With more employees working remotely than ever before, it’s important to make sure everyone feels like a part of the team. Research has consistently found that an engaged workforce is a more productive and profitable workforce, so how can you create a bond with remote employees?
- Create a “virtual water cooler.” When employees work remotely, they miss out on the casual, face-to-face conversations that take place in the office. Using a tool like Slack, with customized channels for personal topics and shared projects, can help keep remote workers in the loop and provide an easy forum for collaborating on ideas that pop up throughout the day.
- Share calendars. When people work remotely, they often don’t keep a traditional, 9 to 5 schedule. Remote employees may even work from different time zones. Sharing calendars, including time set aside for work and time blocked for personal activities, will help avoid scheduling conflicts and make it easier to find the best time to contact each other.
- Prioritize personal updates. Simple team-building exercises, like reserving the first five minutes of a meeting to ask everyone a fun ice-breaker question or to share personal updates can help employees feel more connected to each other and turn on creative thinking.
- Don’t be 100% remote. Every once in a while, it’s important to bring the entire team together. Depending on your business, that may be a monthly team meeting in the office, a quarterly lunch or a biannual company retreat.
- Hire the right people. If you know a position will require working remotely, set your new hire up for success by choosing someone with the right skills. For example, a candidate with effective written communication, the ability to make sound, independent decisions and excellent time management skills, may be better poised to handle the challenges of working remotely.
Many successful teams use remote work options; we can help you make your remote employees truly feel like part of the team. This can be a win-win for everyone. If you’re striving to create a better bond with remote employees, Achilles Group is here to help. Talk to one of our experienced HR professionals at 281-469-1800.
