How to Keep Your Remote Workforce Engaged and Thriving: 5 Tips for a Positive Workplace Culture!

Remote work ended up being a necessity for many businesses as a result of the pandemic, but now that this necessity passed, many start to look back on the impact of this sudden shift in working practices. While remote work gives employees the flexibility and autonomy they seek, it also presents new challenges for businesses that many just did not have the time to address during the pandemic. Maintaining a positive and engaged workplace culture when employees work remotely is one of the most pressing challenges.

In my experience with clients over the years, I've noticed how every organization is quite unique. Having their own cultures, languages and ways of working. However, the successful ones with thriving virtual work cultures, all seem to have a few basic principal strategies in common. In fact, these are so essential that they apply generically to all. This is particularly true with the new reality of remote work and the unique challenges presented by it to the workplace culture.

1. Prioritize communication

Communication is vital in any workplace but becomes even more crucial in a remote setting. Leaders and managers must find effective ways to communicate with their teams, whether it's through video conferencing, instant messaging, or project management tools. In addition, regular check-ins and team meetings can help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that remote workers feel connected to their colleagues and the company's goals.

2. Set clear expectations

Establishing clear expectations for remote workers, including work hours, communication protocols, and productivity standards, is essential. When everyone works from different locations, staying aligned and focused on shared goals can be challenging. However, clear guidelines and expectations can help ensure everyone is working towards the same goals and help remote workers feel like they are part of a cohesive team.

3. Encourage socialization

Remote work can be isolating, so creating opportunities for socialization and connection is very needed. This can include virtual team-building activities, casual chats, or even virtual happy hours. In addition, encouraging remote workers to connect personally can help foster a sense of community and belonging, leading to higher engagement and productivity.  

4. Foster a culture of trust

Trust is a critical element of any workplace culture but indispensable in a remote setting. When everyone is working from different locations, it can be tempting for managers to micromanage and monitor their remote workers. However, this can be counterproductive and lead to distrust and resentment. Instead, managers should focus on building a culture of trust where remote workers feel empowered to take ownership of their work and make decisions independently.

5. Invest in the right tools

Finally, a solid fundament of tools and technology to support remote work is unnegotiable at this point. This includes reliable tools to help (virtual) collaboration, communication, and information platforms, amongst other more apparent tools such as video conferencing software and project management tools. Providing remote workers with the right tools can help them feel supported and empowered and can help ensure that they have the resources they need to do their best work.

Technology and how it can support us in what we do (not just work), is advancing rapidly. The methods and tools so support a positive virtual culture are there and for many, they are already a key ingredient for their success in their daily operations. What is keeping companies back from successfully adapting the most is not letting go of old habits because of the fear of the new, being simply overwhelmed or it just seems to be too big of a task. In all honesty, this is not to blame anyone who find themselves in this scenario, since it's really hard to keep up with the pace technology advances pose. The best advice I can give; is to stay flexible, open-minded and let people who specialize support you. Ask others how they handle it, do what's working for others. 

As a specialist in the modern enterprise workplace, I help companies overcome the unique challenges of remote work, while fostering an engaging and productive virtual workplace. Please feel free to reach out if your company struggles with maintaining a positive workplace culture in a remote setting. We'll help you create a thriving virtual culture that empowers your team to do their best work.