For many employees, working from home is a gift in itself. This is also beneficial for employers, as many studies show that employees who work from home can be more productive.
The challenge for employers lies in finding ways to recognize, reward, and motivate their full and part-time remote employees to show them that, while they may not appear, they are not crazy.
Here are 7 ways to recognize and reward remote employees.
Weekly “Show”.
Recognizing an employee or department’s exemplary work of the week, via a congratulatory email or company-wide conference call, can be an effective way to show appreciation and motivate employees.
When remote workers see what others are accomplishing, and their efforts are recognized and rewarded, they are more likely to set and achieve higher productivity goals in anticipation of their own “screams.”
Monthly face to face meeting
Virtual workers who live fairly close to the office will appreciate the opportunity to meet face-to-face at least once a month with management and other members of their remote team.
These private meetings are a great time to brainstorm, exchange ideas, and implement exercises and activities that will help team members to bond and build mutual trust.
For employees who live far from the office, web conferencing with them individually and virtually team building can boost morale and help maintain a productive flow.
Virtual water cooler session
Holding daily to twice weekly “water cooler” sessions via Skype is a great way to keep the lines flowing with remote employees.
These sessions should allow group members to check-in and chat in a friendly and trusting space, updating one another on work and non-work related events.
Learn about and respect the remote employee culture
With today’s technology, remote workers can telecommute from countries around the world. Getting to know the culture and traditions of a multinational workforce, and interacting appropriately with all remote employees, is a great way to show respect and appreciation, which can be very powerful motivators.
Recognize consistently good efforts
Employees need regular positive reinforcement to keep us engaged and motivated. And those who work with others in brick and mortar offices are more likely to receive spontaneous recognition for their efforts, due to the fact that they interact physically with other workers and management.
Remote workers, however, are isolated from others in the workforce and may not feel as valued for their efforts as workers in a physical office.
Therefore, it is critical that remote employees are recognized and rewarded quickly and consistently via Skype, phone, email, tweet or other social media platforms, to help keep them engaged and motivated.
Failing to recognize a job well done at the right time can lead to a lapse in productivity. So can you send bulk text to employees sometimes to encourage them
Send thank you notes via snail mail
In today’s day and age of emails, social media posts, and tweets, communicating through technology is convenient but not too personal.
Sending handwritten notes of appreciation to remote workers can go a long way in boosting morale and productivity. And speaking of employee rewards, don’t forget to send birthday cards to remote employees.
Stay connected
While remote workers have the ability to stay more focused without office distractions, the downside is that they often feel disconnected. Wanting to connect can send them off work to social sites where they will be spending unproductive time.
Taking the time to check in and reconnect with remote employees over the phone is a great way to show appreciation and keep employees motivated.
