When it comes to onboarding remote employees and keeping them engaged, it isn’t enough to simply ensure that they have access to all the technology, tools and information they’ll need to perform their jobs. Just as in-office workers need to feel connected, valued and heard, so do members of distributed teams.
Finding the right approach to virtual employee engagement can help ensure remote teammates won’t feel isolated or unsupported. With these tips from 11 members of Forbes Coaches Council, you can show your remote team members that you have their backs.
1. Ask About What Matters To Them
Take the time, ideally on a one-on-one basis, to ask your team members what is important to them in their careers. When you inquire about their values and express genuine interest and support, they will likely feel validated and appreciated. There can be a deeper heart connection, which will lessen the sense of isolation. And it goes both ways, so be ready to share your top values as well. – Vered Kogan, Momentum Institute™
2. ‘Circulate With Purpose’
Develop the skill of “circulating with purpose,” and build it into your leadership framework. In this new era of remote work, it’s critical to mind the gaps that can often occur. It’s so easy to fill gaps with suspicion rather than trust, and circulating with purpose is simple and effective. Write a note, make the phone call, get a status or grab a coffee. Schedule, listen, connect, rinse and repeat! –Kevin West, Invisible Insights Inc.
3. Foster A Culture Of Psychological Safety
A psychologically safe culture relies on the belief that no one will be humiliated for speaking up with ideas, concerns or mistakes. The result is that remote team members will feel safe to take risks and be vulnerable in front of each other. Remote managers and teams are not defined by technical skills or tenure. Their success depends on how supported and safe they feel. – Mari Carmen Pizarro,Whole Leadership Systems
4. Don’t Overlook The Importance Of A Strong Team Spirit
Almost all work can be done remotely now to the same degree of quality as if everyone working were in a traditional office. The hardest thing to replicate is team spirit. The relationships that can be created through chance encounters and casual conversations are invaluable. Create opportunities for social interactions online. It works. – Garry Pearson, Global Bridge
5. Invite Them To Connect In Daily Well-Being Sessions
Invite all employees to voluntarily join a daily mindfulness, meditation or breathwork session with you and other leaders in the organization. It sets the tone of connectedness and reframes the day to be a productive, purposeful one for employees. A simple engagement such as this will make remote employees feel less isolated, increase mental well-being and build psychological trust. –Arthi Rabikrisson, Prerna Advisory
6. Reintroduce The Social Element Of Work
It is important to reintroduce the social element of work. As humans, we are social animals. We are not made to live in isolation. Introduce Slack channels for non-work-related topics and encourage social events such as watch parties. Model informal interaction with colleagues. – Rajeev Shroff, Cupela Consulting
7. Schedule One-On-One Time
People feel validated and appreciated when you take time to listen, gather feedback and let them know they are heard. It is so much easier, and often more efficient, to do conference calls with large groups; however, there is very little benefit to the individual. It is okay to have a framework to lead, but you need multiple individual touch points as well. – Melanie Towey, Melanie Anne, LLC
8. Bring The In-Person Element To Them
Book a flight six months from now. While your distributed teams need to see you virtually and have remote access to you, they also might love to meet you or someone else on their team in person. Could you connect in person once or twice a year? Could you meet a few disparate groups by booking a trip in advance? Think about how they would look forward to this for weeks. – John M. O’Connor, Career Pro Inc.
9. Have Remote Workers Share ‘A Day In The Life’
Have the team send a handwritten card to tell the remote employee how much they mean to the team. Another idea is to have the remote worker walk their webcam around their home or workspace to help others see “a day in the life” of the remote worker, highlighting the things they love about their city, home and being remote. This creates connection, empathy and a sense of support. – Nicole Forward, Center for Creative Leadership
10. Eat Lunch Together Virtually
Send your team member a lunch delivery with a handwritten note and invite them to a virtual lunch. While you can’t have a one-on-one lunch in person, you can still do it virtually. It’s a great time to catch up, really check in on your team member and find out what challenges they face working remotely. Work jointly on next steps to make working as a team more fun while being remote. – Kevin Kan, Break Out Consulting Asia
11. Set Expectations And Trust Them To Get Their Job Done
The best way to support remote employees is to understand that the 9-to-5 model isn’t really working anymore. As a manager, you need to focus not on the time spent but on the specific and measurable goals you’ve created for your people, then trust them to get their job done. Empower them and trust them to be the professionals they are. – Jon Dwoskin, The Jon Dwoskin Experience
To see the original article, visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/06/30/want-to-better-support-remote-employees-11-tips-for-leaders
Have any tips you’d like to share? Let me know! I’d love to learn from you.
With love,
Mari Carmen
