Five tips for keeping remote and hybrid teams connected

Did you know that employees who feel included in a company are 33% more likely to feel excited and committed to their organisation?  

Today’s employee-centric labour market highlights the importance of putting people first; as a result, many employers are adopting a mutually beneficial approach, which seeks to value workers while simultaneously empowering them and prioritising their wellbeing.

However, as companies boost their remote workforce capacity, concerns regarding employee engagement are gaining traction.

Disruptive global affairs and an impending recession are fuelling the urgency to secure a contented, reliable workforce — and uplifting employee morale is key to maintaining a company’s resilience during these tough times.

Since the approach to communication and culture-building is different for remote workforces, here are five tips to help dispersed teams stay connected.

1) Create a positive onboarding experience

According to Gallup analytics, nearly one in five employees either report that their most recent onboarding was poor or that they received no onboarding at all.

Effective onboarding starts with communication.

A smooth onboarding process where all HR, payroll, legal and administrative compliance is seamlessly taken care of enhances the employee experience.

In fact, employees who experience exceptional onboarding experiences say they have ’the best possible job’ and are also 2.6 times as likely to be extremely satisfied with their workplace.

Use digital tools to simplify activities like virtual learning and introduction meetings.

Additionally, when onboarding new hires, especially remotely, check in on them regularly and encourage them to ask questions.

More content: we covered some of the latest HR trends, including how the metaverse will impact onboarding.

2) Balance synchronous and asynchronous communication

Nicole Sahin, Founder of Globalization Partners, says: “it’s vital to track how teams feel on an ongoing basis.”

Remote workers’ communication needs are different from those in traditional office settings — make sure to explore what works for your team dynamic.

Asynchronous communications are communications that don’t necessarily require an immediate response, such as emails and messages.

While synchronous communications are exchanges that happen in real-time such as phone calls, video conferencing and in-person meetings.

Establishing the right boundaries for interaction and deep work time pays off in the long run.

Businesses should aim to find the balance between these two approaches, enabling staff to be productive when working remotely while still maintaining regular contact.

Virtual meetings can be fruitful and boost employee morale; however, avoiding Zoom fatigue and stress from constant notifications, emails and video calls is essential.

3) Provide benefits beyond compensation

It is not just about salary — employers that take an innovative compensation approach will see their remote workforce thrive.

One way of showing your appreciation is by providing professional development opportunities; in fact, 32% of workers in a recent survey said they would leave their job for one with more learning opportunities.

When employees are encouraged and supported to learn and grow professionally, it boosts productivity, strengthens loyalty and creates a positive brand reputation in the competitive marketplace.

4) Build a strong remote company culture

Recent research from McKinsey found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability.

This highlights the importance of strong company culture and diversity within the workforce, demonstrating that different perspectives can help companies innovate and even reshape their corporate culture if needed.

Understanding each global employee’s local culture is key to developing an empathetic leadership — foster engagement by building a culture based on celebrating differences, shared beliefs and values.

5) Stay flexible

A poll of 1,000 UK workers conducted by EY found that 80% wanted flexibility where they worked, and 47% went as far as to say they would consider changing their jobs if flexible working wasn’t an option.

Clearly, employees want options apart from the traditional 9-to-5 office job; it’s fair to say that updating your work model by adding flexibility will result in higher job satisfaction ratings and employee engagement, as well as productivity.

According to the Gartner 2021 Digital Worker Experience Survey, 43% of respondents said that flexibility in working hours helped them achieve greater productivity, and 30% of respondents said that less or no time commuting enabled them to be more productive.

But more than that is the prospect of greater resilience for companies who embrace remote working arrangements as disruption risks are significantly reduced when people have the option to work from home.

Creating a competitive advantage

There is a distinct competitive advantage for companies that are mindful of employee engagement and wellbeing initiatives.

This mutually beneficial experience will not only reflect in Glassdoor reviews but throughout all aspects of the organisation.

Keeping remote teams connected and motivated undoubtedly presents a challenge, but it can be managed through developing the right approach to onboarding, communication, culture and compensation.

World-leading Global Employment Platform

 Globalization Partners’ world-leading Global Employment Platform™ helps companies build and scale international teams without having to set up branch offices or subsidiaries. Thanks to G-P’s innovative technology, building a global remote team only takes a couple of clicks. 

Companies can manage onboarding, international payroll, benefits and time off requests — all on one platform. Trust the #1 named industry leader that consistently achieves over 98% customer satisfaction ratings and 100% employee onboarding satisfaction ratings. 

Want to learn more about Globalization Partners? Register for their annual conference, Pangeo, here – IRIS will also be in attendance!