There has been lots of change over the last few weeks and many businesses are adapting to new ways of working. Where possible, remote working has rolled out across the UK and team dynamics have been temporarily altered.
As of 2020, 61% of global companies now allow their staff to operate some form of remote working policy – this is three times higher than in 2016 alone. However, this leaves a large number of companies who previously did not offer remote working, or for whom this type of flexible working was not a normal part of working life.
If you are already using remote working in some way, then you’ll know that just because you’re not in the same place, it doesn’t mean team morale needs to suffer. If this way of working is completely new to you, don’t worry, we’ve got a rundown of tips to help you keep your teams motivated, engaged and feeling valued.
1. Make the most of the technology available
One the biggest challenges that arise from working remotely is still managing to feel engaged and involved in the day-to-day running of the business. With the technology we have at our fingertips, it’s easier to stay in contact than ever before.
The chances are you already adopt technology at some level within your organisation. From emailing and instant messaging to cloud storage and video calls, technology is seamlessly integrated into our daily working lives – to the point that we hardly even recognise it as technology anymore.
You don’t need to limit this to technology you already use either. Now’s a good time to take the opportunity to investigate new tools that can help you and your teams feel engaged.
Video calls are ideal whilst working from home
2. Check in on each other
Times of change are unsettling for some people so be sure to check in and let your colleagues know you care. Not everyone will feel comfortable reaching out to discuss their feelings, so be conscious of taking the time to check in. Actively engaging your staff by asking how they feel can lead to increased employee satisfaction and loyalty – and everyone knows that helps with productivity and happiness.
With the technology readily available today, it’s as easy as ever to stay in touch with your employees and colleagues while you’re all working from different places. A quick message only costs a minute of your time but can really go a long way.
3. Recognise the hard work
While you're in the office, it’s important to recognise your employees’ hard work to show them how valued they are, and remote working is no different. Employee recognition strategies don’t go out of the window, they just adapt and go online. Praise doesn’t need to involve big gestures, and even while working remotely, successes should still be recognised and shared. In fact, Bonusly found that 70% of employees say that motivation and morale would improve “massively” with managers saying thank you more.
Don’t limit this just to manager-employee feedback, though. Encourage peers to acknowledge and share the hard work of each other and you should see a boost in overall morale. Letting your staff know how well they’ve done will allow them to see that, while they may not be sat at their desks, their contribution is still essential to the business.
4. Make the most of video
Calls are great for keeping in touch, but videos are even better. Not only can you see each other as you would if you were working from the same place, but if you’re lucky, you might get a peek at your colleagues’ cute pets while you’re there too.
Video calling doesn’t need to be all fun and games though. Virtual meetings provide a great opportunity to discuss work-related topics, brainstorm ideas and chat through any issues you might be facing. Utilising the technology available to you – and you probably already use in day-to-day life – can mean that team meetings go ahead as normal. The best part is, you can even wear your pyjama bottoms and no one will know.
5. Don’t make it all about work
Believe it or not, the love of the job isn’t the only reason your staff come to the office.
Coffee break chit-chat, light-hearted banter and social interaction all add value to a day’s work. Remote working doesn’t mean these things need to stop. If you usually have a coffee break and a biscuit at 11 am, then have it over a video call and chat in the way you normally do.
Our top tip for this would be to ban all work-related talk. This is a time to build team morale and create the same sense of togetherness you’d get in the office, so don’t ruin the team building by discussing spreadsheets and deadlines.
This is a time of change for businesses and for the people at the heart of them. While it may not be business as usual, that doesn’t mean teams can’t bond together to achieve the usual camaraderie of the office. The key is to find the right tools and methods that help your team stay engaged.