20 Ways to Keep Your Employees Engaged Through the Summer. and has a lot of options for an organization or network of people. I FaceTime with my friend Ayelen and she talks to me completely in Spanish, so I have to keep up. Investing in noise-canceling headphones or a headset is a great way for you to keep focused on the task at hand." Use WhatsApp for work (ideal if you have a “work phone”). People (including you, and me!) I thrive off of human connection – big time. Probably not in the conventional way you’re used to. 8 Easy & Creative Ways to Keep Remote Employees Engaged . 1922 shares Note: It’s been 4 years since we wrote this article—Whoa time flies! What if cooking was graded by how it looked, and not how it tasted? The Economist is one of the podcasts I try to listen to because it exposes me to topics I usually wouldn’t hunt down in my regular news. Some of us who are dealing with this situation for the first time may run into challenges. In our free time during the work day, we’d catch up with people and talk about things that they recently found interesting. These are usually longer-form, sometimes between 50 or 70 minutes long. We’ve come up with a list of creative strategies for how to engage remote employees, all centered around three main elements: communication, participation, and appreciation. Making exercise an integral part of your daily routine isn’t just good for your wellbeing. So are instant messages and Slack DMs. If you have contacts (clients, vendors, colleagues) who are in other countries, WhatsApp (from your work number) is an ideal way to have each other at your fingertips if you have to speak outside of work platforms. Share. When researchers measured the total motivation of employees, they saw that those forced to work from home were the least motivated. Plan an organization-wide virtual talent show. Bring up issues before others can, and provide solutions and positivity. Employee Milestone Celebrations. When working remotely, employees need to know that their manager and senior leaders are still there for them should they have issues and need someone to help them through. Keeping your workforce focussed and engaged is key to having a positive experience of home working. Have you ever worked on a shared Google spreadsheet and been delighted with seeing your colleague’s edits in real time? Heads up! The key to staying connected while working remotely is to spend time with your staff. Seeing other humans on the other end of the screen confirms to everyone that you exist behind the words in the emails. If you plan to have a video call, or if you’re expected to dial into the team meeting with video, make sure your home office setup is in tip-top shape! “Working from home will be a dream,” they said. At Formstack, where Jell was founded, the entire team relies on tools like Slack in addition to the company’s own daily standup software. It. When I first started working from home, I stuck to a typical 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule. I like meeting face to face. By Pooja Bajaj | 30th Mar 2020. I find that listening to a podcast about these topics makes the news more interesting to get into, and I feel that podcasts have become a routine for me now. Check out Backblaze to make sure your files are safe and secure. I still consider it more effective and reliable than iMessage when I’m traveling and far from home. Share. Your closest contacts may be clients, vendors, editors, artists, service providers or many types of other relationships. ), I’ll click on “video” to surprise him or her. They often talk about YouTube trends, entrepreneurship and gear. The world of traditional, 9-to-5 work is slipping away, according to Global Workplace Analytics and numerous other studies: 5 million employees (3.6% of the workforce) currently work-at-home half-time or more. Schedule even the smallest catch-up session, and it will likely go appreciated by the recipient. by. Are you thinking about how to stay connected when working remotely? Listen to (or watch) The Colin and Samir podcast. This can be done over Slack, where members join a channel, and a book is voted upon, and then a date set by which to finish it and meet. For companies that are used to a traditional office environment, it can be tempting for leaders to check in constantly to make sure employees are on task while they're working from home. For freelancers, follow up with clients, and utilize ‘snooze.’. “You won’t ever sit in traffic again,” they claimed. With remote work, there’s no rush hour to endure. If you employ remote workers, you might even consider supplementing a percentage of pre-qualified exercise-related memberships or gear. When you’re working from home, how do the social activities and human interactions translate into online methods of communicating? Keeping your workforce focussed and engaged is key to having a positive experience of home working. Here's how to make sure they stay part of … These links are always disclosed, and help us run our site. In March 2018, after coming back from our trip around the world while working remotely, I somehow fell into listening to podcasts. As the world battles the Coronavirus pandemic, employees are forced to work from home. The Vergecast is hosted by Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn. Here are a few perfect ideas. If you need to block out any background noise, check out our guide on how to remove background noise from calls. To me, that’s one of the coolest gifts that technology has given us. You can do yoga, chair stretching, or even a meditation session to keep everyone fit and healthy. In fact, the remote companies I work with all welcome it. So well, in fact, that I sometimes think smartphone voice recording apps were created specifically for mid-afternoon jogs. It’s easy for remote employees to feel isolated, and when most of your workforce is spread out, it can be difficult to maintain a strong company culture. Our friend Cyd from @goaltraveler introduced us to Netflix Party. I subscribe to the main mailing list and Dan also subscribes to the technology and marketing lists. Now that we’re talking about creator podcasts, The Colin and Samir podcast is a good one for staying connected to creator news, marketing ideas and more. Yet, even before the recent COVID-19 outbreak, remote working can be a challenge for many organizations looking to engage their teams and employees effectively.Understanding how to manage and engage employees can yield the same, if not better, results than when employees are in the office. But don’t let that deter you – you can get creative. While some employees expect to thrive working remotely, others fear they'll feel isolated or unmotivated to work in their own homes. Join colleagues in online and virtual games like Scrabble, or whichever other competitive online games exist these days. It’s what motivates employees here at the snack castle. Start a “water cooler” channel in Slack or Teams. I’m not talking about donning a three-piece suit that no one will see or posting work hours to the door of your home office. Well, it might be far away, depending on how far you are from said office, but it doesn’t mean the chit-chat is dead. Which types of ways are appropriate for managing remote relationships with professional contacts and colleagues? This can be in the form of one on one meetings with your employees, or as a group to check-in with their progress at work. While many employees already do some work remotely, many workers and managers are still trying to adjust to this paradigm shift. These are my 10 best things to keep in mind for communicating as a remote worker. We've traveled the world working from our laptops, and now we're so excited to share our remote work tips and tricks, along with hacks for working from home, with you, here on our blog. Especially when you become remote, keeping in touch with coworkers in a phone call helps avoid misunderstandings. Sam Campbell. What’s Netflix Party? Lastly, you can join a Skype for Business meeting by simply clicking the “Join Meeting” button, whether on desktop or mobile. When you’re in the office, you grab lunch with a coworker, dip out to the coffeeshop below the office or take your … These are just a few ways to keep your business’s employees happy and motivated. While being glued to your work phone, work email or work Slack can be tiring, exhausting and less-than-optimal for mental health, it is part of the remote work hustle. 1. It’s so seamless. Lead 10 Best Ways to Keep Employees Happy, Engaged, and Motivated Here's what leaders and employees can do together to boost employee engagement and motivation. When a remote employee feels actively engaged, they’re more likely to be energized by their work, motivating to those around them and willing to tackle difficult problems. Matti Haapoja and Peter McKinnon run this show. If you’ve followed our story, you know that we love to talk about coffee. Working remotely is dreamy. Interact during webinars using Q&A with Zoom or GoToWebinar. As employees around the world embrace “the World’s Largest Work-From-Home Experiment,” they’re also experiencing the unprecedented levels of stress that come with working remotely under uncertain circumstances.. Stay connected. With many employees working remotely, the traditional ways of recognizing a team, as you mentioned in your question, may not infeasible. Use social media to connect with clients, vendors and networking contacts. Working from home can have many benefits for both employees and employers, from savings on commercial rent to better flexibility in work. One thing is for sure, though: you don’t actually have to wear pants. Connecting with your coworkers when you work remotely doesn’t have to be a pain, or a chore, or a struggle. Don't let this doubt your belief in the power of remote work, because Gallup research finds that employees who spend at least some time working remotely are "more likely to feel engaged in their jobs than those who never work remotely." Podcasts to stay updated with current events, Podcasts to stay updated with web development, technology and photography, how to remove background noise from calls, Subscribe to the Morning Brew emerging tech newsletter, Subscribe to the Morning Brew marketing newsletter, trip around the world while working remotely, How to Set Up a Home Office in a Small Apartment, Best Productivity Tips for Working From Home, Travel Budget Hacks From the @Halfhalftravel Community, 43 Best Photography YouTube Channels to Follow, How to Create a Shared Home Office Space for Two, The Best Cities for Working Remotely and Traveling. Keeping your virtual office door open is more of a mindset and something to say, but it’s worth keeping in mind. Back to discussing if you can use WhatsApp for work, the answer is sure. Even if you don’t have time to fully answer an email, I like to reply with a “Hi, I’m reading this and will reply soon – don’t worry!” as to not look like I’m ignoring anyone. This eradicates your positive reinforcement and causes the employee to leave with a draw-down critique more so then constructive criticism lined with positivity. His podcast goes a bit deeper into talking about new technology that comes out. Engaging remote employees means that at times, you are going to have to work doubly hard to keep them engaged. We just wrote a new one with more learnings and more advice. I’ve had interviews, meetings and chats all over Google Hangouts. 10 ways agencies are keeping their remote employees engaged Shops show off home offices through MTV 'Cribs'-style tours, plus lots of online … Avoid micromanaging. For companies that are used to a traditional office environment, it can be tempting for leaders to check in constantly to make sure employees are on task while they're working from home. Having a large number of teams or even departments suddenly working remotely from home comes with many challenges. Put time in the calendar for having lunch over video with a coworker who used to be your lunch buddy, or, grab some time with a colleague across the country, or across the ocean. The Morning Brew newsletters give us a snapshot of current events in a few different categories. Best Engagement Tools for Working from Home. Have Friday after-work drinks during a video chat, organize secret Santa for Christmas, keep a separate chat for cute pet pictures, share the fun fact of the week – the list can go as far as your imagination does. While the work arrangement can have positive effects on your business’ performance, keeping your remote team motivated and connected can be more of a challenge. I went straight to my home office and was done in an hour. Where I live, it’s easy to get in a 40-hour work week with a combination of drop-off playcare, preschool, learning centers and part-time babysitters. Don’t get lured into thinking you can work from home while the kids quietly entertain themselves in the background. Another way this can be done is by allowing one team member to show off their home at the beginning of each week’s work meeting. It’s important that companies create an environment where leadership and employees can stay connected while working from home. Their intro speaks for itself when they say: […] informative look at what’s happening right now (and next) in the world of technology and gadgets. Provide a work from home scenario and flexible hours where employees with children or adults with hobbies are allowed the freedom to enjoy life to the fullest, but still get their work done.” Employees who work from home may struggle with feeling lonely and disconnected since they don’t work in a social office environment. Maybe it’s an interesting podcast, or three. Instead, find fun ways to stay socially connected with your coworkers and managers. 5 Ways to Keep Your Employees Engaged During the Coronavirus Outbreak. Riding in their car to work or riding a roller coaster at an amusement park. Lunch-and-learns are a great way for an employee with a certain specialty to share a skill with the rest of an organization. Basking under the flickering glow of the fluorescent lights or basking under a warm sun. E-mails are easy to ignore. After three hours of painstakingly plowing through mediocre work, I powered down my PC. According to the latest report from Global Workplace Analytics and FlexJobs, at least 3.9 million American employees are working from home [at least half of the time].. Somehow, “Today, Explained,” became one of the podcasts I listen to every single day. As a contractor, I’ve worked with many remote teams over the years and can confirm that much of what “they” say is true: Remote employees tend to be happier, healthier and more engaged than their in-office counterparts. Unite your team with daily standups, make progress visible, and reach goals faster—all in minutes a day. In the midst of the last global crisis in 2008, WD-40 Company chief executive Garry Ridge recalls that fear was beginning to consume his employees. Not all work relationships are with coworkers, especially if you are a small business owner or freelancer. Won’t. Dan used to spend a bit of time making coffee at his office and Becca would enjoy meeting up with friends who worked in the same part of Manhattan. 142. 1) Foster a sense of belonging Aside from running this podcast, they are some of my favorite YouTubers (I wrote about some of my favorite photography YouTubers here!). This is especially true for those of us balancing work and childcare. I'm the editor of the Jell blog. Leaders, engage your remote employees, every day. 2. Consider organizing a group fitness break during the day. Looking for a way to provide an online meetup or virtual meet-and-greet? Take breaks to play an online game with colleagues (if company culture allows). Among other programs, @halfhalftravel is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. If you have multiple workspaces, using a tool like 1Password can help keep all of your passwords organized. Best for remote teams or departments, this communication tool proposes questions that build rapport, and icebreaker questions for new hires. Make sure colleagues feel comfortable cold-calling you or asking for help, rather than being worried about ‘bothering you,’ conversely. Don't let your remote work from home employees feel a lack of appreciation! Now I rarely worked conventional hours. Working From Home 10 Ideas to Keep a Great Company Culture While Working Remotely Inspiration to keep your team connected while they're physically apart. When you hit a wall, take an exercise break to recharge and get re-inspired. I can say the same for the Ladies Get Paid network, which has afforded me opportunities like hosting a webinar about remote work starter tips for women. If you’re working from home with your partner, be sure to give your significant other, or roommate, some space when taking a video call, so that the background of the call remains professional. Adobe XD’s Wireframe podcast reveals stories surrounding user experience and the art of design. Check out if Grammarly is for you. Avoid micromanaging. 9 ways to maintain staff morale in a remote work environment 1. Here at Smarp, we use our software solution to share fun company moments. While it’s very hard to keep the employees continuously engaged at work, you can choose to have a win-win situation by working on these employee engagement ideas. Yes, some productivity authorities swear by those tips. Remote teams can adjust schedules so early birds overlap night owls and time zones line up for at least part of the day. Here are a few ways you can show your staff you care and help them stay productive and happy. This is useful for people who have something in common, like having attended an event all together, or planning a project on the go. Start meetings on a positive personal note, and commit it to tradition. Because we work from home now, and we don’t get this chit-chat anymore, we feel like we miss out on current events. SHARES . “Work-life balance is one of the most important things employers can do to help employees not only stay healthy and fit, but keep them engaged day by day. 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