{"id":6832,"date":"2022-01-19T10:34:35","date_gmt":"2022-01-19T16:34:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluecotton.com\/blog\/?p=6832"},"modified":"2022-01-28T10:38:12","modified_gmt":"2022-01-28T16:38:12","slug":"supporting-remote-workers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluecotton.com\/blog\/business\/supporting-remote-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"Distributed Engagement: How to Support Your Remote Teams in a Way That Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Distributed work is here to stay; even as we eventually begin to make the move back to regular in-office work, the majority of businesses will still employ remote staff.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to analyst Global Workplace Analytics, at least <\/span>25-30% of the <\/span>entire<\/b> US workforce will continue to work from home<\/span><\/a> one or more days a week after the pandemic. McKinsey takes things a step further, predicting large-scale disruption that may require <\/span>as many as 1 in 16 workers to find a new occupation by 2030<\/span><\/a>. And according to Accenture, <\/span>63% of high-growth companies have adopted a hybrid work model, which 83% of workers prefer<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, the cat is out of the bag for both organizations and employees as the benefits of telecommuting are concerned, and there is no going back. People who work from home tend to be more productive, especially if they’re given flexible hours. Businesses, meanwhile, can save considerable capital on office space and equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n

And that’s only the tip of the iceberg as far as the benefits of remote work are concerned.\u00a0 Not that this shift wasn’t inevitable anyway. Although COVID-19 was itself an unprecedented global crisis, the trends it inspired were nothing new.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Distributed work is no exception. According to job board Flex jobs, <\/span>there was a 159% increase in remote work<\/span><\/a> from 2005-2019. In Gallup’s 2017 <\/span>State of the American Workplace<\/span><\/i> report, <\/span>51% of employees indicated they would switch jobs for a more flexible, remote schedule<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, where are we going with this?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Simply put, it’s your responsibility as a leader to ensure that your remote employees are just as engaged as in-office staff. Prior to the pandemic, perhaps this was something that could be put off. However, in a future defined by hybrid work, you <\/span>need <\/span><\/i>to support your remote teams.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s some advice to help you accomplish that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Take a Genuine Interest<\/span><\/h2>\n

One of the most significant drawbacks of working remotely is that, for many, it’s an isolating experience. It’s within your power to make it at least a little less lonely, however. Take a genuine interest in the lives and hobbies of your employees.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reach out to them every now and then to see how they’re doing. Let them know they can schedule touch base meetings if need be, and encourage friendships between remote staff outside regular office hours. They might not all be working in the same building, but that doesn’t mean they can’t feel like they’re part of the same team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Equip Them With The Proper Resources<\/span><\/h2>\n

The right tools make all the difference in the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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That’s especially true in distributed work, where your employees won’t likely have access to the same equipment they would in an office setting. You need to make sure this doesn’t impede their ability to do their jobs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ask them what they need, and make it happen. Maybe it’s subsidies to help them pay for better Internet, a better virtual meeting platform, or a remote access solution. Whatever it is, it’s your responsibility to provide it to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Look Into Remote Team Building (But Don’t Overdo It)<\/span><\/h2>\n

Team building.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chances are pretty good that most people who read those words immediately thought of frustrating, mandatory outings with coworkers. Of human resources initiatives that attempt to <\/span>force <\/span><\/i>friendships between employees. Of disconnected efforts to promote synergy and encourage collaboration.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That doesn’t need to be how your team-building efforts look, though. They could be virtual, inexpensive, entertaining, and most importantly of all, <\/span>optional. <\/span><\/i>Believe it or not, a hybrid setting gives you an enormous amount of freedom in that regard, with possibilities that include:<\/span><\/p>\n