Embracing remote employees

Since the onset of the global pandemic, more and more organizations have learned to deal with the unique challenges of a remote workforce as employers have had to offer alternative work options to employees.

According to research published by McLean & Company, a research advisory firm, remote workers are becoming more prevalent and organizations have to find solutions for including their remote employees and keeping them connected with others in the organization. This may include specialized training to help employees adapt to a remote work environment.

The study further advises ways organizations can work to improve employee engagement including:

• Focusing on providing career and skill development
• Making sure career pathing ensures inclusiveness for all employees
• Developing or revamping employee recognition systems to create a culture of employee recognition and appreciation

Inclusive policies for remote workers help employers retain top talent within their respective industries. Employers must continue to look for more ways to accommodate employees who choose to work from home.

Here are a few tips for effectively including remote employees in workplace activities and functions:

• Hold daily team meetings. Many employees who work remotely crave interaction with other employees. This can be accomplished digitally through daily or weekly team meetings through platforms such as Zoom. This is an opportunity for workers to voice concerns and special challenges they experience working remotely.
• Make time for social activities where remote employees can engage with their co-workers for meaningful conversation. It could be something as simple as hosting a virtual game or a game of trivia. You may even want to offer prizes to the winners.
• Make your remote employees feel valued. An employee’s sense of self-worth may suffer if they are unable to feel appreciated or if their bosses fail to recognize them for their accomplishments.
• Offer career advancement opportunities to remote workers. Just because an employee is a remote worker does not mean they can’t work on advancing their career. Offer training courses online to remote employees that can lead to job advancement opportunities.

It may help remote workers to feel included if they are brought into the home office periodically, perhaps once a quarter, to engage with the home office workforce. This can improve the cohesiveness in these departments and help the remote workers feel a sense of being a part of the team.

Managing remote employees can be challenging, but it can be rewarding for all parties if handled properly.

We hope this gives you some ideas on how to include your remote employees. If you are in need of qualified IT recruits, whether part-time or full-time, eStaff has remote work solutions to help your company become more productive. Contact us at (512) 381-2257 to learn about all of our staffing solutions!