\n\tOffering remote work opportunities is increasingly common and expected in the modern workplace. This is a major perk for many employees and can be a huge selling point for companies looking to retain the best talent.<\/p>\n
\n\tHowever, off-site employees can feel left out and possibly become disengaged if they are not included in the company culture! They routinely miss out on events such as holiday parties and lunches celebrating team accomplishments. They aren’t there for the Monday morning ‘watercooler’ discussions.<\/p>\n
\n\tSo what does it take to keep everyone connected and create a sense of shared purpose? Frequent communication is key<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \n\tHere are some tips to ensure that your remote workers feel connected to your business and the company culture, regardless of where they get their work done.<\/p>\n \n\tLaptops, smartphones, tablets and endless apps allow remote workers to connect and work with teams any time, any place. Use videoconferencing technology for face-to-face interaction. This will encourage interaction, strengthen out of office workers’ feeling of community and encourage responsibility.<\/p>\n \n\tWe often underestimate the amount of informal communication that occurs; such as in the lunchroom or on the way to the bathroom. Remote workers miss out on these discussions and it is up to their managers to ensure they are kept up to date on important things such as new developments and opportunities.<\/p>\n \n\tOne of the major issues with employees working remotely is a feeling of isolation and a relative lack of collaboration or interaction with their co-workers. Conducting regular online or virtual meetings assists in minimising isolation and builds good working relationships.<\/p>\n \n\tNothing beats face time. Hold occasional on-site meetings and team building events to bring everyone together. When people and their managers get to meet face to face, it makes it easier for them to empathize with one another and collaborate well.<\/p>\n \n\tA large part of keeping employees engaged is showing an interest in their lives. Don’t just meet about office-related issues. Get to know your remote workers. Keeping in touch with your employees, even just to make small talk, can be really helpful.<\/p>\n \n\tThe right leadership will ultimately create a great workplace culture and effective employees. Don’t try to micromanage your employees working remotely to compensate for the fact that you can’t see them. Micro-management is death to remote workers, it breaks trust and fosters a feeling of unworthiness. Employees should have goals to hit on both a short and long-term basis in order to illustrate that they’re actually working during the day and not taking advantage of a work-from-home policy.<\/p>\n \n\tEven if your employee is working off-site you need to provide regular praise and feedback, just as you would if they were in the office. Employees should know what they’re doing well and where they can improve. This way their job feels like a career and not a series of mindless tasks that they do at home alone.<\/p>\n \n\tEmployees working off-site can be highly productive, engaged members of your team when managed properly. Learn how to make them feel included and you’ll find that you get their best work and plenty of positive energy, even when they’re not in the office.<\/p>\n \n\tClick here<\/a> to read other RecruitNews articles.<\/p>\n\n\t1. Set remote workers up with the right tools<\/h2>\n
\n\t2. Be extra vigilant about communication<\/h2>\n
\n\t3. Schedule regular online meetings<\/h2>\n
\n\t4. Meet in person when possible<\/h2>\n
\n\t5. Get to know your remote workers<\/h2>\n
\n\t6. Ensure remote workers have strong team leaders<\/h2>\n
\n\t7. Don’t forget recognition and performance development<\/h2>\n
\n\tGetting the most out of your remote workers<\/h2>\n