Remote work is here to stay, and it’s great for everyone involved. However, adapting to the change is not easier for everyone. Some firms struggle to make the transition and it’s primarily due to communication issues. Communication is the most important aspect of a company. It’s an essential part of the human experience, and you as an employer must do everything you can to ensure that your employees feel valued and appreciated at work. Better communication is the key to a productive work environment and successful remote working.
Companies struggle to keep their employees engaged even in the office. They have an even harder time when the team is separated by thousands of miles from each other. To make sure that your remote team members stay connected and happy, read some tips to improve your communication with remote workers.
Make Sure Everyone has Access to Emailing and Texting Services
You might not be able to physically see each other all day, but your communication has to be on-point if your business is to succeed. Make sure you set up a Slack channel or another type of private messaging system so they can get in touch. Tools such as Slack or Trello also help you to manage your team’s projects as well. You should also encourage employees to form private groups on platforms such as Skype or WhatsApp so that they can stay connected and communicate. In the group, they can ask questions or seek assistance when they face any issues. Once a new member gets hired, create accounts for them and add them as soon as possible.
Communicate Often
Set up regular meetings with each team member so everyone can learn about your vision. Discuss progress on projects or tasks at hand. To improve the communication process consider making a document that discusses your company’s policies and line of communication. This will bring clarity to the whole process and ensure that all employees know the hierarchy of communication and how to reach their managers and colleagues easily and effectively.
This will also help you determine whether or not the communication between you and your remote employees is working properly. Also set protocols of what to do when someone is not replying. In business, time is money, and only through protocols can help you avoid costly errors.
Use Video Conferencing Whenever Possible
Get comfortable with using tools like Zoom or Skype to communicate face-to-face. Even if you’re not able to meet face-to-face in person, it’s still important to video conference regularly with your team members. This way, you’ll be able to see how they’re feeling and make sure they’re not feeling overwhelmed by their workloads or struggling under too much stress.
Work on Communication Style
A lot of the time, the communication will be through text which means people won’t be able to see their body language. It’s important to be clear and specific when communicating with your remote employees and choose your words carefully.
Give Feedback
Giving feedback is crucial for remote workers because it allows them to know how well their job is being done and how much more successful they could be if only there were more resources available for them to use. Feedback is also important because it helps motivate employees. When you’re remote, it’s important to make sure that your employees are fully engaged, because they’ll be able to produce better results if they’re motivated and passionate about what they do.
Improve their Engagement Levels
Remote workers can feel disconnected from their teams, which is why you must think of creative ways to make them feel part of a team and family. Make sure you keep in touch with your team members every day, whether that’s by email or text message. Once a month or at the very least annually try to arrange a get-together where team members can come and connect over lunch or dinner.
About the Author
Lisa Pierre is a highly experienced human resources professional based in New York. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies and helped shape their HR strategy post-pandemic. She firmly believes in the power of technology as a force of good in this world and wants people struggling socioeconomically to reap the benefits that come with working online.
She highly recommends RemoteGurus to applicants who are struggling to land a job and want to find jobs online. The platform has a proven track record of helping businesses recruit workers online and unlocking remote work opportunities for workers. Contact them today.
