How do we boost remote employee retention and keep them engaged?

Did you know that 74% of employees want to stay in an organisation offering remote work options? 

Remote work comes with many benefits, but it also has multiple challenges. These challenges are often unique to remote employees and different from the issues that on-site employees face. 

Remote employees often feel disengaged from the on-site team, which could lead to a constant feeling of isolation. This can affect them on an individual level and the organisation as a whole. Therefore, the organisation should recognise and address these issues proactively. 

Why is it important to keep the remote employees engaged?

• Improved productivity: A survey by Deloitte found that 79% of employees believe that feeling involved and engaged at their workplace is one of the most crucial factors that motivates them to work, and 93% mentioned that a sense of belongingness in the organisation drives their performance. So, if the employees working remotely feel disconnected from the organisation and its culture, it hampers their performance and productivity.

• Higher retention rates: The more employees feel disengaged, the more they feel like leaving their organisation. According to a Gallup report, organisations with high engagement rates show 43% more employee retention than organisations with low engagement rates. 

• Improved success rates: Improved employee productivity enhances the performance of the organisation as a whole. According to a Gallup report, organisations with high engagement rates are 23% more profitable than those with low engagement rates. 

Here are some tips to improve remote employee engagement:

• Reduce meeting frequency: According to a study by the State of Remote Work, 14% of remote employees have approximately more than ten meetings per week compared to only 3 for on-site employees. Getting involved in multiple online meetings can be frustrating, incredibly shorter ones. 

How can we make it easier for the remote employees?

1. Have a clear objective for the meeting and send the information a few days in advance so that the remote employees have time to understand and process it. 
2. Try to keep the meetings short and engaging to get complete attention from the employees. 
3. Avoid having frequent, long meetings.

• Be inclusive: While designing social events, ensure that the needs of the remote employees are met.

How to go about it?

1. Keep them informed about social events at the office. Ensure the on-site employees are also involved in these events; this can improve and encourage team bonding. 
2. Encourage remote employees to discuss their projects and activities at the organisation during a virtual “all-hands” session. 
3. Ensure that onsite and offsite employees can express their opinions during official conversations. 

• Improve communication: The study by State of Remote Work, also reveals that 20% of employees feel disconnected from their co-workers due to lack of proper communication. 

How to improve communication?

1. Try to use a standard tool for intra-office communication so that there is a clear boundary between work and personal life.
2. Conduct frequent polls or check-ins to understand the needs of the remote employees. 

• Incorporate feedback: Feedback is the best way to know the problems the remote employees face. Once they feel acknowledged and heard, they feel more comfortable with the work environment. 

How do we ensure getting proper feedback?

1. Employees often hesitate to provide honest feedback for fear of being judged; therefore, proper digital tools must be implemented so that employees can express themselves freely and anonymously. 
2. Ensure periodic feedback sessions and focus on implementing and modifying current working structures. Employees feel more motivated to work when they see that they are being heard. 
3. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, 46% of remote employees believe managers who frequently check in on them are the best. 

Overall, the most important thing to remember is that remote employees should have an equal opportunity to convey their thoughts and opinions about the workplace and workforce. This involves effective communication, which needs to be implemented in the organisation’s day-to-day functioning. As long as they feel heard, it will be easy to engage them and improve their retention rates.