8 Actionable Steps to Keep Your Remote Team Motivated
It's a new year and by now you've most likely settled into the routine of working from home. As you and your team set new goals to accomplish this year, it may seem as if motivation has gone down, which isn't unheard of in an online environment. In fact, Forbes reports that since the start of the pandemic 32% of employees dislike working from home and don't believe that their company is handling the transition to remote work effectively. As a result, team leaders must now confront the issue of how to keep their remote team motivated.
When you're working from home it's easy to get distracted by daily tasks that you forget to check-in with your team. Here are eight steps that you can integrate into your team to help them (and you) stay motivated this year.
Schedule one-on-one meetings
Effective remote work relies on employees to conduct their tasks independently. Without a physical office space, employees may feel isolated and this can lead to a lack of motivation to get work done. To help combat this, take the time to schedule one-on-ones with team members at least bi-weekly to check-in and help team members create goals they can work to accomplish.
Not only will this provide them with an opportunity to socialize with you over video chat, but by creating goals they can consistently work to grow.
Create a team recognition spotlight
Whenever you have a staff meeting, take advantage of this opportunity to have your team members give shoutouts to their team members. If one particular person went above and beyond that week this is the moment to recognize their work and show your appreciation.
Encourage career development
Everyone wants to grow within their career which is why you should promote and offer career development programs and outlets. By doing so, your team members have the opportunity to flourish and push themselves to advance themselves within their workplace.
Implement social programs
Connecting with your team for after-work virtual happy hours isn't always easy to do when you have to balance everyone's schedules. Another way to connect with your team though is to implement virtual "water coolers" or chat rooms that are dedicated to socializing. This can help team members minimize their risk of work burn-out while providing them with a space to connect with coworkers.
Advocate for quality workspace tech
Nothing makes working from home more challenging than not being equipped with quality technology. This can cause frustration among team members if the technology is preventing them from completing tasks in a timely manner or communicating with team members. As a supervisor, ensuring your team is equipped with proper technology whether it's headsets, wifi, or work laptops, can allow them to get their work done in a smooth fashion.
Balance critique with positive reinforcement
When you're providing your team members with critiques that can help them grow to their full potential, make sure you're not over-critiquing. The best way to ensure you're not doing this is to always end your feedback sessions with positive reinforcement. Point out areas where members have grown and compliment them on what they're doing well currently. This will help to prevent your team from feeling discouraged and instead will provide them with feedback that will enable them to grow and develop as professionals.
Get feedback from your team
If you're unsure as to how you can improve as a team leader, then the best way to find out is to get feedback from your team. Send out a poll or survey asking your team what they think is going well and what they believe can be improved. The results will help you gain a sense of where you can improve as a supervisor and create a more positive work environment for you and your team.
Be flexible
Remote work comes with its own set of challenges and a great way to deal with these trials is to remain flexible. Without an office space, there is a heavy reliance on technology, but there will be days when even technology (and a reliable internet connection) cause slow results. Being flexible will help decrease stress and frustration among your team and provide a sense of quality work over quantity.
At Nexus we've been connecting talent with opportunity for years, so let us help you take some of the stress and frustration out of your day. With the help of our experts, we use a framework that does a deep dive into your specific market to present you with the best-suited candidates. Contact us today to get started!
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