An Engaged Remote Worker – Detached Attachment decoded

Employee Engagement… worker driven by passion towards work and his organization. A wish that any employer across the globe would yearn for. 2021.. Post pandemic scenario…. Has employee engagement of a remote worker become a distant dream? Thoughts and attitudes relating to remote work have changed, thanks to the Covid scenario. Until recently, remote workers were perceived as the solitary workforce who had little or no connection to the heart and soul of an organization. Does this perception still hold true?

Remote work is here to stay. Much has been discussed in the HR arena about its benefits. Ranging from convenience to work-life balance, we have discussed it all. Employers have accepted its advantages. They have reframed their policies to suit the remote workforce. Considering the benefits that remote working has offered employers in terms of cutting down overhead costs a simple thought emerges. Why are they calling back employees? Remote work had been the norm for the past year and a half. Does bringing back employees to office setting from their Work From Home label have a connection with Employee engagement? Is seeing believing??

“I love and adore my company; I feel enthusiastic, committed, and involved with my employer and workplace”.  Employers worldwide opine that remote workers who nurture this positive vibe are hard to find. Apart from the negativity that Covid has brought to human resources in general, behavioral scientists point out that remote work has led to coasting. Why does this happen now? The answer to this lies in employee disengagement. Asking a remote worker if he feels connected with his organization would lead him to a Catch 22. His conscience may utter “ All I value is my pay”. But his ethics will pronounce “ Yes I value my company and its interests”. Finally leading to an attachment that is detached in nature. This nature of attachment proves to be a matter of concern to HR personnel, who will have to eventually deal with voluntary turnover intentions amongst their workforces.  The longer the remote nature of work, the greater will be the degree of detached attachment.

The question to be answered here is whether this detached attachment – an engaged remote employee who values his organization wholeheartedly is a reality or myth. Technology has helped the world connect. Be remote but connected. Taking cues from behavioral analysts’  ‘distance makes bonds closer’. Employers too can utilize this simple human thought to foster healthy employee relations by creating a close-knit bond with remote employees. By focusing on Belongingness Needs as advocated by Abraham Maslow, employers can keep remote workers engaged, committed, and valued throughout his professional tenure.