
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world; this was no subtle, long-game like climate-change either. It hit, and the entire globe was impacted almost immediately. From organizations shutting their doors completely to brands and businesses transitioning to a fully remote operations model, there was a lot of very rapid change that occurred over the last several years. Even now, organizations are continuing to operate remotely.
The remote workforce has proven itself more than viable since its emergence as a popular business model, much thanks to the preceding foundation of society-wide technological integration. However, this is also because of the way that it has impacted employee productivity.
Without a draining daily commute, remote professionals are effectively gaining between two and four hours back into their day. Not only that, but since the remote work transition, employees have reported higher rates of job satisfaction and engagement, while also achieving a healthier work-life-balance. Overall, the switch to a remote workforce has been highly beneficial.
That said, work is work, and morale isn’t always going to be 100%. Some of the morale boosting strategies of the past don’t transition all that well into the remote work world. Here are some morale boosting strategies that are effective, even in remote settings.
Communication has always been important in a business or organizational setting. However, in the remote working world, communication takes on an even larger role than it had previously. Especially in today’s day and age where there is already a growing focus on inclusion, acceptance, and respect, communicating with empathy is crucial to developing honest bonds with your team members.
Being able to hear people out and speak to them with honesty and respect is a vital skill to cultivate in a world that is so digital. With client calls, internal meetings, and collaboration sessions all taking place over video conferences or instant messaging platforms, it’s incredibly important to have a strong grip on effective and productive communication practices.
In the remote working world, and even in the context of in-person work, acknowledgement is crucial. Team members, employees, and even leaders need to receive a bit of praise from time to time. Publicly acknowledging a team member's impact and recognizing their contributions can go a long way in fostering high levels of employee morale.
In the same vein as acknowledgement is actually providing rewards and performance incentives. Performance incentives can be extremely unique, and companies can get creative with how to reward high-performing or high-achieving employees. Monetary bonuses are always nice, but many employees also value extra time off or other added benefits.
When it comes to working remotely, one of the reasons employees report a better work-life balance is because they’re empowered to create a more flexible schedule, as long as management is understanding and empathetic. Making the work-from-home policy clear can give employees a sense of ownership over their schedule that was previously not possible with in-person work.
Flexible schedules and remote work go hand-in-hand with one another, which can be beneficial for employees and employers alike. Employees report being more engaged and productive during working hours, and companies reap the benefits of the improved metrics.
No matter if you’re working remotely or you’re in the office, micromanagement is an unproductive and inefficient management style. Not only does this make the employee feel like they’re being treated like a child, but it removes any sense of autonomy they have over their role and responsibilities. As such, a micromanagement style is actually a hindrance to productivity in almost every environment.
Hands-off management, on the other hand, is an empowering strategy that allows employees to make the most out of their days while giving them ownership over their responsibilities; this can also foster employee engagement. A hands-off approach to management should make it easier for employees and team members to approach leaders with legitimate questions or issues when they arise.
Just because team members are working remotely doesn’t mean they can’t socialize or find virtual ways to interact and bond with one another. In fact, there are a plethora of ways for organizations to create virtual experiences that bring team members closer together.
Besides virtual trivia, managers and leadership can provide a space for virtual coffees or an occasional virtual happy hour. These events can be coordinated and organized to fit the exact nature of the team participating, too.
Employee morale has always been a subject of fascination for managers, organizational leaders, and other decision-makers within businesses. Now, the pursuit of increasing and promoting high levels of employee morale is even more complicated, as organizations have to navigate the ever-changing remote work world.
Communicating with empathy and understanding, acknowledging and rewarding performance, and offering team members plenty of opportunities to engage with and get to know one another will all work together to create a truly wonderful working atmosphere and company culture.
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