Remote work has become the norm in the post-COVID era. Remote work is now the norm in America, even though only 17 percent of workers worked remotely prior to the “pandemic”. One more problem presented itself for companies new to this situation: These communication strategies will keep remote workers productive and motivated, and your business is running smoothly. Employees have other options for collaboration to increase their motivation, engagement, and performance.
Team communication is even more important for remote employees. Remote workers can have a positive impact on productivity and stress levels but only if they are able to collaborate with their employers.
These are signs your remote team is not proactive
You need to be able to recognize if remote workers don’t take initiative. There are many standard methods to monitor their productivity. These include time trackers that take screenshots and video conference calls. Group chats are another option for communication with your team. Unfortunately, these methods cannot tell you much about the motivations and work efficiency of your employees. Remote Workers
Do they have the ability to effectively manage their time? The Bid4Papers blog shared time management skills that can help improve overall performance. This is more than setting goals and planning. It’s also about being patient, self-aware, and managing stress.
Are they still on the exact same page regarding your business goals? Are they satisfied with the work environment, communication, and support they receive so they can perform at their best?
These signs are important to pay attention to when communicating with your team or measuring their engagement.
They seem helpless
Remote workers can be more reactive than proactive when it comes to saying things like “That won’t work”, “That’s impossible, it’s just the truth”, etc.
They have a victim mentality
Another sign of lack of motivation or proactivity is the blame game played by your team. This could be a feeling that they are being blamed for others’ mistakes and that they don’t have the power to correct them. This mentality is similar to “Everyone is stupid except for us.”
Your communication gets worse
If they don’t communicate with their employees, it is an indicator that they aren’t proactive. It’s when they hide the issues they are facing, and you don’t know them. It’s impossible to not solve the problems of your team. Communication is stifled: Each member of the team works independently, with no motivation to collaborate with others.
Motivation for remote workers
These signs could be indicators of the current or future problems in your remote team. Here are some ways you can fix it.
1. 1. Establish clear goals through appropriate communication channels
If your team knows what they should do, they will be more productive. It’s not enough to simply assign tasks. It is not enough to assign tasks. Employees need to understand their purpose and how they fit in the overall business process.
Employees should be able understand the company’s goals. You should explain to your employees why you are hiring them and what the company expects of them. You should also explain how their jobs relate to your business goals.
Remote employees can make your workforce dispersed and less accessible. Multi-generational issues could also arise. Although you might want to communicate with your team via one channel, it may not be the most comfortable.
Some employees use the company network only for information. Some employees prefer to communicate with their colleagues via voice calls or team chats. Remote workers can choose the best team collaboration channels for them.
2. 2.Embrace a growth mindset and allow your employees to have a say
Remote work can present challenges. Remote work requires energy, self-discipline, and motivation. Your team members may feel lonely and unorganized at home. They might also experience stress, poor work-life balance or feelings of isolation. Regularly check in with your team members to get their feedback. It is important that your employees are able to speak up during team communication sessions.
Communication with your team can have a significant impact on their motivation, and even their morale. It is possible to help them develop a growth mindset. This is what motivates people and helps them overcome daily challenges at work.
Online self-development sessions can be hosted. Remote sessions can be arranged by experts.
3. Communicate effectively and frequently
The volume of information employees receive through various channels can cause them to become overwhelmed. This can cause stress and lead to employees ignoring important messages.
To resolve this, you must communicate the correct information to them. They may not be able to pay attention when working remotely so it is important to understand their needs and communicate them.
Choose the communication channel they prefer
- Phone calls for feedback and discussion of tasks, one week per week
- Chats in life: AI chatbots are available to help you with any questions, and you can join the conversation whenever you need.
- You can communicate with your team members via video calls and discuss the current status.
- Chats in groups on team messaging platforms, with small talks and group chats, to keep everyone involved
- One-to-one communication to discuss your individual goals, tasks, achievements, and challenges
Communicating more often with your team members via their preferred channels would be a great help. Encourage them to use remote worker tools for better time management, and higher performance.
Use reliable instant messaging platforms to communicate with your team and achieve your goals.
4. Personalize your messages
Remote workers often have too much information. Many remote workers don’t need all the information. If you want your team’s proactivity to continue, focus only on the most important information.
Segment your employees so that you can personalize each message. Don’t let your employees get lost in the flood of information. Don’t spend too much time trying to guess what they want. If you have a relevant message for them, only tag them.
5. 5. Connect remote workers and those not located in the same area
Employees can’t form personal relationships if they don’t work at the same place. We know that employees are more productive if they feel connected with their coworkers. To improve productivity, connect your employees via virtual communication.
You can set up a virtual booth for your team to share their business tips and insights with other members. You might also consider communication software that allows your team to share and comment on content.
6. Allow yourself to be flexible and recognize your achievements
Flexjobs’ statistics on remote work show that 85 percent have experienced increased productivity as a result of greater flexibility. Employees also benefit from flexibility. 90 percent of employees say it improves their morale and makes them more productive at work.
You may have team members who live in different time zones or prefer digital nomad living. With this in mind, what business model would you recommend that allows flexibility for work hours and locations?
It is possible to organize team communication according to the work hours of each member.
Remote work can be a totally different environment from working in an office. Some employees might have trouble adapting to the change. 20% feel disengaged and don’t feel connected to the company.
To motivate them even more, share your team and personal achievements with the rest of the company. This will encourage and inspire them. You can create a channel in your communication app for team leaders that allows them to share the exceptional performances of their employees.
Your business model is likely to be different from other businesses
Remote work is a rising trend in the post-COVID world. This trend reflects the issues of productivity and demotivation in employees. Recognizing this, companies seek new ways to communicate and collaborate with remote workers in order to increase their performance and engagement.
They evaluate team communication effectiveness, determine the most efficient communication channels, and then adjust their collaboration with employees accordingly. These communication tips can be used to help remote employees. Trust them to do their best to ensure the success of your company. Diego Ruiz Duran is the author of this content.
