A couple of years ago, remote work may not even have been on the radar of some companies—but for many, the pandemic changed that. To protect their staff members, businesses around the globe quickly adopted remote work arrangements. To the surprise of some, most businesses have not seen a drop in productivity. Additionally, many employees have come to appreciate the convenience and flexibility of being able to work from home.
Once the pandemic has passed, businesses face a choice: return to the office, continue operating with a fully remote workforce or develop a workplace that blends both in-office staff and remote team members. For those business leaders who choose a blended workplace, it will be important that remote workers aren’t “out of sight, out of mind.” Leaders must develop a culture that includes and values remote workers in the same way as in-house staff.
HR departments will be tasked with helping to assure company cultures evolve to meet the needs of the “new normal.” Below, 15 members of Forbes Human Resources Council discuss several strategies organizations can implement to make remote workers feel included and engaged in company culture.
Member of Forbes Human Resources Council share ways company leadership can ensure remote workers aren’t “out of sight, out of mind.”
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Work to deliver employee-first solutions.
What has become crystal-clear during the pandemic is that people want choices when it comes to when, how and where they work. We’ve seen that growth, trust and brand advocacy don’t rely on us being together physically. When evaluating how to engage remote workers in company culture, it’s critical to ask, listen, adapt and iterate to deliver solutions that are employee-centric and human-first. - Sharon Doherty, Finastra
2. Go the extra mile to communicate.
Company culture is communicated in the daily interactions of its employees. Leaders will need to go the extra mile to communicate with employees. Where there was once a nod and a smile in the hallway, there now needs to be a regular phone call, email or video chat to acknowledge each remote employee. Always remember to include remote employees in any meetings they normally would be a part of. - Karla Bylund, Soaring Bird Solutions LLC
3. Allow for personal space in a conversation.
To uphold a culture and, even more importantly, a shared purpose, open communication must be maintained via several channels. In the new daily routines, people often focus only on the business aspect but forget the human side. Thus, it is critical to allow some personal space in the conversation. Small gestures go a long way if timed well and if they are relevant to the receiver. - Philippe Clarinval, Carlton Hotel St. Moritz
4. Use multiple communication streams.
It may seem repetitive, but people prefer to receive information in various formats. If the company is only sending information via one format—let’s say email—then you may be limiting your reach and end up with employees who feel disconnected. Using various channels of communication will make remote employees feel included and part of the culture. - Ana Flor, ATTOM Data Solutions
5. Connect at regular times each week.
Be intentional about online meetings by switching the camera on to connect and having sessions where you ask people how they are feeling. People love routine, so it helps to have regular connection sessions once a week as a team or once a month as the whole organization around issues that are important in the company. - Tasniem Titus, Dentsply Sirona
6. Ask remote employees to take on leadership roles.
Often, leaders mentor employees by giving counsel and guidance. However, sponsoring them by providing meaningful opportunities to step up in a visible way is more impactful. Sponsorship is often considered as part of diversity and inclusion initiatives, but it applies to remote workers as well. Ask remote workers to lead a meeting, own an initiative, help onboard new employees and so on. - Allison Allen, Orchard Global Asset Management
7. Leverage collected data.
It is critical to establish a set of principles regarding “new norms” as well as to help support leaders and managers in the adoption of new behaviors. Technologies that enable remote work generate a significant amount of data that can be anonymized and gathered unobtrusively. This data can then be leveraged to demonstrate adoption or even design interventions that support new behavior adoption. - McCree Lake, Facebook
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8. Set up specialized channels for chat and collaboration.
Reframe company culture practices and traditions that were previously done in person by changing the format to Zoom or Slack. For example, set up Zoom rooms as break rooms so that employees can “chat” virtually or have a virtual lunch or coffee break. Also consider setting up a Slack channel for employees to recognize the contributions of their peers, share their ideas or collaborate. - Bridgette Wilder, Wilder HR Management & EEO Consulting
9. Use the chat and camera features on video calls.
Before Covid-19, we had very few remote workers. Due to extensive growth, we have added over 100 employees across 30 states. To ensure inclusion, we leverage the chat and camera features on Zoom, allowing anyone to answer questions or make comments—making it feel like a virtual room. This change has become highly contagious and is a part of our culture. All have a voice! - Robin Borg, Bind Benefits
10. Listen and respond to remote worker feedback.
For remote employees, it’s important that out of physical sight doesn’t mean out of mind. To address this concern, companies should keep a pulse check on their employee experience to understand the barriers that get in the way of productivity, connection and success. Asking, listening and responding to remote worker feedback goes a long way toward showing employees their feedback is valued. - Brett Wells, Perceptyx
11. Introduce new hires on camera.
We host new hire introductions via Microsoft Team Video with our entire company, allowing everyone to say hello, have face time and ask questions to get to know the new employee better. We also host quarterly companywide meetings and ask everyone to have their cameras on. Lastly, we utilize Teams for daily communication and creating cohesive teams. - Nicole Smartt Serres, Star Staffing
12. Build an online event and training calendar.
One way to help remote workers feel that they’re part of the company culture is to build an online event and training calendar that is integrated into the culture to help ensure that individual well-being and performance are balanced. As part of this calendar, individual coaching sessions on personal management could be provided, and buddy meetings could be scheduled. - Anne Iversen, TimeXtender
13. Set up a peer-recognition program.
For remote work to be an enriching component of our well-being, we need to feel good about where we work and how we contribute to company goals. Social recognition strengthens employee relationships and reenergizes employee engagement, contributing to a more human workplace. A peer-recognition program enables your people to see the value they create through a culture that appreciates human connection. - Dr. Patti Fletcher, PSDNetwork, LLC
14. Send care packages and handwritten notes.
Do not underestimate the power of physical mail. Sending a “care package” with a coffee cup, shirt or other “swag” can put the company back in the eyes, hands and hearts of remote workers. Include a handwritten note from the worker’s manager or company leadership. It can go a long way as a reminder that the company values them, wants to stay connected and is thinking about them. - Jessica Delorenzo, Kimball Electronics Inc.
15. Connect remote employees with each other and in-office staff.
Bring your water cooler online. Create spaces to connect remote employees as a group and as a blended workforce with your onsite employees. Create intentional virtual coffees pairing onsite and remote employees, including conversation cues. There are fewer onsite employees now, and they have a degree of loneliness as well. Use that common ground to create connections. - Cat Colella-Graham, Cheer Partners
