Employee engagement. Two little words that can make or break a business! This year, Gallup reported that by 2021, lost income from laid off workers will total $7.8 trillion. As keeping employees motivated in the workplace has become a top priority, new challenges have emerged for HR professionals and community groups in recent years.
After the pandemic, 63% of high-growth companies switched to a remote or hybrid work model. But what has this sudden change done to employee recruitment? As the pandemic forces workers to work from home, engagement has plummeted, with only 20% of workers connected to their companies. We all know what happened next. The Great Retirement, if not managed properly, left businesses reeling as it became clear that the shift from a traditional office environment to a work environment would reduce employee satisfaction.
Engaged employees are 17% more productive than their peers and 87% less likely to leave the organization.
As companies face increasing competition to attract and retain talented hybrid candidates, investing in knowledge to keep employees engaged and engaged has never made more sense. So what methods can companies use to connect with their employees when they work remotely?
1. Make sure everything is on the same page
Statistics show that 86% of employees cite poor communication, ineffective collaboration and failure at work. No one wants to be on a team that keeps failing, so making sure each member knows their responsibilities is key to keeping ambitious employees engaged.
Hybridization makes it easy for colleagues to mix up cables and misunderstand their roles in a project. If possible, meet in person at the start of a new project to set clear expectations and make sure they are clearly spelled out in a document that is accessible to everyone. Apps like Asana help you create online Gantt charts that your team can track and update.
If meeting in real life is not possible, allow enough time to complete the process online. Fight fatigue and keep your employees busy by taking five-minute breaks every hour to stretch their eyes and rest. Add team spirit to the event by sending staff snacks or a bottle of wine to celebrate a successful session at the end!
It's important to create a plan that everyone involved agrees to and regularly reviews individually and privately. Create an environment where employees feel free to voice their concerns, create a schedule and establish performance metrics.
2. Attract highly motivated employees
As we adjust to Covid, many companies are surprised that employees are pressured not to see their bosses. A common complaint among junior team members was that employees were concerned that spending too much time with management would cost them promotion time.
As offices slowly reopened, many organizations struggled to safely hire staff as team leaders demanded same-day hot desks. While hybrid work models allow companies to attract top talent from afar, these observations show that entrepreneurial workers still need to spend time alone with management to maintain high levels of engagement.
Research shows that employees who are promoted within a company are 70% less likely to find another job within the first three years. So, how can organizations provide professional development for their remote workers? A monthly virtual meeting with executives is a great start, but motivated team members still miss opportunities to connect in the office.
One way to help you stand out from the competition is to associate community group employees with leaders in various disciplines. Encourage short coffee breaks where colleagues can briefly get to know each other in person or online.
Alternatively, ask department heads to host a webinar about their team's role in the business and any opportunities for collaboration to grow their business. HR can encourage colleagues to learn new skills or create an annual mentoring plan where employees apply once a month to get insight from co-founders or key decision makers.
3. Create space for communication
As many professionals will attest, some of our best friends can start in the office, and ultimately benefit from connecting with our colleagues in business. Communication becomes easier and employees are more likely to stick together when they feel part of a team.
During the outbreak, 73% of workers surveyed said they lost touch with colleagues every day!
In addition to formal project management meetings, managers can create space for more informal communication. Make your morning coffee so coworkers can have it before the day starts. Also, host monthly lunches where coworkers can chat over sandwiches and get to know each other more casually.
Slack can be a great tool for disparate teams. Whether it's sharing Halloween memories or asking for Netflix recommendations, having an informal communication channel can de-clutter your project-oriented space and make room for fun.
Diversity is the essence of life, so in addition to cross-departmental interactions, social groups can facilitate greater participation in company-wide online events. Whether it's a quirky quiz or a virtual happy hour, there are plenty of ways to get employees online for something social
4. Recognize individual achievements
As Maslow noted in his famous Hierarchy of Needs, people thrive when they have a sense of well-being and self-esteem. In the workplace, when employees are not recognized for their efforts, they may feel disconnected from the company's goals. Without that common goal, the days will drag on and you'll soon find something more meaningful to do elsewhere.
The power of employee recognition cannot be understated. In the survey, 63% of employees said they would not look for an alternative job if their achievements were recognized. There are many opportunities to celebrate people's hard work on a project in the office. But when working remotely, it's easy to overlook team members, especially those who are more introverted and reluctant to share their accomplishments.
Host a monthly coffee break to record and celebrate small wins and continued collaboration. Peer recognition is also important, so in addition to getting feedback on their own progress, ask the team to choose a hero who has moved the project forward in recent weeks.
5. Come together to celebrate core values
As the population shifts to younger generations, so will the nature of the workplace. Gen Z and millennial workers are said to be motivated for different reasons than their older counterparts. As they now make up 46% of the workforce, companies that ignore their choices may be missing out.
Gen Z and Millennial candidates are drawn to companies that care about them, but won't be swayed by platitudes. If you plan to build your corporate culture based on certain values, you should be prepared to go far! Organizing a team member volunteer day at a UN NGO shows that you practice what you preach and unite staff around a common goal.
6. Weekly hands-on workshops
Although holding a weekly general meeting may seem difficult, it can be very beneficial in strengthening corporate culture and employee engagement. By bringing everyone together, employees can reconnect based on shared values and strengthen the sense of unity we all strive for!
By sharing updates, these meetings allow colleagues to see how other departments fit into larger company goals and all come together to achieve shared goals. This approach increases the involvement of the Cylons, who can be easily raised, especially when working from a distance, and seeing how everyone fits into the bigger picture.
Although our deck travel bonuses are now offered in person and online by a well-oiled team, this was not always the case. We grew small and slowly by listening to employee feedback on what was working and what wasn't. Over time, they have become an invaluable resource, serving as weekly reminders of our goals and appreciation for one another.
7. Shake up your environment
While initial meetings and strategy sessions can be effectively conducted online, trying to solve problems or brainstorm new ideas can be frustrating! When we lock ourselves in a small window with a loudspeaker, we lose the nonverbal cues that build trust and unknowingly, even the friendliest colleagues don't know what to say.
Simply put, there is no substitute for the creative energy that comes from meeting face-to-face! Colleagues can chat with each other without worrying about a poor internet connection, and these one-on-one brainstorming sessions can be a valuable team building opportunity.
But if the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that sometimes a change of scenery is necessary! In a TravelPerk survey, 34% of workers said they get their most creative ideas while traveling for work, and that number rises to 53% among 16-24 year olds.
In recent years, many companies have embraced the potential of remote offices while looking for creative solutions for their creative teams. With Airbnb and other corporate team hosting, finding a place to inspire your team has never been easier!
8. Personal retreat priority
While individual departments can benefit from creative thinking outside the office, company-wide retreats are increasingly important in the new world of hybrid work. Once the preserve of digital nomads, many organizations are taking a cue from small remote startups and giving their teams an annual vacation.
There are several reasons why this fund has gained popularity. Companies realize that these events can serve many purposes, from presenting key innovations to generating publicity and attracting new talent. But they are a valuable tool for motivating and retaining employees in the context of hybrid work.
Consider this scenario. Anna lives far from the company headquarters and commutes from the office a few days every month. Every year, the company holds a general meeting of shareholders and an appreciation dinner at a local restaurant. Over time, Anna realized that due to the lack of communication, she lost the emotional connection with her colleagues and the company's goals.
Soon, Anna is scrolling through social media and comes across pictures of her old friend from high school on vacation. It sounds fun and inspiring, and it sounds like your company is doing everything they can to make their employees happy at work. Seeing these pictures makes it hard to feel motivated and Anna starts looking for a new job.
As organizations face intense competition for the best candidates, investing in an annual or bi-annual retreat can help unite employees around common goals and provide much-needed time for team building and collaboration. Choose an amazing destination and avoid the temptation to fill your schedule with meetings. Plan some informal activities and give employees time to explore, and they'll come back refreshed and ready for the challenges ahead!
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