Since 2005, the number of people working from home has increased by 140%. Add in a pandemic, and that number’s probably exploded in the last year!
Remote working has a number of benefits for employees. But it’s undeniable that many feel isolated and alone, which can have a profound effect on their well-being.
Do you have remote workers for your company and you want to make working conditions better for them? Then read on to find out how to boost morale for your remote employees!
Check-In With Them Regularly
As we’ve just mentioned, working remotely can feel isolating and lonely at times. All it takes to combat these feelings is for someone to reach out to your employees!
Schedule a quick 10-15 minute video chat with your employees to see how they’re doing, and not just on their work projects either. Take this opportunity to learn about them and show genuine interest in their lives. When your remote workers see that you’re invested in them, they’ll feel more valued and connected, and less alone.
Ask For and Give Feedback
In addition to checking in with your remote workers regularly, you should also ask them for feedback. This allows them to bring up issues and it offers you an opportunity to fix them. This can build a strong employer/employee relationship that also builds trust, especially when they see that take their feedback to heart.
You should also give feedback to your remote employees. After all, how will they know they’re doing a good (or bad) job unless you tell them?
Never hesitate to praise your workers for a job well done. This makes them feel seen and like all the hard work they’ve put into a project was worth it.
Send Care Packages
Getting a surprise in the mail is always a treat, so every once in a while, send care packages to your remote employees! Make sure to include some branded items so they feel like they’re part of the team.
Sending them some self-care items can also be a nice touch, such as candles, bath bombs, and stress balls. They’re also sure to enjoy care packages of wine, snacks, chocolate, stationery, etc.
Accommodate Hybrid Schedules if Possible
Some remote workers are located halfway around the world, so it won’t be possible to have some of them come into work. But others are a lot closer, so think about implementing a hybrid work model if you can.
Schedule your remote employees to come into the office on a regular basis, whether that’s twice a week or once a month. Having that in-person work time allows your remote workers to bond with your in-person staff in a way that’s unique from digital interactions. As a result, they’ll feel more invested and involved in your company and employee loyalty will go up.
Host Weekly Meetings
Having weekly meetings can help bring the entire workplace together. Make sure to include in-person staff too! If you have a large company, you might want to break it down into meetings by departments/teams.
These weekly meetings give everyone a chance to catch up and see what others are doing. Encourage your employees to give each other compliments on how well they’re doing. Appreciation can go a long way for workplace morale!
Do Digital Group Activities
When working from home, it can be difficult to strike a good work-life balance. You don’t have to physically get up and move to get away from work, so some employees might find themselves buried in an unhealthy amount of work.
Show your employees you care about their well-being by scheduling digital group activities, such as yoga or meditation. It doesn’t even have to be long; a quick 30-minute session in the middle of the day once or twice a week can really make a difference!
When everyone has a chance to take a breather, they’ll feel much more refreshed and ready to tackle anything!
Have Zoom Parties
On that note, you should also have Zoom parties every once in a while. This gives people a chance to bond with their coworkers without having to talk about work-related subjects.
For example, you can have an after-work happy hour Zoom session either every Friday or once a month. People can kick back and relax, pour themselves a drink, and just shoot the breeze with one another.
Consider adding some online games to your Zoom parties to make them more interactive. For example, Jackbox Games are fantastic for teamwork and can get people loose and laughing!
Create a Company Chatroom
Your company probably already uses something like Slack to communicate with one another. But chances are, the channels are all work-related.
Give all your employees the online equivalent of a water cooler so they can “gather” and talk about non-work things. You can even break down the channels for random talk, self-care, pets, cooking, etc. That way, your workers will naturally congregate in the channels where they can chat about things they’re passionate about.
This lets people create bonds and if/when they meet in real life, it’ll be easier for everyone to get along and feel comfortable with one another.
Keep Your Remote Employees Happy
For companies with remote employees, it can be hard to keep them happy, especially if they’re not able to go into the office and mingle with the in-person staff on a regular basis. But if you follow the tips we’ve given you, then you’ll have an easier time making your remote workers feel more included. And as a result, you’ll improve morale and increase productivity, as well as employee loyalty!
If you want to learn more about running a workplace successfully, then browse our other blog articles now.
