Take Care of Remote Workers
Many employees have settled into remote positions, but businesses must take care of remote workers to ensure long-term success. While remote work offers flexibility and convenience, it also presents challenges like burnout, isolation, and loneliness. By implementing strategies to foster connection and engagement, companies can create a healthier and more productive work environment.
Re-Invent Social Connections
Obviously the challenge with working from home is that it lacks face-to-face human interaction on a normal basis. As much as people might like to be left alone to get the work done, it is not the healthiest way to go about daily life. Face time with other, especially in the line of employment is good for mental health all around. If most of your employees are now working from home, it’s time to impliment certain tactics to re-establish social connections.
Everyone has a need to belong. In order to create an atmosphere in the workplace to make everyone feel like they belong, will take some strategy. You may not be able to take your whole team out to eat once a week to bond and grow relationships, but there are other ways. If virtual social interaction is the only option you have, roll with it! Create multiple opportunities during the work week to have video call meetings. They don’t all need to be business related, but you can involve games and/or ice breaker activites. Try to find ideas that would spark laughter or good attitudes among every team member.
It may seem like a hit or miss at first, however, long term it will create a culture for your remote team. It will be a culture that is all about team bonding and most importantly, being a part of a team. A business is much more than a way to produce income. It’s a family. There is not one right way to make people feel like they are a part of the family, but keep trying different things until everyone does. It will promote a healthy and hard-working team.
Social Interaction Ideas
- Challenge your team to get to know one another. Example: Start your meetings with each person bringing a photo that shows the team something they haven’t shared with everyone yet.
- Do an activity together. Example: Create a competition with teams. The teams can compete on a weekly basis and the winner of the week can earn a prize!
- Create opportunities for your team to stay active. Example: Encourage everyone to take a walk while on the meeting calls.
- Play games together. Example: Create a game of Kahoot before you start one of your meetings. Choose trivia questions that will get everyone’s energy up and promote laughter.
Everyone has had a tough experience through this time of quarantine one way or another. Maybe your business hasn’t suffered, but your employees might be right under your nose. Take the time to make sure they don’t miss out on the basic human need of connection. It is truly something you will not regret.