Whether you run your own business or manage a team, you may have some colleagues that work remotely. This way of working has increased so much in the last few years and, while it has its benefits, can have some drawbacks when it comes to keeping people motivated.
While working from home can bring staff a certain level of flexibility that cannot be found in the office, keeping up productivity and spirits can be a challenge, though. Thankfully, there are things that you can do to avoid this. Here are just a few examples.
Meet regularly
There are so many meeting apps that businesses can use to regularly keep up with remote workers. The majority of these apps allow you to schedule meetings for the same time each week, and this allows your remote workers to know when they are going to be able to catch up with the rest of the team.
Having regular contact means that those who work from home can raise issues they may have and still feel part of the team. An office is a great place for colleagues to collaborate, and virtual meetings can be a good way to replicate this.
Show that they are appreciated
With office work, it is easy to let people know they are doing a good job. A quick chat here and there or buying them coffee is sometimes all you need to thank them for a week of hard work.
It can be hard to show your appreciation to remote workers, though, but this does not mean that it is any less important. There are simple ways to do this, though, whether it’s a call to say well done for meeting a deadline or choosing from a wide variety of corporate hampers to send them.
These sorts of gestures can really help a remote workers feel that they are not being forgotten about and they are still appreciated.
Make them feel welcome
People work remotely for many different reasons. From living far from the office to working around family commitments, there are plenty of reasons to stick to remote working. However, it is great to let these workers know that the office is always available to them if that is the case.
If you have an office team and a remote team, letting the latter know that they can become a member of the former any time they like can be all they need. Just having the option to leave the remote working life, even for a day or two, can be a great morale boost for those that work from home.
Keeping a team productive and motivated can be hard enough at the best of times, but with the rise in remote working, this has become even more difficult. There is so much to navigate with this new way of working. The main takeaway from it, though, should certainly be that remote workers must be taken just as seriously as office workers going forward.
