While the world tried to cope with life through the pandemic and adapted to the new normal post-Covid, work structures, and habits shifted to telecommuting and remote work. Over 70% of employees around the world worked from home at least once a week and many companies were faced with the Great Resignation.
Changing times were to blame for the onslaught of employees quitting their jobs due to the aftermath of Covid-19. In 2020, companies that were not ready for change and could not cope with the demands of the times had to close shop as most of their workforce also opted to voluntarily resign. Threatened by health risks and left with very few options – employees found themselves at the crossroads of quitting or pursuing jobs that had low pay, or did not offer flexible work schedules and lacked opportunities for career advancement. There was not much to motivate them to stick around.
While necessity has always been the mother of innovation, working from home, remote jobs, and hybrid work models ushered in a new breed of employees. Companies realized they had to introduce new work structures to accommodate the changing needs of their employees. New rules, policies, and work processes.
Why is motivation important for remote employees?
Poor performance of an employee can be traced back to a direct cause and effect of lack of motivation. A demotivated employee will manifest a loss of zest and enthusiasm in quite a number of detrimental ways that can directly or indirectly affect the company. Remote workers can get easily distracted and may either quit working or inevitably give you cause to terminate their service. Demotivated remote workers can easily bring down your team’s morale and trigger disputes. Unfinished projects will start to pile up, consequently diminishing the company’s productivity.
Providing the right work mindset in a virtual work environment is crucial for a company that employs a remote workforce. Studies have shown that work-from-home employees showed higher levels of stress compared to their office-based counterparts. At the same time, the American Psychological Association recorded results that showed increased employee satisfaction among remote workers if they are provided with a proper structure and are duly motivated by their superiors.
How can you motivate remote workers?
There are quite a number of tried and tested ways to motivate your remote team. The very basics start off with providing them with the necessary equipment and tools to help them do their job. Having a well-structured reporting system minimizes ambiguity and disputes.
Creating a culture of trust and keeping an open line of communication does great things for a virtual team. One way to keep the motivation ball rolling is to establish proper Employee Engagement. Remote employees will gravitate toward productivity when they are presented with various opportunities to shine and be validated. An Employee Engagement program is all about giving back to your employees for their hard work and dedication. No incentive is too small but generous perks do go a long way.
Imposing a growth mindset for your remote workers allows them to reach out for new training programs which can also benefit your company down the road. Not only do you recognize their need for personal growth and progress, but it also strengthens the company culture of nurturing employees.
5 Basic Hacks To Motivate Remote Employees
Introduce an Employee Recognition Program
A recognition program for your remote team lets your employees feel like their contribution and hard work matter. Acknowledging their accomplishments for everyone to see builds their confidence in tackling every task given to them. Recognized employees are more productive and are likely to stay longer in the company.
Organize Virtual Team-Building Activities
Virtual team building gives employees a sense of belonging among their peers. Not only does it boost morale and improve collaborative skills between teams and their members, but having a scheduled time set aside for meaningful fun builds better working relationships.
Offer Health Benefits
This is a straightforward incentive that takes the top spot in every employee’s wish list. Health insurance perks for them and their immediate family shows how you want to go the extra mile to keep them and let them know how much they are valued.
Provide the Best Tools and Equipment
While not all companies provide home computers for remote workers, some do offer equipment loans that are deducted from the monthly paychecks should they want to purchase a broken laptop, a busted desktop monitor, or even just to upgrade their existing equipment. It is also notable to mention that giving free access to certain tools and software for them to use in their tasks certainly makes them more motivated to finish their projects on time.
Send Tokens of Appreciation
There is nothing like unboxing a care package! Your remote employees will appreciate this gesture as it shows how you’ve taken the time and effort to send them a gift box or basket. Make this a regular occurrence whether it may be a box that contains a health kit, a birthday cake, or holiday gifts.
Key Take Aways
There are various tell-tale signs of an employee who lacks motivation. How you extend your hand to pat them on the back is directly related to the output of your remote team. At the end of the day, it is best to do a weekly round-up of your remote employees to let them know you’re always there to listen and support them.
Motivating your employees requires a good strategic plan. It’s not always about the material or financial things that motivates them, but most times, validating their work and providing a job that lets them enjoy work and living life. Our Filipino virtual assistants at EVS enjoy this balance. We made it our mission to invest in keeping our remote employees motivated and driven with a growth mindset. Hire an EVS virtual assistant today and experience our brand of client-employee management.