The past 19 months showed that remote work is a possibility. Companies that used to think that their employees will not be able to work if they are not in the office saw how people can be just as productive or more at home. Most businesses have shifted and have decided that this is going to be normal for them.
Better still, there are some companies that are investing in creating an offshore teams. They can be made up of highly knowledgeable and skilled people who will be working together – even if they are from different parts of the world.
DEMAND FOR REMOTE WORK IS GOING TO BE HIGHER
There was a time when remote work was only available for freelancers. In fact, regular commuters to the old corporate world may have looked down on people who freelance because they thought that it is not “real” work since they work from home.
Over time, technology has proved that it is possible to work from home. In fact, a lot of workers prefer it now. They feel like they are more productive because they are more comfortable and gives them the flexibility. They do not have to wake up too early or brace themselves for the long commute and traffic that used to be part of the office-going experience.
Some companies only require that people are physically in the office a couple of days a week, while providing the flexibility to working remotely the rest of the time.
HOW TO MOTIVATE REMOTE TEAMS
Motivating your team remotely can be more challenging as compared to motivating in-house employees. Still, this does not mean that it is impossible. These are some tips that will help.
- Always show that you care. Show your employees that they are valued. You can send some care packages from time to time. This can also be especially helpful when employees are going through something personal.
- Offer mental health checks. This gives people the chance to air out their issues that may not always be office or work-related. The more that they feel that they can talk confidentially about their problems, the more loyal they will feel towards the company that can provide this outlet.
- Give them the best tools. Make your team feel that they are getting enough perks, equipment and other work-related amenities as their in-house colleagues to help them do their work better.
- Provide remote training. Cultivate a culture of growth and learning. This means that even if they are accomplished and they have done so much, they can always do so much more. The more you inculcate this type of mindset, the better they will be as individuals and a part of the team.
- Encourage employee recognition programme(s). You want employees to feel that they are being recognised for all of their hard work and perseverance. Consider providing bonuses for top employees of the company. Develop guidelines on succession plans and how people can get promoted. The accomplishments of your team should be visible for all to see.
- Make an effort to always communicate with your team. Just because you are outsourcing business processes, it doesn’t mean you’re not going to check-in on your remote staff. You need to show them that you are always willing to communicate with them directly where possible.
- Stay updated and follow global trends. Remember to update yourself about the latest from different parts of the globe. Your remote employees are working from different countries. It will help to know what their current situation is. It will make all the difference with how you can understand them too.
- Show that you have faith in what they can do. They will feel more motivated when they know that you are counting on them to do their best. The added positive pressure can make them work better too.
- Challenge them to think outside the box. People cannot just do the same things all over and over again. Push them to do work that they have never done before. They may also become pleasantly surprised with what they can do and achieve.
- Organise online team-building activities. Make it a point to get your remote teams to interact with each other or with the rest of the in-house team on non-work-related activities. The more that they communicate, the more that they can build good relationships and professional camaraderie with one another.
To Conclude…
Knowing how to motivate your remote team can help improve the way they work. Remember that this is not a one-size-fits-all approach. The motivation mix can only become perfect when remote teams are encouraged to do and bring their best to work when working remotely.
Author: Anastasia Stefanuk – Marketing Manager, Mobilunity
Photo credit: Chris Barbalis on Unsplash
