Employee Engagement in the Virtual Workplace: Key Strategies for Success

According to a recent article on Forbes.com, “Remote and hybrid work models are here to stay, and companies that adapt, innovate, and create a culture of trust and flexibility will thrive in the long run.” While that is certainly true, the list leaves out one crucial success factor: the need to implement processes and strategies that foster employee engagement. When employees are engaged, they are emotionally invested in and connected to their work. Obvious signs of engagement include a sense of pride in the work, a high level of enthusiasm, and a willingness to “go the extra mile” on behalf of the team or organization. This results in greater retention, increased job satisfaction, lower absenteeism, and better customer service.

In a remote or hybrid work arrangement, many of the traditional means of boosting employee engagement are no longer feasible. Compounding the challenge is the fact that no definitive playbook exists for engaging remote workers — every organization and team will have its own approach. The good news is that by implementing a few simple but powerful strategies, engagement can be significantly amplified among your remote/hybrid employees.

In this enlightening and fast-paced webinar, we’ll explore some of those strategies, including:

• Establishing clear expectations and guidelines for employees regarding flexible work.
  According to a recent survey conducted by Mercer, only a third of organizations have formal rules in place for managing flexible work. 48% rely on informal and ambiguous guidelines to manage flexible work, and 17% are completely “hands-off.” Such vagueness can lead to a host of problems, such as resentment, reduced productivity, and ultimately high turnover.
• Providing opportunities for adaptive work rather than simply technical or tactical work.
  Technical or tactical work is defined as work that addresses a clearly defined issue with relatively straightforward solutions. Adaptive work, on the other hand, is work that may require adopting new paradigms, values, and beliefs to solve complex problems. Creating opportunities for employees to occasionally participate in adaptive work that taps their creativity and ingenuity can increase engagement dramatically.
• Leveraging the Progress Principle to capitalize on the power of small wins and forward movement.
  In their book The Progress Principle, authors Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer write, “Our research inside companies revealed that the best way to motivate people, day in and day out, is by facilitating progress—even small wins.” Helping team members make progress on meaningful work is even more critical for engagement on a remote/hybrid work team.
• Creating psychological safety.
  Psychological safety is the feeling of being able to speak openly and honestly at work without fear of punishment. Engagement increases when employees feel psychologically safe for several reasons. First, employees can try new things without worrying about making mistakes. Second, employees feel welcome to perform their work as they see fit without negative consequences. Finally, employees are emboldened to challenge the status quo in a way that promotes creativity and innovation.

Employee engagement is more than just an HR fad—it’s something that can truly make the difference between average results and exceptional results for your team or organization. This was always true, but in a virtual or hybrid workplace, implementing strategies for employee engagement to flourish is paramount.

For managers of remote/hybrid companies; leaders looking to improve company culture; training and HR professionals; independent consultants; or any managers delivering training, this webinar will show you how!