Create an environment of trust and mental well-being
Psychological well-being is one of the most important things which affects the way an employee works. This has been more important since the pandemic has caused a significant effect on people’s minds. Your remote team must be characterized by mutual faith and regard. Create a corporate culture where your employees trust each other and allow a positive work environment where the employees thrive emotionally and professionally.
Improve upon your onboarding process
The onboarding process is like the introductory stage between your organization and the recruit. Make your onboarding process more detailed by making changes to it in order to suit the changing work environment. Make sure to include all the remote tools and communication platforms in this stage and make your new employees well versed with it.
Letting the employees be aware of their roles and responsibility at the initial stage
If the employees are not aware of the roles that they play in the organization and are not given proper instructions about their responsibilities, it might become difficult for them to adjust and perform their duties the way it is expected of them. Communicate in such a way that they have clarity with regards to the organization’s vision, missions, and goals is they can understand how they can add value to it.
Focus on your company’s remote work culture
Work policy holds extra importance if the organization is operating remotely. People tend to mistake remote working with flexible working; however, it might be different for your organization. Making sure that your employees are well aware of the culture and work habits is an essential part of a leader’s job. They should know the number of hours they must be working or if the work is hours-based or goals-based. If there is a need to visit the office sometimes, this should also be made clear to them so they are aware and sure of what they are signing for.
Learn to prioritize tasks
In a distant group, it’s simple for individuals to feel like they need to react to demands quickly to show that they are remaining effectively locked in and are not in any way distracted due to the work-from-home situation. But it cannot be denied that everybody possesses space to cut out energy for significant work that requires continuous consideration. It is therefore important to prioritize important tasks and give them full attention and focus, instead of taking up everything and just hopping on to it with no significant plan of action.
Establish a work culture that includes regular check-ins
Regular check-ins help the managers to make sure that the work is being done and make a note of the employee’s productivity. It also gives them a chance to have feedback on the work culture and anything related to the work that might need some improvements. For the employee, regular check-ins give them ample opportunity to grow as an intellect under the guidance of their seniors and convey any innovations that they feel can help make the process better and would help create a participative environment in the organization.
Try to create a cooperative team for collaborative projects
Collation and cooperative work are the two most important elements of a remote working team. Since the employees cannot come face to face to discuss their diverse ideas, like they used to do, you need to step in to save the team spirit. Talk to them about their expectations and what they feel should be a probable solution for any given situation. Helping them to connect on a personal level would help them understand the other person’s point of view. Allow them a platform where they can talk about anything that may be related to their personal lives or work so they can blow off some steam. Make sure they can unite for collaborative projects so they can work together to achieve organizational goals meanwhile attaining their personal goals.
Have video conferences at regular intervals
Having face-to-face contact with each helps the employees to work together. If your company’s culture and current government regulations do not allow you to operate physically, consider having frequent video conferencing sessions through tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. If possible, arrange for occasional meets outside the work environment so they can get a chance to know each other. No matter how in contact you have been with your employees while remote working, such occasional meets help to create a more favorable environment for teams to get together. If this is not possible them arranging for virtual meets can be your savior.
Do not undermine the importance of a good feedback system
A good feedback system is very important to appreciate all the good things and processes and work upon all the flaws. It is inevitable to concur some problems while maintaining your remote teams initially but feedbacks help to make things a lot better. It gives you a better idea of how things are at the grass-root level and what the employees feel about it. Pay close attention to how the employee reacts and make necessary advancements to make things smoother for future employees. Feedbacks make the employees feel that they have a say in the organization and helps them to come up with innovative ideas to make changes. Peer-to-peer feedback is another way of making your employees trust each other and learn from the other person’s experiences.
Enroll your remote workforce in mentorship programs
Mentorship programs are meant for the employees to help them learn and grow as an intellect, as an employee, and also as a group. Incorporate a culture of performance review and identify the key metrics that make such performance possible. If they know about each person’s goals and aspirations, they can help aid in their journey. This helps them understand the importance of mutual trust and builds a sense of belongingness in a remote team so they can work together with a motivated spirit to achieve the organizational goals.
Instill the organization’s vision and values in the minds of the employees
The visions and values of your company are like the guiding light that helps the employee perform better. Many employees have seen to be not aware of their organization’s vision, which might make them question the role they play in the organization and how they add value to it. Foster a team that is compassionate about growing as a corporate individual through the roles that they play. This should be made clear to the employees right at the stage of onboarding so they can amplify these core values throughout their existence in the organization.
Give communication its fair share of importance
One cannot deny that communication forms the basis of the remote working system. If the employees are not able to communicate with each other efficiently, they cannot collaborate and work effectively. It also makes them feel less isolated and much more motivated. It is not enough to be connected via online tools like Slack or Skype to communicate about the work. A better approach would be creating groups and channels for all levels of employees, that is department-wise, team-wise, and project-wise. This would give them a platform to appreciate employees, give shoutouts and convey important announcements.
Make way for fun organizational bonding activities
Bonding activities are a great help to foster a good work culture within your team. It strengthens interpersonal relationships and gives them ample opportunities to get acquainted. Many companies used to have bi-annual activities for the employees during the old days, but there can also be done through virtual games, or movie nights, or maybe lunch dates.
Do not neglect your team’s need for growth
Career growth is one of the most important factors that keep your employee going. This need for remote workers is sometimes neglected by the leaders, which might make them feel demotivated and cause a substantial loss of focus. Keep them engaged and happy and pay attention to their needs to make their remote working experience better.
Creating a vibrant corporate culture when your employees are working remotely may seem like a huge task; but with some cautious efforts, this objective can be surely achieved by any organization.
