While vaccines continue to mitigate health risks, there is a bullish case for continuing remote office work. Companies save on real estate and overhead, while virtual offices offer an unlimited labor pool. Employees enjoy less commute time and geographical flexibility. A candidate’s home location no longer drives the job application process.
The great experiment of 2020 has been a relative success. Workforce Pulse estimates that 1 in 4 Americans will be working remotely by the end of 2021. It seems employers and employees are happy. But what happens when the world economy comes bouncing back, and greater job flexibility intersects with abundant job opportunity? How will employers avoid attrition and retain talent?
Below are some tips for keeping your remote employees committed:
Foster Engagement
- Encourage participation (cameras on!) during video calls to combat isolation fatigue
- Broadcast company direction through various engagement methods – employees likely miss live executive interaction
- Maintain company culture – don’t let your brand fade into the computer screen background
Clear Communication
- Take advantage of fewer office walls to create better communication between departments and geographies
- Encourage creative brainstorming with unlimited and varying participants
- Don’t let employees feel invisible, revisit workload and job expectations often
Reward Publicly
- Encourage peer-to-peer recognition to build positive virtual relationships
- Thank employees and teams publicly – remote workers want to be seen and feel part of greater organizational accomplishments
- Consider replacing incentive travel with these three creative ways to immediately recognize recent employee accomplishments
Still uncertain about an employee’s commitment? Ask! Studies show most employees are transparent about their work satisfaction and future goals. Let them drive their own engagement and longevity.
