Operating a Business

5 Effective Ways To Engage And Connect With Remote Employees

Eric Williams Written by: Eric Williams
Mike Reyes Edited by: Mike Reyes
Last Updated September 26, 2022
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The number of people working from home has been increasing for many years and is expected to continue to rise. Even if some companies return to office-based operations once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, remote work isn’t going away anytime soon.

Managers are the key stakeholders that’s why they must understand the importance of engaging remote employees. Employee engagement is critical for any company because the more the employees are invested, the more productive and committed to the organization’s success they are, and less likely to leave their jobs. However, engaging people can be difficult even when they have face-to-face contact with their employers and even more complicated when off-site.

Incorporating a virtual social learning platform into the workplace can promote more informal learning and the formation of communities that bring employees and team members closer together.LMS has user-friendly and streamlined social platforms with many of the same features as mainstream social media. Providing employees with a familiar platform to brainstorm new ideas, ask questions, and connect with fellow workers can make a massive difference in the workplace. 

5 Ways Workplaces Can Reinvent Their Engagement Strategy

Personalization And Microlearning

Employees today are tech-savvy and accustomed to receiving information in bite-sized chunks, whether via their smartphones, social media, or chat messenger services. When it comes to job training, organizations can use an LMS with microlearning features to tap into today’s employees’ evolving learning mindset.

We now have tailor-made and customized ads and content on digital platforms, thanks to AI technology that can make calculated guesses based on consumers’ likes, dislikes, and behavior patterns. Similarly, organizations can use an LMS to learn about employee behavior and deliver customized learning programs to increase engagement.

Hold Regular Meetings

While remote workers have higher morale and lower stress levels than those who work in an office, they frequently miss out on crucial social interactions and collaborative opportunities that are essential to the business’s well-being.

The following types of meetings can be beneficial:

– Standup meetings daily

– One-on-one meetings once a week

– Check-ins or quick connects

– Mentorship meetings

PRO TIP: Asking icebreaker questions during any type of meeting, especially one with remote employees, can be a great way to connect with the team.

Set Up a Virtual Water Cooler

Remote employees miss the spontaneity and the opportunity to work with colleagues in an unstructured manner, in addition to structured social interaction.

A “virtual water cooler” could be the solution. This digital tool replaces common workplace features such as the break room in a traditional office. This digital space can be designated to encourage informal conversations around the break room, such as sports results, television shows, book recommendations, and what people did over the weekend – all of the conversations that naturally occur between colleagues in the office.

Make The Onboarding Process Pleasant

Poor onboarding processes, in general, can lead to new hires deciding almost immediately that they want to leave the company and work elsewhere. These negative first impressions are even more likely when working remotely. Starting a new job can be a stressful experience, which is exacerbated by having to do so alone in a room away from your new coworkers. 

Using employee onboarding tools to commence meets and greets, informative quizzes, and buddy projects to build camaraderie among the employees is imperative in making the onboarding process more pleasant rather than exhausting.

Gamification

Slipping some gameplay (along with rewards) into your LMS could significantly boost employee engagement. It’s a simple fact that when we’re bored, few things are more engaging than playing or watching video games. Businesses can capitalize on this by introducing interactive game elements into their training programs. On the other hand, rewarding employees with stars, points, or certificates for course completions will further motivate their workforce to keep improving.

Most now include built-in gamification capabilities capable of transforming dull training material into games and competitions, thereby increasing engagement and knowledge retention.

Conclusion

Companies are defined by the culture they foster, and when remote workers feel isolated from that culture, employee engagement and productivity suffer. Connecting with remote employees can sometimes be intimidating, but many workplace collaboration tools and engagement techniques are available to help your team feel like a team.

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