3 Ways to Keep a Remote Workforce Engaged

A lot of people think promotional marketing is all about trade shows and pens. But there are a lot more uses for it then that. One of them is employee engagement. But throwing a disengaged employee some swag won’t turn them around and put them back on happy ground. You need to cultivate constant engagement, especially in those who aren’t in your office.

 

3 Ideas for Keeping Remote Employees Engaged

Balance Your Teams

Team projects are a great way to include remote employees but there are a few things to watch for. If it can be helped, don’t have “interior” people awkwardly outnumber remote ones on a team. If there is an imbalance, try to select more remote team members and fewer in-office ones for the project. You want to avoid an “us” versus “them” scenario.

Kill the Jokes

One of the biases office workers have with remote people is that they envision them sitting around eating bon bons and binge watching Netflix during the work day. Studies will show, most remote employees are more productive than in-office ones because of fewer distractions and the need for their work to be taken seriously in the office.

Still some managers make what they interpret as harmless jokes about the remote employees still being in their PJs for an afternoon meeting. Your team will take your lead. Don’t foster this divide.

Make Them Feel Needed and Appreciated

There are many ways to make your remote employees feel appreciated but a pat on the back isn’t possible. Make time for public and private recognition of these hard workers. Ensure your interior team knows what the remote team is working on. Send the “remoters” company swag for their home office. Send them an embroidered shirt with the company logo (no jokes about giving them something to wear instead of PJs).

Keep them connected through technology. Use virtual meetings, Skype, and other ways to ensure the team sees them as more than a voice. If you have a team lunch, hold it virtually and send them a pizza. It’s still not the same as being there but they’ll appreciate the effort you’ve undertaken to make them feel a part of things.