As remote work has become the standard among many workforces, there have been growing concerns in regards to how employees can maintain cohesiveness and collaboration amongst their teams. When employees work from a centralized location, it becomes relatively easy to facilitate meetings and other activities which enhance collaboration and help to foster the brainstorming of ideas and strategies. When employees work from home, this process becomes much more difficult. Here are five ways in which a remote company can foster collaboration between employees, regardless of where they are working from.
Recognize the Importance of Establishing Trust Among Your Remote Workforce
The success of a company is highly dependent upon employee satisfaction. If a workforce is not satisfied with working conditions or feels that their concerns are unheard of and unmet, they can significantly impact the company’s bottom line. A lot of this satisfaction is tied to the level of trust they have in their management team. Transparency is paramount when it comes to establishing trust. You can enhance that trust by sending regular updates and notices to your employees on the current state of business operations.
Another step you can take is to remain open and available for employees to voice any concerns or issues they may be experiencing. Over the last year, many employees were personally impacted by the pandemic in a variety of ways. Upper management needs to recognize that personal issues may be playing a huge role in employees’ lives and productivity and be willing to work with their employees to address such issues in an empathetic and supportive manner.
Take a Closer Look at Your Telecom Network and Consider Using an Audit Service
Many times, a lack of clear communication is attributed to ineffective methods of technology. For example, there are often phone numbers that are connected to lines that lie dormant. This problem is quite common among businesses, especially those which rely heavily on telework. Telecom audit services can help you address this problem, by identifying areas in which your company can cut costs, while also improving communication among your workforce.
Foster Bonding Moments Among Your Remote Employees by Establishing Virtual “Down Time”
Now that your workforce is largely working from home, casual non-work-related conversations during breaks have virtually disappeared. The importance of these moments cannot be understated. Friendships among employees are often organic in nature and are established during casual conversations between work-related tasks. Think of creative ways to re-establish those natural bonds virtually. A weekly trivia night is a great way to help employees blow off some steam, and enjoy a few laughs and friendly competition.
Acknowledge Virtual Employees for a Job Well Done
Employee morale and satisfaction are usually correlated with whether or not they feel appreciated and recognized for their job performance. Many businesses lose fantastic employees on a regular basis, due to a lack of recognition. This is even more apparent when employees are working remotely. Make sure that you are regularly highlighting excellent employees, and rewarding them with incentives and positive recognition. Incentives don’t necessarily have to be high value and could be as simple as a favorite snack or beverage. The main takeaway point is to show great employees that they are valued and appreciated for what they do.
Actively Seek Out Input and Ideas From Virtual Employees on a Regular Basis
Every employee in a company can provide valuable input and ideas to enhance or improve business operations. This is even more apparent when it comes to a virtual workforce. Be sure that you are actively engaging with your employees, and asking for their input or opinions in regards to the company. They may have innovative ideas in regards to company operations, or even how to streamline communication and other tasks. One great thing about having a diverse workforce is that everybody brings different viewpoints and perspectives to the table. Make sure you recognize this and use this to your advantage in order to help your business grow successfully.
This last year has proven to be a challenging one, especially for companies that had to quickly shift the way in which they operated virtually overnight. Many companies have thrived under the virtual workforce model. Telework is likely here to stay. Using the aforementioned strategies to keep your virtual workforce cohesive and collaborative will help to ensure that your company and workforce thrive in this ever-evolving time in history.
