How to Keep Engagement Up (Even in a Remote or Hybrid Workplace)

Remote and hybrid work models have become more popular than ever, in no small part thanks to the improved technology businesses of all sizes can now access. Nevertheless, this shift has brought new challenges for organizations everywhere. One such challenge is maintaining and enhancing remote workplace engagement—a crucial aspect that directly impacts employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention.

How can you foster engagement in remote and hybrid work environments, whether new to remote work or looking to improve your existing practices? Let’s explore.

What Does Hybrid/Remote Workplace Engagement Look Like?

Workplace engagement refers to the commitment, motivation, and connection your employees feel toward their work and organization, whether their particular workplace is in the office or elsewhere. It's about creating an environment where employees feel valued, heard, and part of a community, even when not working next to one another.

To create such an environment, it is important to recognize the hallmarks of a solid workplace culture, whether your team works in-house, remotely, or a hybrid combination of the two.

Fortunately, these hallmarks are fairly easy to spot:

• Clear and consistent communication between team members
• Regular feedback and recognition being shared amongst departments and coworkers
• Opportunities for professional growth and upward mobility in your organization
• A strong sense of team and company culture
• Support for work-life balance and mental health

If you can help cultivate these trends in your business, you’re on the right path. That said, utilizing a dispersed workforce adds pretty unique challenges to this process. Building a culture and shared purpose can be hard when your team is spread out and quite possibly feeling isolated. That’s before we even consider how complicated virtual communication can be.

Ultimately, this means you must actively work to keep your company culture alive and well among every employee, not just those in the office. Let’s discuss a few ways to do this strategically to ensure your team members appreciate the value you see in them.

How to Enhance Company Culture in Remote/Hybrid Workplaces

Establish Clear Communication and Expectations

Clear communication is the backbone of a successful work culture, and it’s only more important when remote workers are involved. It is essential to ensure everyone understands their roles, responsibilities, and expectations regarding their work hours, deadlines, project goals, and performance metrics.

Plus, it's important to establish clear communication channels. These could be email, video calls, instant messaging, or project management tools. The key is to confirm that everyone knows how and when to communicate, reducing the potential for avoidable misunderstandings.

Prioritize Check-Ins and Feedback

Regular check-ins and feedback sessions are crucial in a remote setting. They allow managers and team members to connect, discuss progress, address concerns, and provide constructive feedback to offer support. These check-ins, such as weekly team meetings or one-on-one sessions with managers, can be formal or informal, like a quick chat over instant messaging. The goal is to maintain open lines of communication and ensure that everyone feels heard and supported.

Emphasize Recognition and Rewards

Recognition and rewards play a significant role in remote employee motivation. They show employees their hard work is noticed and appreciated, boosting morale and productivity.

This could be as simple as a shout-out in a team meeting, a thank you email, or a small reward for a job well done. The key is to make recognition regular and meaningful, showing employees that they are valued team members.

Measuring and Tracking Company Engagement

Measuring and tracking company engagement is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of your remote work culture and hybrid work strategy. It provides valuable insights into what's working and what needs improvement, helping you optimize your business by identifying growth opportunities—whether that opportunity is a team event or a one-on-one sitdown, an in-person affair or a virtual meetup.

Remote, In-House, or Both… You Need an Engaged Team

When all is said and done, the very necessary task of maintaining engagement in a remote or hybrid workplace requires a thoughtful and proactive approach. By implementing clear communication, regular check-ins, recognition programs, virtual team-building activities, and a flexible hybrid work strategy, you can foster a strong remote work culture and keep your team connected, motivated, and productive.

While we can’t play much of a role there, we can provide the tools to help you succeed. Contact us at Network Solutions Unlimited to learn more about our IT solutions for the businesses of Illinois. Give us a call at (217) 428-6449 to learn more.