The global outbreak of COVID-19 completely changed the landscape of how businesses were run. In a short time, employees from a wide range of industries had to transition from working in an office environment to working from home.
Usually, a major change in a business organization is strategically implemented to prevent pushback from employees. But considering the urgency created by the pandemic, telecommuting had to be adopted by several workplaces without much of a warning. What initially was expected to be two-week isolation, turned out to be months of quarantine for many countries.
In theory, working remotely sounds wonderful. Not only do businesses benefit by saving costs in terms of rent and utilities, but employees also benefit. They neither have to waste time or spend money on long commutes.
But working from home comes with its own set of challenges. For one, employees can feel isolated working by themselves. In a typical work setting, they are surrounded by coworkers, which serves as an inherent motivator. Furthermore, it can be difficult for employees to effectively communicate and collaborate.
In this post, we’re sharing some ways you can keep your remote workforce motivated. Take a look.
Use Technology To Your Advantage
Sending emails and instant messaging on Slack or Google Chat are effective ways to communicate every day. But there is something about face-to-face conversations that can’t be conveyed through instant messages. Therefore, try to conduct meetings over video calls, which will help employees feel like they are working in a professional environment. Skype, Google Meeting, and Zoom are all great platforms for video calls.
Build a Genuine Rapport
Instead of getting straight to business, it’s important to ask your employees how they are doing. At some level, everyone is struggling with these unprecedented times. So take a few minutes out of your busy day to check in with your employees. This is a successful way to make them feel less lonely and feel motivated.
Conduct Virtual Team Building
With social distancing requirements, conducting usual team building activities is out of the question. However, you can still boost your team’s morale with virtual team building activities thanks to technology. In addition to improving communication among teams, virtual team building also inspires creativity and increases productivity.
Talk One-on-One
Apart from the usual team calls, make sure you talk to employees one-on-one. Talk in detail about their progress, challenges, and ideas. These one-on-one chats will make employees feel seen and included.
Offer Regular Feedback
Like in a usual office setting, providing employees with regular feedback is important for telecommuting. It’s possible that your employees have never worked remotely and are struggling to find their feet. By offering feedback, you can make sure their efforts are meeting your expectations.
Cater to Unique Obstacles
An office creates a predictable working environment. But the same can’t be said for your employees’ homes. Whether they have young kids or a noisy neighborhood, all these factors can impact their productivity. As a leader, it’s essential that you acknowledge these unique obstacles and try to work around them.
Encourage Breaks
When working in an office, employees are usually aware of the time and remember to take breaks with their coworkers. But working remotely blurs the line between work and home life. Not taking breaks can increase stress levels and even impact the quality of work. So encourage your employees to create a work-life balance by taking frequent breaks.
The Bottom Line
Working remotely is certainly an adjustment, which will prove to be challenging for many. However, with a proactive approach, you can get your workforce up to speed with telecommuting and lead a motivated team.
