Working remotely, also known as working from home, has taken the workforce by storm recently. For the most part, due to the pandemic, and also because many employees would prefer to work from home. Cutting out your daily commute can add up to some serious monetary savings and reduce stress in their everyday life, especially if it is a longer commute. Working remotely allows people to apply for jobs that they really want but don’t live close enough to go into the office every day physically. Let’s face it, not everybody can up and move. Working remotely offers newfound freedom for employees adding more hours back to their day and giving them the chance to go after jobs they really love without distance being an issue.
That’s all well and good, but having your team work remotely can seem like a daunting task. Let’s look at 10 ways to keep your team happy and create a positive experience.
Setting clear and meaningful goals will help everyone on your team to stay on track. Having a clear plan also makes it easier to track your teams’ outcome and measure how effectively your team is working. Ensuring everyone understands the goals set and the part they play in achieving these goals is a great way to keep your team moving in the same direction.
Keeping the lines of communication open with your teammates will help keep everyone connected, on the same page and reassure them that they are not alone and have support.
Creating forums and chat rooms for your teams will help them stay connected. Assigning collaborative tasks will also keep your team connected and feel like part of a community. You can even think outside of the box to create a sense of community. Some companies have adopted virtual coffee breaks to allow teammates to connect with each other outside of work-related assignments or even send out fun games and encourage teammates to share personal stories to help combat any feelings of isolation.
Offer your team an opportunity to upgrade their skills or learn a new skill altogether is a great way to keep morale on the high end. Encouraging growth through personal and professional development will keep your team motivated, engaged and help to maintain a positive mindset.
Setting up a contest, draws or bonus’ is a great way to keep your team motivated; who doesn’t love a freebie?
Offering discounts or corporate deals to brands and items that are important to your team will help them feel valued, appreciated and add a little fun into the workday.
Setting up a wellness program for your teammates is a good idea. Whether its online classes for healthy eating, exercise, mental health support or all of these areas of health and wellness will help to keep your team in great shape. Giving them the chance to show up to work as their best selves, and will also let your team know that they are important to you and you want to see them living a healthy lifestyle.
Checking in with your team on a regular basis, be it through an email, a survey, private social media group or reaching out for one on one time (depending on the size of your team), will keep you in the loop as to what is going on and, if any areas of your online work environment need attention. Keeping the lines of communication open and taking the initiative to reach out to your team will show that you value not only the work they do but your team as individuals and want to hear what is going on with them.
Giving your team recognition for a job well done can do wonders for morale. Showing people they are appreciated for all the hard work they do and their contributions will increase confidence and make employees want to do better and work harder for your company.
Acquiring the proper equipment needed to do the job shouldn’t fall solely on your team. Most people will have the basics to work from, such as a computer/laptop, internet connection, camera and audio device. If a teammate doesn’t have any of the equipment they need or requires special equipment to get the job done, your company should be offering to supply these devices. Not having the proper equipment can be a huge hurdle and cause a lot of stress. Taking the burden off your staff is a great way to ensure they are showing up and putting their best foot forward.
Working from home can be a whole new experience for some people, and that alone is enough to cause stress. Breaking up the day with fun games or allowing your team to engage in group chats and events that have nothing to do with work will help keep the mood light and stress levels down.
It seems like the entire work force is shifting to offering remote work. Adopting work-from-home options seems like the direction that the future is going and is a great way to sustain your business. Like anything new, there will be hard days and issues that you don’t see coming. Having a plan in place and utilizing the ten tips listed above should help make the transition smooth and include everyone in your company to help make remote work a viable option.
