Keeping your employees engaged and motivated can be a real challenge… and that’s even without the hurdle of having them all be remote. Getting down to what really interests your employees and keeps them producing good work requires a lot of effort. The benefits however of going through the whole process really do pay off. The time you spend getting to know your team better and creating suitable goals will inevitably pay off.
Spend some time getting to know your remote team
Developing strong interpersonal relationships can be a bit difficult when you don’t share the same office space. This is however an integral part of getting to really know what makes your employees or remote team tick. Every individual will have their own personal driver. It could be to get that promotion they’ve been after, create a piece of outstanding work or learn how to work better in a team environment. Without asking what drives them, you’ll more often than not be left in the dark! The best way to get some time knowing your team is to schedule regular one on ones with each person. Do this with a video call, it’s much more personal that a call or email and emulates the office environment a bit more closely. You can also try to make these a bit more informal, it doesn’t always have to be completely work related to figure out what motivates each team member.
Create achievable goals and check in on them
This tip also requires you to have great comms with all your remote team. Ask each member individually what they want to achieve and what goals they want to set themselves. These can then he used in combination with any goals you happen to set your team. This way, they have both internal and external motivation to reach their targets. Personal goals will lead to a different kind of motivation than just you setting them for your team yourself. If each employee has played an active role in coming up with their plan for the next few months, they will feel more involved in the process and their own personal development. For this to work however you need to check in on the progress and status of these targets. Don’t set and forget! Combine this with your one on one sessions and make them regular. This will keep the team constantly engaged.
Get rid of useless processes
We’ve all probably been there. You’re sat in a meeting which is totally non-applicable, useless or just plain old boring. It seems like such a waste of time, and you just want to get back to work and be productive. Doesn’t sound very engaging or motivating, does it? If you notice that certain processes or meetings aren’t energizing or getting your team involved, then cut it! You’re wasting your time, their time and actually decreasing motivation. If you do need to have a conference call, then stick to a tight agenda and also find out what your employees actually want to discuss. Incorporate your findings, improve your efficiency and watch your remote team’s engagement improve.
Make your culture unmissable and exciting
By creating a company culture that your employees love, you’ll have no problem getting great work from your remote team. People who actively feel involved in the culture will be more enthusiastic team members. Make them feel cared about and appreciated as much as is possible within the remote environment. If budget permits, think about a remote getaway so the team all get to meet. Also think about each member’s own personal circumstances. With remote team members coming from all sorts of difficult culture around the globe, taking into account their unique situation will help them feel cared about. Different time zones and religious holidays can lead to differences in schedules. Make understanding a part of your company culture, your team will love you for it and remain more engaged in something they enjoy.
Use the right kind of communication
Asynchronous forms of communication are great for certain tasks, but not for everything. If you have a remote team distributed all across the globe, then time zone differences can make email really useful. Email however isn’t useful in finding out your employees motivations in a natural setting. Use video calls and synchronous communication to explore what is driving your team. An email simply asking the question is a lot less likely to bring about a positive, meaningful response. Being able to read someone’s body language through a video call is also a benefit, and your employees can also do the same to you as well. Make your communication personal and you’ll get personal results.
Want to learn more about how you can make your company more remote friendly?
After you’ve found your employees’ motivations, there’s plenty more stuff to do to make sure everything is running smoothly with your remote team. Here at Remote-how we’ve put together the best tips, lessons, and tricks from remote work experts with real managing experience.Book a call with us to discuss further how remote work can free your company and sign up to the Academy today!
