With the shift to remote work as a result of the global pandemic, employee engagement is now more important than ever. Motivated workers are crucial to keeping your organization running smoothly during this time of uncertainty. But how do you ensure your employees are engaged when you’re not seeing them in person each day?
Seventy percent of employee engagement is a direct result of great leadership, according to Gallup. As a manager, there are several things you can do to keep your remote EHS team on track and motivated:
1. Host virtual meetings. Seeing your employees face to face regularly, even if it’s not actually in person, helps you maintain good working relationships with them. Video communication platforms, like Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Skype, allow you to collaborate virtually and keep your staff on track. Additionally, consider having some casual hangouts with one of these video communication platforms that don’t necessarily involve discussing work. This will allow you to simply check in with employees and see how they’re doing.
2. Ensure your employees feel heard. During these uncertain times, your workers may feel concerned about their jobs or find it challenging to navigate working remotely if it isn’t something they’ve done before. Make it a priority to recognize your employees for the good work they are doing and let them know you are there to answer questions.
3. Maintain open lines of communication. As organizations carry out strategic plans to keep operations running with remote workers as they navigate the pandemic, there will inevitably be changes to policies and procedures. Keep your workers in the loop when there are any company updates or changes to help them feel more connected. Employees may have questions and concerns, so be sure they know you are available to address them.
4. Ask your staff for feedback frequently. Take the time to regularly ask your workers for feedback in various areas, including their ideas for improving client satisfaction, what resources they need to do their jobs better, and their input on how to better accomplish organizational goals. Not only will this make staff feel heard, but it will also bring a variety of ideas to the table to help you improve the company. Don’t simply listen to your staff member’s feedback — implement the good ideas.
As a manager, it’s likely that at least some of your EHS team members are working remotely. Making sure they are engaged will go a long way toward moving your company forward as the global pandemic continues. Use these tips to help you get started creating an engaged and motivated remote workplace culture.
Resources:
8 Easy & Creative Ways to Keep Remote Employees Engaged, Rea Regan, Connecteam.
How to Keep Remote Workers Engaged in a Virtual Team, Sammi Caramela, Business News Daily.