10 Ways To Engage Remote Workers

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Remote work is no longer a remote desire, it’s the standard practice for RevOps managers who lead distributed global teams.

While remote work provides the benefits of flexibility and independence, the initial enthusiasm can fade, leading to decreased focus among remote employees.

Despite this, employee feedback reports have found evidence of higher job satisfaction among those working remotely compared to those in a traditional office environment.

To maintain this satisfaction, RevOps leaders must focus on strategies that increase remote employee engagement, such as flexible schedules, work-life balance, mental health, employee morale, and leveraging technology for effective communication and collaboration.

We’ve combined a few ideas to help you boost employee engagement among your remote team members. Let’s get started.

Why Does Employee Engagement Matter?

An image depicting in office workers attending team meetings

Employee engagement is a pivotal factor in the success of any business.

The significance of keeping remote employees engaged cannot be overstated, as engaged remote workers are more likely to remain motivated and productive.

In remote environments, where employees are not physically present in an office, maintaining high levels of engagement can be challenging but essential for business success.

For instance, engaging remote employees through regular virtual team meetings and utilizing efficient communication tools like instant messaging and video conferencing can help lift engagement.

This approach ensures that remote team members feel connected to the company culture, even when working from different locations.

Furthermore, strategies like employee recognition and providing clear expectations can boost remote employee engagement, leading to a more satisfied and productive remote workforce.

Another key aspect of remote employee engagement is to gather employee feedback regularly.

This practice not only helps in measuring engagement but also offers insights into how to improve internal communications and address any concerns that remote employees might have.

Implementing employee engagement ideas, such as virtual team-building activities and offering career growth opportunities, can significantly improve the overall engagement and morale of remote teams.

10 Ways to Engage Remote Workers

An image depicting highly engaged employees

1. Support for New Hires

An image depicting a hiring team engaging with a remote workforce

Key Stats:

  • Personalized onboarding experiences can increase employee engagement by up to 33% (Source: Gallup).

  • Companies with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70% (Source: Brandon Hall Group).

What to do:

Utilize comprehensive onboarding tools like BambooHR or Remote to make to properly onboard new employees.

This approach is crucial in a remote setting as it helps bridge the gap caused by the lack of physical presence.

A thorough and engaging onboarding process sets the tone for a new hire’s experience, providing them with the necessary resources and knowledge about company culture, expectations, and their specific role.

It ensures that remote workers start on the right foot, feeling confident and prepared to take on their new responsibilities.

Pro-Tip:

Personalize the onboarding journey with welcome messages from team leaders to make new hires feel immediately part of the team.

Personalizing the onboarding journey can significantly enhance a new hire’s experience.

Welcome messages from team leaders and peers, virtual office tours, and introductory meetings can make new hires feel immediately part of the team.

This personal touch helps in building a connection with the team and the company, fostering a sense of belonging from the outset.

2. Regular Virtual Check-ins

An image depicting employee engagement activities

Key Stats:

  • Regular virtual check-ins reduce feelings of isolation by 40% among remote employees.

  • An overwhelming 89% of respondents believe that video conferences enhance productivity and speed up project completion times. (Source: Team Stage)

What to do:

Use tools like Dubb for weekly or bi-weekly one-on-one meetings to stay updated on remote employees’ progress and well-being.

These check-ins offer a platform for remote workers to share updates, discuss challenges, and receive feedback.

In a remote work environment, where physical cues and spontaneous conversations are missing, these scheduled interactions are crucial for maintaining open lines of communication and ensuring that employees feel supported and valued.

Pro-Tip:

Keep a portion of these meetings informal to discuss non-work-related topics, helping build rapport.

Engaging in casual conversation about hobbies, interests, or general life updates can break down barriers and create a more relaxed and personable work environment.

This approach also helps in understanding the employee’s work-life balance and personal challenges, which can be crucial for providing tailored support.

3. Virtual Team Building Activities

An image depicting a virtual team at virtual meetings

Key Stats:

  • A survey found that 63% of leaders felt team communication improved, and 61% observed an improvement in team morale after participating in team-building activities. (Source: Team Building Hub)

  • Socializing between team members improves communication patterns by more than 50%. This factor significantly contributes to team success, especially when facilitated through team-building activities. (Source: TeamBuilding.com)

What to do:

Organize fun virtual events using platforms like Microsoft Teams, such as online games or challenges to foster camaraderie among remote employees.

These activities break the monotony of work and provide a much-needed social outlet.

Team building activities are not just about fun; they also play a crucial role in building a cohesive team, enhancing communication, and nurturing a positive work culture in a virtual environment.

Pro-Tip:

Rotate the responsibility of organizing these events among team members for diverse and inclusive activities.

Rotating the responsibility of organizing these events among team members encourages diverse and inclusive activities.

It allows team members to bring their unique ideas and interests to the table, leading to a variety of engaging activities.

This rotation also fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership, giving each team member an opportunity to contribute to team dynamics in their own way.

4. Recognition and Rewards Programs

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Key Stats:

Organizations with strategic peer recognition programs report 48% more likely to have high staff engagement. (Souce: Vega HR)

Incentives and recognition programs are crucial in managing the isolation and loneliness associated with remote work, impacting worker well-being, engagement, and productivity. (Source: Incentive Research Foundation)

What to do:

Implementing a digital recognition platform like Bonusly is key to acknowledging the efforts of remote employees.

Such platforms allow for real-time recognition and appreciation of achievements, fostering a positive work environment.

Recognition programs go beyond just boosting morale; they also increase motivation, encourage high performance, and reinforce desired behaviors. In a remote setting, where physical accolades are absent, digital recognition fills a critical gap.

Pro-Tip:

Encourage leadership to regularly acknowledge accomplishments, reinforcing a culture of appreciation. Encourage leadership to regularly participate in acknowledging accomplishments.

When recognition comes directly from higher management, it carries added weight and significance.

This practice reinforces a culture of appreciation across the organization and makes employees feel their contributions are visible and valued, regardless of their physical location.

5. Skill Sharing Sessions

An image depicting remote employees and company culture

Key Stats:

  • Platforms like Nuclino and Google Workspace are popular for knowledge sharing in remote work, indicating its importance. (Source: Scribe)

  • Training, including skill sharing, improves remote employees’ productivity, time management, and work-life balance. (Source: TalentLMS)

What to do:

Using Slack channels to arrange skill-sharing sessions allows remote employees to showcase their unique talents and learn from each other.

These sessions can range from professional skill sets to personal hobbies, creating a platform for knowledge exchange and personal growth.

They also help in breaking silos, encouraging cross-departmental interaction, and enhancing the overall skill set of the team.

Pro-Tip:

Create a regular schedule and encourage participation from different departments to enhance cross-departmental learning.

Create a regular schedule for these sessions and encourage participation from different departments.

This practice not only diversifies the learning experience but also fosters inter-departmental understanding and collaboration.

It creates a more inclusive and dynamic work environment where employees can gain insights into various aspects of the business and their colleagues’ roles.

6. Mentorship Programs

An image depicting depicting remote workers and employee engagement

Key Stats:

  • Mentorship is crucial for career advancement and job satisfaction. About 50% of younger professionals indicate that a workplace mentorship program would make them more likely to stay at a company. Additionally, 86% of professionals claim that access to mentoring is a factor in them remaining with an organization, with 43% stating it as a significant factor. This is further supported by the fact that 94% of employees stated they would stay longer at a company if offered opportunities to develop and grow PushFar.

  • Millennials who intend to stay with their organization for more than 5 years are twice as likely to have a mentor (68% vs 32%). Similarly, 76% of Gen Z see learning as key to their career advancement, and 83% want to learn skills to perform better in their current position. This underlines the importance of mentorship for younger generations in the workforce Guider AI.

What to do:

Leverage mentorship software like Together Software to pair up employees for knowledge sharing and professional development.

Mentorship programs in a remote work environment can bridge the gap in informal learning that often occurs in office settings.

They provide a structured approach to career development, offering guidance, support, and a channel for exchanging professional insights.

Pro-Tip:

Regularly switch mentors to provide a variety of perspectives and learning opportunities. Regularly switch mentors to provide a variety of perspectives and learning opportunities.

This approach helps mentees gain diverse insights and builds a broader network within the organization.

Changing mentors periodically also keeps the program dynamic and prevents it from becoming stagnant, ensuring ongoing engagement and development.

7. Employee Showcase or Spotlight

An employee depicting a remote team and employee productivity

Key Stats:

  • Employee recognition statistics show that 32% of employees leave their jobs due to dissatisfaction with recognition for their contributions. Moreover, employees whose supervisors consistently acknowledge them for good work are 5 times more likely to stay at the organization, and 73% of workers planning to leave said they would remain if offered more recognition Vega HR.

  • Gallup research suggests that doubling the number of employees recognized weekly can lead to a 24% improvement in work quality, indicating the significant impact recognition can have on employee output and engagement Cooleaf.

What to do:

Featuring employees on company social media or internal platforms, highlighting their achievements or personal interests, is a great way to celebrate individual contributions.

This not only boosts morale but also enhances visibility for remote employees.

Showcasing diverse talents and achievements fosters a sense of pride and belonging, making employees feel valued and recognized.

Pro-Tip:

Include diverse roles and departments in the showcase to highlight the variety of talents in the organization. Ensure that diverse roles and departments are in the showcase.

Highlighting a variety of talents and contributions across the organization demonstrates the value of every role and promotes a culture of inclusivity and respect.

It also provides a comprehensive view of the organization’s talent pool, inspiring others and fostering a sense of unity and appreciation.

8. Career Advancement Opportunities

An image depicting engaged remote employees

Key Stats:

  • 76% of employees seek opportunities for career expansion. Moreover, 86% would consider switching jobs for better growth prospects. When companies invest in their employees’ careers, 94% of these employees are likely to stay longer with the company ClearCompany.

  • Employees with access to professional development are 15% more engaged. Additionally, 80% of workers state that the chance to learn new skills would increase their engagement levels ClearCompany.

What to do:

Offering access to online learning platforms such as Coursera is crucial in providing remote employees with opportunities for career advancement.

These platforms enable employees to upskill and reskill, keeping them competitive and relevant in their fields.

Additionally, conducting career path discussions using tools like Lattice helps align individual aspirations with company objectives, fostering a mutually beneficial growth environment.

Pro-Tip:

Align career development plans with both the company’s objectives and individual aspirations for mutual growth.

Align career development plans with both the company’s objectives and individual aspirations. This dual focus ensures that employees feel their personal growth is valued and directly contributes to the organization’s success.

Regular discussions about career goals and opportunities for advancement can significantly increase engagement and motivation among remote workers.

9. Flexible Working Hours

An image depicting remote employee mental health

Key Stats:

  • A Deloitte’s survey indicated that 94% of respondents saw benefits from work flexibility, with the top gains being less stress and improved mental health, as well as better integration of work and personal life. Interestingly, traditional office settings are still considered important for career advancement by many professionals Deloitte US.

  • An IZA study found that flexible working hours positively impact job satisfaction. The study highlighted that temporal and locational flexibility (TLF) provides employees with more control over their working life, leading to a better match between work and other activities, decreased stress, and signals to employees that their employer cares about their well-being IZA Newsroom.

What to do:

Embracing the flexibility that remote work offers, by allowing employees to work during their most productive hours, can lead to increased satisfaction and efficiency.

Flexible working hours recognize the diversity in employees’ personal lives and working styles, accommodating different time zones and personal commitments.

This autonomy in managing work schedules is a key advantage of remote work, promoting a healthy work-life balance.

Pro-Tip:

Trust employees to manage their schedules while ensuring they meet their goals and deliverables. Trusting employees to manage their schedules, while ensuring they meet their goals and deliverables, is fundamental.

This trust empowers employees, giving them a sense of control over their work.

It’s important, however, to maintain regular communication and set clear expectations to ensure that flexibility does not hinder team collaboration and overall productivity.

10. Virtual Lunches and Coffee Breaks

An image showcasing how to engage employees

Key Stats:

  • Gallup data indicates that when employees feel their opinions matter at work, companies can enjoy benefits like a 27% drop in employee turnover and a 40% reduction in safety incidents. Team-building activities, such as virtual coffee breaks, contribute to a sense of psychological safety and belonging, which can result in these positive outcomes Surf Office.

  • TeamBuilding.com states that feelings of employee isolation can reduce productivity by up to 21%. Virtual team-building activities, including coffee breaks and lunches, can help employees feel more connected, potentially boosting productivity TeamBuilding.

What to do:

Scheduling informal virtual coffee breaks or lunches through platforms like Google Meet is a way to replicate office social interactions in a remote setting.

These breaks provide a casual setting for employees to connect on a personal level, strengthening team bonds and promoting a more cohesive work environment.

They also offer a much-needed break from work, helping to prevent burnout.

Pro-Tip:

Keep these breaks optional and casual to maintain a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere. Keeping these breaks optional and casual is key to maintaining a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere.

It’s important that these sessions do not become another work obligation but rather a voluntary and enjoyable opportunity for social interaction.

Encouraging employees to participate when they can, without making it mandatory, ensures that these breaks remain a positive and welcomed aspect of remote work culture.

Final Thoughts

An image showcasing productive employees and how to measure remote employee engagement

People are people, present or pixelated, in person or online. The essence of human interaction and the need for connection transcends physical spaces, extending into the virtual world of remote work.

It’s essential to recognize that the core principles of engagement, appreciation, and communication are just as relevant in a remote setting as they are in a traditional office.

By implementing strategies like supportive onboarding for new hires, regular virtual check-ins, and diverse team-building activities, companies can foster a vibrant, connected remote work culture.

Recognition programs, skill-sharing sessions, and mentorship opportunities further enhance this environment, ensuring that remote employees feel valued and integral to the team.

Additionally, focusing on career advancement, flexible working hours, and informal social interactions like virtual lunches and coffee breaks can significantly boost morale and productivity.

Ultimately, these efforts culminate in a cohesive and dynamic remote workplace, where every employee, regardless of their location, feels engaged, appreciated, and connected to the greater organizational mission.

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