and with the other restrictions and regulations in force.  The job market is sure to change and many good employees will fluctuate on where to spend their future.  You can keep them with some concerted recognition planning.

1.  Show more care and concern

Many people are dealing with serious personal and financial issues right now.  Show them that you care, drill down into physical and emotional well-being offering support where possible.  Sometimes just listening can make a difference.

2.  Connect with them

Some people have a hard time being alone right now, so reach out and connect with them as often as you can.  Loneliness is a fear that real. 

3.  Create an online employee community

Set up a social recognition program or an online bulletin board for employees to express what they're grateful for. Each person can share a "success of the week." For some people, coworkers are the only "community" they belong to.

4.  Share positive news

Share positive stories on the company and industry organization with your team to boost their spirits. Bad news can travel fast; make sure the good news travels ahead of it.  Some people are just not feeling very happy right now.

5.  Honor people along their work journey

People are pulling out all the stops with creativity, new ideas, and getting the work done. Take time to appreciate them for who they are and recognize what they do. Some people's work has drastically changed or diminished.

6.  Be mindful of the stages of grief

Staff may go through denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance when their workplace implements changes and job cuts. Some people will experience survivor's grief if still working. Acknowledge their emotions.

7.  Offer support to worried staff

Many of your employees know someone with COVID-19 or have family dealing with serious health issues. Make sure your employee assistance program and/or counselors are available to staff.  

8.  Add cheer to your meetings 

Are your Zoom meetings feeling rote right now? Liven them up with  upbeat music, a chant or cheer at the beginning or end of the session.

9.  Make time for recognition

With many new and additional tasks on your plate, it's easy to neglect employee recognition. Make it a priority to schedule time each day to give thanks and praise to a member of your team, via an online recognition program, personal call or a handwritten note.

10. Hold virtual celebrations 

The show must go on and you should continue to mark achievements and milestones in these stressful times. With the pandemic preventing live events, get creative: organize online virtual celebrations, with special goodies and gifts delivered to people's homes, so everyone can participate.

Great opportunities surround us every day.  Don’t lose them; use them to make that proverbial glass of lemonade from the lemons we’ve all had to deal with.