Remote work is taking the world by storm, and many employees are pleased to be able to work from any location. However, working remotely may cause some employees to fall behind on their tasks. It is easy to become distracted when working at home or in the coffee shop, and the lack of motivation may disrupt your daily operations.
Use the following tips to help your remote employees become more motivated and productive.
Allow Flexibility for Time Management
One perk of remote work is creating a work-life balance, so you need to allow a little flexibility for your employees to manage their time. For example, give your employees time to get in some exercise or run to the grocery store.
When you allow a little flexibility, you are showing your employees that you trust them to complete their tasks on time. It also reminds your employees that it is possible to meet their deadlines without neglecting their personal life.
Connect with Your Employees
It is also important to stay connected to your employees, and this means daily messages to check the status of their projects. You also want to check in with your employees to ensure they are in good mental and physical health.
Staying connected with your employees is their reminder to take care of their work tasks, but checking in on a personal level also shows your employees you care about them as people. A manager that cares can be enough to motivate your employees to do their best work.
Send Out Motivational Quotes
Another idea for connecting with your employees is to send out motivational quotes throughout the week. Motivational quotes are popular because they inspire people to work toward their personal and business goals. You can even ask your employees to share their favorite quotes as a way to participate in the work chat.
If you meet weekly via video chat, you may decide to start each week off by reciting a positive affirmation together. For those who do not enjoy motivational quotes, you can just stick to the daily check-ins to keep from disrupting their focus.
Host Competitions for Fun
There is something about friendly competitions that encourage employees to work hard, even if there are no actual prizes involved. The thrill of winning is enough for some employees to increase their productivity, while other employees may be looking to meet a work goal they have set for themselves. Potential competition can range from most sales to most deals closed, depending on the nature of your business.
You can use an online platform to host a sales competition for your remote employees. Use the platform to share the rules and results with everyone, but be sure to remind your employees that it is a friendly competition.
Recognize Their Hard Work
Regardless of the results of the competition, it is important to recognize all your employees’ hard work. For example, you can post everyone’s accomplishments with kind, sincere words. If you want to boost the motivation of your entire team, be sure to include every employee in the recognition.
Constructive criticism should be done in private and only when necessary, but you need to remind them of their strengths as well. Everyone needs to feel valued and appreciated, and recognizing how hard your employees are working can do wonders for their motivation and productivity.
Host Virtual Parties and Events
There are many workplaces that offer parties and team-building events as a way to boost company morale. The same can be done for remote employees as well. For example, you can host a virtual party on a video call to celebrate everyone’s hard work, and be sure to include games and music to keep everyone engaged.
You can also plan team-building events such as trivia and mock game shows to encourage everyone to work together, even from various locations.
Virtual parties and events give your employees a break from their normal work routine, which is needed to feel more motivated on the next workday.
Conclusion
There are many ways to keep your remote employees motivated, from daily check-ins to friendly competitions. But when you take the time to motivate your employees, you are taking the steps to run a successful business.