The transition to remote working at the start of 2020 was not unexpected. Every industry that could make the conversion to remote work did, and it seemed to happen instantly – firms had to mobilize to discover the technology that would rescue them. In a year’s time, working from home appears to be the standard. While the organization’s alignment appears to be improving, there appears to be a lag or tiredness because of having to complete everything on screen.
Working remotely offers numerous advantages, but it takes additional effort to keep your team engaged and on track. Here’s how to handle a virtual team in the right direction that maintains enthusiasm, productivity, creativity, and keeps motivation high, whether you’ve always managed a team of remote employees or are suddenly part of the cohort that has shifted from the on-site work to working remotely.
1. Establish Expectations, Define Responsibilities, and Provide Updates Accordingly
Adapting to a new practice requires some time. Shifting to a virtual team necessitates the development of new managerial skills that promote transparency and responsibility in terms of expectations. Promoting a sense of trust and honesty is critical for the company’s performance as well as the mental wellness of valuable personnel and management. What causes this, and how will this encourage your remote team?
Having expectations necessitates an understanding – a clear and precise understanding of who does what and when. There will be no uncertainty regarding specified roles, duties, and delegations if these aspects are explicitly established at a meeting or even in a contract, and that everyone knows these expectations.
2. Set Working Parameters
The hurdles to working from home have vanished as a result of the increasing number of employees doing so. Work and play coexist more than ever before in the same area. People may work 24 hours a day, take smaller breaks, and not leave the house for days!
Realizing everybody is available and at home makes it easier to contact workers outside of business hours, but it’s critical not to cross the line into personal territory. Work-life stability is necessary for employee well-being and management, and “employee efficiency” should reflect this. Setting limits and keeping within the scope of the job inspires drive.
3. Are You Concerned About Morale? Take Surveys
When things aren’t going well, it’s pointless to try to figure out how to get out of them. Assessing the problem or remedy by taking the emotional sense of employees or managers online might not be the most appropriate approach. Consider conducting a poll to examine how individuals are doing, especially if productivity or general prospects have declined.
It might be as easy as a weekly ten-minute check-in to see whether staff require any more office supplies or simply to keep track of their schedule. Create a “signalized intersection” survey in which employees are asked to tick the green light (everything is fine), yellow light (some difficulty), or red light (requires help). Surveys may help you learn a lot regarding your personnel.
4. Check-In at Each Person’s Workspace
Individuals have had to make room at home to meet the shift from the workplace to the internet. Things might have been a little more spontaneous and difficult at the beginning. Employees should now be more organized and more comfortable. Anyway, until you ask, you’ll never know. Keep this in mind if an employee’s performance isn’t up to par or they aren’t as driven as they should be. In such a situation, make a request! Check to see if there is anything that can be offered and encourage folks to be inventive.
The greatest way to keep staff engaged is to give them a dedicated location where they can work undisturbed. Changing your attention or causing a disturbance by battling back and forth between the terrace, dinner table, and couch is not a smart option and it can cause disruption also.
5. Make Time to Connect With Workers
Since management knows everyone, you deal with professionally so knowing some personal facts would strengthen the remote working connection. This might be as simple as striking up a conversation with an employee to inquire about their weekend plans or to inquire about their Netflix viewing habits. In a video conference, it could be a good icebreaker to inquire about someone’s wall art. small acts like this foster a sense of ‘connectedness.’
Although it’s difficult to measure interpersonal connections and you don’t want to overdo the pleasantries, showing you care for the people you collaborate with over a virtually set up coffee meeting or a brief catch-up before a virtual status meeting makes a huge difference.
Bottom Line
Use these hacks to keep your remote employees motivated!
The greater the distance, the less feeling you have with your employees. You have to compensate for this by entering into a conversation and asking your employee what his needs are. If you know that, you will be able to help your employee find his motivation again!