7 Tips for engaging remote workers

13 de September, 2024

The widespread use of remote working has brought undeniable benefits, particularly when it comes to a more harmonious integration of personal, family and professional life.

However, this new reality for many workers and companies, consolidated after the pandemic, also brings challenges. And employee engagement with the organization is one of the main ones.

According to a Gallup study, only 28% of remote workers say they feel connected to the purpose and mission of the company they work for.

And while it seems obvious that all companies will want to increase their employees’ levels of engagement, it may not be so obvious how they can do so when people are physically apart.

Find out with us why organizations shouldn’t neglect the engagement and sense of belonging of remote workers and 7 tips to boost it.

Read also: How to engage Gen Z employees?

What is employee engagement and why is it important?

Employee engagement refers to the way in which employees feel passionate about their work, valued and committed to the values and purpose of the organization in which they work.

In today’s highly competitive and dynamic job market, ensuring high levels of engagement is essential:

• Increasing professional satisfaction and retention;
• Improve communication and collaboration;
• Boosting productivity, innovation and creativity.

7 Tips for engagement remote workers

1 – Ensure a good preboarding and onboarding experience

If a good preboarding and onboarding experience is crucial to properly welcoming the employee and helping to shape a positive perception of the company, this is even more true in the case of remote workers.

Since professionals are physically distant, the support they need to feel accompanied and integrated is probably greater.

You need to provide all the practical information about the job and the company, set up the work material, make the relevant introductions and presentations to the team, set the agenda for initial training and schedule these meetings, among other things.

It may be relevant to create a checklist with all the topics that need to be addressed in a remote onboarding process, since some of them may – and certainly will – differ from a face-to-face integration.

Finally, you could consider implementing a “sponsor” program for new employees. The figure of a sponsor can play a very important role in helping to clear up any doubts about processes and to accompany professionals at an early stage, thus facilitating their adaptation.

2 – Organize informal virtual events

Remote teams communicate with each other on a daily basis via instant messaging, video calls or emails. However, if these communications remain strictly professional and formal, it can be difficult to develop a closer and more meaningful relationship between colleagues.

Having a good working environment is very important for boosting employee morale, engagement and a sense of belonging.

For this reason, you should promote informal and casual moments for people to relax, have a coffee – at a distance, but together – take a break and talk about topics that aren’t necessarily work-related.

3 – Create a library of shared resources

No matter how robust the onboarding process is, it is very likely that remote workers will still have questions about procedures, who is who in the company, which channels to use at any given time, etc.

Providing a library of resources that is as complete and accessible as possible is essential if remote workers are not to feel lost. This library should contain information about the company, internal policies, guides and procedures, among other materials deemed relevant.

Update this library regularly. To do this, gather feedback from newly hired employees and ask them what kind of resources and information they would have liked to have had access to.

This sharing makes professionals feel more empowered, as well as facilitating collaboration and improving productivity.

4 – Recognize employees and celebrate their achievements

Employees who feel recognized and valued tend to be more satisfied and therefore more engaged.

Recognizing the good work people do can be more difficult from a distance. However, it is crucial not to neglect a solid culture of feedback and recognition:

• Leaders and managers should thank employees for their commitment in virtual meetings or other shared communication channels (by email, by message);
• They should also encourage other team members to congratulate colleagues who have achieved a goal or excelled in a project;
• The company can implement a reward policy based on the awarding of digital gift cards, such as the Edenred Gift, for example.

5 – Provide opportunities for professional development

Several studies have already shown that a company’s commitment to continuous employee training has a clear impact on employee satisfaction, motivation and engagement. And, of course, it’s not because employees are working remotely that they are no longer interested in developing their skills.

So, if your company doesn’t already do so, you should start designing a training plan for remote workers. This plan should

• To meet the career objectives of the different professionals and also the challenges of growth and competitiveness of the company itself;
• Being flexible and adaptable to each employee, since people learn differently and at different paces;
• It should preferably be virtual, in line with the employee’s existing working arrangements.

6 – Contribute to a comfortable and pleasant workplace

In the case of face-to-face work, companies are able to control the conditions of the physical space in which employees work. However, this is not the case when people work from home.

Even so, you should make sure that the professionals have all the equipment and materials they need to carry out their work comfortably and safely.

In addition, you can also allocate a remote working allowance or supplement, so that people can set up their workspace in a functional and pleasant way.

Since most companies tend to neglect this aspect, the fact that yours doesn’t will help to increase employee satisfaction and engagement.

7 – Ask for regular feedback

You can’t expect employees to be engaged with the organization without knowing their needs, expectations and objectives.

Collecting feedback from employees is essential in order to understand what is wrong and what can be improved. This applies to all employees and especially to those who are remote – who you don’t meet on a daily basis and so it can be more difficult to get to know their opinions.

You can ask for feedback in a more formal way, through internal satisfaction questionnaires, and also in a more informal way, asking for opinions on internal processes, the organizational culture, the company’s management, the remote working system, among other aspects.