We feel blessed and honored to host and serve remote workers from local, national, and international companies.
And often hear first hand how remote working “improves work life balance” for the remote workers we serve at KORE co-working.
While at the same time, we also hear some of the downside of working remotely from a corporate headquarter.
And perhaps the most frequent downside comment we hear is that these remote workers feel, well…
REMOTE!!!
So this got us thinking and researching ways to help you (as an employer with, or looking to employ, remote workers) overcome some of the challenges with employing remote workers.
So we put together 7 key strategies we feel will help you better engage your remote working employees. Here they are:
1. Keep Remote Workers informed
This is especially important with any major change in your company. You must make this part of your communication and operating procedures. Having this top of mind will ensure your remote workers hear about major changes directly from you and not from some second-hand source.
I’m sure you’ve read or heard of situations where employees have learned about the company they work from the media. As you’d agree, employees would always prefer to hear internal news from a reliable, authoritative source before they hear it via gossip or the media.
2. Utilize Technology
One obvious point here is that technology is what makes remote working possible.
However, it can also add to the feeling of isolation for your remote workers.
You should look for communicate with your remote employees in ways that provide a sense of inclusion. And just as important, look for ways that encourage exchange of their ideas.
3. Expand Your Company’s Technology Toolbox
Email and conference calls aren’t the only technology tools you have at your disposal. Look to use:
- Audio and video conferencing
- Podcasts
- Video updates
- Collaboration software
One piece of advice here: DO NOT USE TECHNOLOGY JUST FOR TECHNOLOGY SAKE.
4. Keep track of what works and what doesn’t
Whenever and wherever possible, collect and analyze data. And when analyzing data, try and “get behind” the statistics and numbers you’re reviewing.
For example just because you see stats that shows emails being opened by one or more of your remote workers does not mean the emails were actually read.
Or better yet, even understood.
Getting behind the data will help you better gauge these important facts about your remote workers.
5. Ask for and provide effective channels for feedback
Think about this from the stand point of allowing your remote workers to have a voice in your company.
Be sure that very communication channel encourage comments, questions and/or discussions.
6. Make your remote workers part of the bigger picture
As leaders, make sure you take the time to share company goals, objectives, and changes within the company and, more specifically within their division and/or departments.
Your remote workers will feel more engaged and more as part of the overall company.
This will undoubtedly help fix the sense of being “REMOTE.”
7. Consider the “How” more than the “When”
Whether working from home, a coffee shop, or a coworking space like KORE co-working, one of the key benefits of working remotely is “flexibility.”
So try and find ways to communicate and engage with your remote workers in a manner that is not always time specific.