Since the onset of COVID-19, life as we know it has changed dramatically. For the workplace in particular, one report estimates that 16 million people began working remotely in March 2020, and most experts agree that remote work is here to stay.
While many employees have reported an increase in their productivity levels and appreciate the flexibility of working from home, they often still miss the human connection and collaboration they experienced in a traditional office setting. However, physical distancing doesn’t have to mean complete social isolation. There are several ways that companies can meaningfully connect with their remote employees. We share a few tips for maintaining those relationships and lifting team members’ spirits when working from home.
- Check in regularly.
Although face-to-face communication may be limited right now, it is still important for companies to connect to the pulse of their employees. Engage with your team members to understand how they are feeling in the current environment and what they may need to perform their best. You can solicit this feedback formally, by collecting data through surveys, and informally through employee touch base meetings. Create opportunities for employees to provide unscheduled feedback as well to keep the lines of communication open. - Be open and transparent.
On the flip side, it is vital for companies to communicate regularly with their employees. With our new normal constantly changing throughout the pandemic, most organizations have had to make changes to their policies and procedures as well. As plans change, especially those involving the state of remote work, communicate those changes to your workforce in a timely manner. This is a great time to evaluate your communication channels and figure out what is working and what isn’t. - Create spaces to connect.
In a typical office setting, connecting with team members is often organic and easy to do. When working remotely, however, we miss out on those friendly check-ins and even our shared moments at the watercooler. Be intentional about fostering a sense of connection with remote employees by purposefully creating spaces to do so. Some organizations may set up a standing “coffee break” time period every day, where managers make themselves available on a virtual platform for employees to casually pop in as they see fit. At Asana, whose workforce is completely remote, the team schedules virtual lunches for employees to connect from home. Departments and organizations may also consider setting up social Slack channels or a group chat to increase communication, both work-related and non-work related. - Take time to celebrate.
From holidays and birthdays to department accomplishments, it’s important to celebrate the major wins – especially during times of uncertainty. Schedule virtual celebrations to keep employees connected and to boost morale. Whether you choose a virtual happy hour or a themed event, be creative and look for ways to keep everyone engaged. Virtual celebrations are the perfect way to let your employees know you care or to recognize them for a job well done. - Set up a team challenge.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a little friendly competition can help organizations keep employee spirits high. Consider incorporating trivia or other competitive games into your meetings or activities to add a new level of engagement. You may take this one step further and embark on one of our Corporate Health Challenges to promote employees’ well-being. We offer more than 40 challenges from a variety of themes to encourage collaboration and reward employees for their hard work.
The trick is to find activities that your employees will enjoy and find value in. As another approach, you could hold a photo contest, start a book club, take an online workout class or even choose a podcast to listen to together and discuss.
Whether your organization will remain permanently remote, or you plan to incorporate a hybrid model after the pandemic, these tips will help enhance communication, collaboration and overall morale among your team members.
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