Remote team members often have difficulty feeling like they're part of the team, and it can be challenging to develop an effective company culture when managing remote workers. Fortunately, there are ways you can make sure your remote staff members are committed, engaged and excited about doing work for your organization.
Some of the key ways that you can boost morale include the following.
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Emphasizing the Right Core Values
With a remote team, collaboration needs to be a key priority because it can be harder to work together on projects without face-to-face time. You also need a high level of trust in staff members, and should make it a point to recognize contributions remote team members make so they'll know they're being noticed.
It's not enough to just say you're going to trust your team or that collaboration is important. You need to model these behaviors and live them every day as a manager. This means holding regular performance reviews where employee efforts are recognized, setting routine meetings to encourage collaboration, and showing you trust your staff by giving them the necessary autonomy to succeed.
Communication is a major challenge for remote workers, so it's imperative to identify the right channels of communication. This can include using tools, such as Zoom for video chats, project management systems such as Trello, workplace communication systems such as Slack, and of course email. Not only do you need the right tools but you should also develop protocols for when each tool is used to communicate most effectively without wasted time.
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Have Some Fun With Staff Members
Not every communication needs to be business focused, as you want to develop a relationship with employees that's friendly and fosters camaraderie. Sending funny gifs, making custom Slack emojis, or starting a company book club are just a few solutions to building relationships with a remote team.
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Make Sure Remote Employees Have the Necessary Tools to Succeed
This could mean offering webinars for training, giving remote workers access to company data, providing the computer remote workers need to succeed, or otherwise helping workers share resources.
Work with an Information Technology Recruiter in St. Louis
By taking these basic steps to help remote workers feel connected to your organization, you can benefit from having a committed remote workforce and access to a nationwide pool of talent that's sure to give your company the best competitive advantage. Contact us today for more information!
