Maintaining Employee Engagement While Working From Home
Published: 19/04/2020
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If you have found that your business operates more effectively remotely and you intend to maintain this model, this article is for you. We wrote it as a guide for business owners and team managers to help enhance employee engagement while working from home, and to elevate it to levels higher than ever before.
Beginning in the spring of 2020, companies across all industries were compelled to adopt remote working. For those without prior experience with this model, it was a challenging period of adjustment. However, lifting the restrictions didn’t lead everyone to breathe a sigh of relief and flock back to the office. First of all, the gradual process wouldn’t allow it. Instead, it initiated the second phase of adaptation: hybrid working. Now, with no restrictions remaining, we observe a curious phenomenon. Companies that struggled to adjust to either full or partial remote working are actually opting not to re-inhabit their original premises.
In fact, some companies have firmly decided not to return to the physical office, including giants like Google and Quora. If you have also chosen to keep your teams permanently remote, this article is for you, as we will discuss how to maintain employee engagement in a work-from-home environment.
Whether the company expanded beyond its premises or chose to utilise a wider talent pool not restricted by location, the reasons organisations opt to remain remote vary. However, the primary factor influencing this trend is the increase in productivity. Many businesses experienced this after overcoming the initial revenue dip caused by the adaptation period. In fact, companies that opted to return fully to on-site work are now in the minority.
Many global corporations that choose to move their offices strictly to the digital space set a tone for smaller enterprises. However, many don’t take into consideration that the transition wasn’t made without a plan. Moreover, huge resources that are unavailable to most businesses were utilised when strategising the move. This doesn’t mean smaller businesses have no hope of succeeding in becoming fully remote. It does mean, however, that they will need to spend more time thinking the process through to ensure their performance, including employee engagement, doesn’t drop. That’s what we want to advise you on today.
Here are some quick, actionable tips to keep your remote teams engaged:
Provide a less formal team communication channel;
Organise non-work related activities like an after-work pop quiz;
Introduce flexible hours;
Start utilising collaboration platforms;
Dedicate time for 1-on-1 meetings;
Keep tabs on the workers’ well-being to avoid burnout;
Offer opportunities for personal and professional development;
Acknowledge the work of your staff and give them credit.
Next, we will focus on slightly more complicated and in-depth topics. While they will require more time and effort, they will also yield more long-term results.
One thing we’ve collectively learned during the lockdown is the importance of being flexible. Even if you feel you haven’t perfected the remote working arrangements, you shouldn’t rush to introduce a new set of rules. If anything, the determination to continue functioning as a remote or hybrid office requires your willingness to stay flexible. Neither of these work models can run efficiently or foster employee satisfaction if they aren’t fluid and accommodating at their core.
Bear in mind that some of your team will be juggling work and family responsibilities now that they are permanently stationed at home. It’s important to show understanding and empathy toward their situation. One way to demonstrate this is by allowing flexible working arrangements. These times are anything but ordinary, so adjust your working practices accordingly. Start by relaxing rules around work hours. For instance, shorten the working day or allow staff to set their own schedules. Then consider providing more time for certain projects or tasks, or putting non-essential work on the back burner.
If you are considering a hybrid office instead of a fully remote work environment, enhance employee engagement by allowing them to choose their preferred days f attending the physical office. It is advisable to set clear expectations for how many days a week employees should be present. However, we do not recommend being overly strict about this requirement. Consider each worker's individual preferences. Some of the more sociable employees may wish to spend more time in person, while others, who may face lengthy commutes, might prefer to be in the office less frequently.
Many people have friends who are also colleagues and view the office as a place to socialise as well as work. This means that many employees who live alone may find it particularly challenging without this daily human interaction. Thankfully, there are numerous digital tools available to keep everyone connected. A good idea is to set upcreate an online ‘break room’ where your team can discuss topics that aren’t work-related. Slack’s instant messaging platform works well for this, or you can set up a WhatsApp group.
Consider using tools like Microsoft Teams or Zoom for weekly team video chats. They shouldn’t be mandatory or strictly work-related. A half-hour call spent discussing various topics can help boost your team’s spirit, without disrupting their workday.
Some of your staff might not be excited to learn they will not return to the office. Older employees usually tend to be less tech-savvy and therefore value in-person collaboration more. However, younger workers may also feel opposed, as they might believe they are missing out on learning from their peers. As an employer, you need to support your team in adapting to the new setup. Whether through alleviating their anxieties or addressing their need to socialise with colleagues.
As mentioned in the opening paragraph, your new starters or younger employees may worry that they aren't improving their professional skill set. Such thoughts can be frustrating and may lead them to reconsider whether they should continue working for your company. For this reason, you should make it clear that you care about their growth. Assign a more experienced employee to be their mentor or offer to have weekly one-on-one meetings.
Regarding senior employees, you may notice that their work has decreased significantly. This presents a great opportunity for them to concentrate on their professional development. You can support this by:
Working with them to identify which skills they’d like to learn or develop;
Finding relevant resources – these may be online guides, webinars or websites such as SkillShare or Hubspot Academy;
Covering the costs of online courses.
Working remotely, particularly when it’s not a choice, can lead to stress and anxiety. Both can further impact engagement and morale among employees. That’s why it’s crucial to provide additional support to staff if you have recently transitioned to a full work-from-home model. Here are some ways to do that:
Make sure all employees are given contact details of who they can talk to within your business if they are worried or have any queries;
Share weekly updates about your business and steps you’re taking to safeguard your company – some employees could be worried about job security, so doing this could help put their minds at ease;
Send links to information or articles you think your employees would find useful, for instance on topics such as supporting mental and physical wellbeing during the crisis;
Make time for one-to-one video calls with each of your employees so you can ask how they’re coping and if they need more support.
Maintaining consistently excellent results is something every business strives for. However, this should not be the limit, and you should continue aiming higher. While the primary goal of becoming fully remote should be to ensure there are no drops in employee engagement, you will eventually need to look into growing it further. This is when you are likely to face a new set of challenges, but fret not - you likely already have the tools needed to tackle them.
Timesheet Portal is a cloud-based solution that enables you to manage most of your business's daily processes remotely, including employee time tracking, expenses, invoicing, and document storage. Our software is an ideal choice for all types of businesses, particularly those transitioning away from a physical office setting. Designed to streamline processes and create efficient workflows, we can help your team adjust to remote work in no time.
With a wide range of features and endless customisation options, we’ve designed our solution to adapt to your needs, rather than the other way around. Whether you want to build your processes from scratch or enhance your existing ones, Timesheet Portal has you covered. We have supported remote work long before the pandemic, providing years of experience in optimising a work-from-home environment that drives employee engagement.
You might have learned that your business is most efficient when your teams work remotely. If that’s the case, you shouldn’t feel pressured to return to the office. However, before you decide to remain fully remote or hybrid, it’s important to remember that not everyone on the team may share this sentiment. Therefore, it should be among your priorities to ensure that all of your employees are adjusting well to this permanent change.
Additionally, keep in mind that the rushed implementation of solutions and strategies developed during the lockdown won’t sustain your business in the long run. You need to think ahead and create a strategy you can build upon. From flexible hours to new methods of onboarding and nurturing newcomers, previously core operations of your business are bound to change. Although it may be challenging at first, we assure you it is worth the effort, as the traditional 9-to-5 office model will soon be nothing but a memory. It’s time to innovate.
Ready to step towards the future? Let us guide you.