6 Creative Ways to Boost Employee Morale in Remote Work Settings

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Although remote work is enjoying its well-deserved moment in the limelight, the limited face-to-face interaction with colleagues and the challenges of working from home can make employees feel disconnected, which can inevitably affect their overall well-being and work output.

That’s why keeping employees happy and motivated has become a top priority for businesses and enterprises of all sizes, from local businesses to SMEs to tech startups and mammoth institutions.

Although boosting the morale of a remote team has unique challenges, let’s discuss six potent strategies you can experiment with to create a happy, high-performing remote workforce.

1. Wellness Packages

Employee holistic wellness and well-being should be a top priority, especially in remote work settings where the work-life balance line can blur easily.

Sending remote employees wellness packages is a thoughtful gesture that can show them how much you genuinely care about their health and well-being. These packages can include items like healthy snacks, stress-relief gadgets, and home-delivered flowers.

Flowers are an especially great way to make remote employees feel appreciated and part of the business. The icing on the cake is that, thanks to online flower delivery services like 1-800 Flowers, Farmgirl Flowers, and BloomsyBox, we can send different flower arrangements and bouquets to employees as they celebrate the holidays, work and life anniversaries, birthdays, etc.

Simpler, easier-to-do alternatives include broadcasting an employee appreciation email to everyone within the department or sending a handwritten note or card appreciating the employee for being such a huge, valued asset.

2. Virtual Team Events

One high-five-worthy way to tighten the bonds between your remote employees is throwing a virtual team event; it’s a proven way to kindle new friendships, shared laughter, and a stronger sense of togetherness.

We’re not talking about your average, stodgy meeting here. These get-togethers should especially focus on finding ways to loosen up and have a blast with work colleagues. Consider organizing virtual happy hours, trivia nights, or online escape rooms.

In these unscripted moments of low work pressure, employees can be themselves. When employees connect without the restraints of job titles, it can create a strong foundation for workplace trust and camaraderie.

3. Embrace and Champion The Adoption of New Technologies

Embracing new technologies can make remote employees more efficient and their work more enjoyable. Tools like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) can be game-changing ways to create immersive meeting experiences.

Sometimes, video calls can be a team-building barrier because they lack features innately backed into modern technologies like VR and similar technologies that allow us to get a more intimate, connected experience that simulates being in the same room.

4. Flexible Work Hours

When remote employees have the managerial freedom to choose their schedules, they’re likely to remain productive and more motivated.

When they’re not constantly jousting with the constant pressure of rigid work hours, employees can redistribute their time and energy to other important areas of their lives. This can allow them to make headways toward creating a more peaceful coexistence between their professional and personal worlds.

Encourage remote employees to complete their most important work assignments during their most productive hours, whenever that may be during the day. Trusting employees to manage their time can increase their sense of autonomy and job satisfaction.

5. Personalized Recognition

In a remote work setting, it’s essential to ensure that employees feel truly seen and appreciated. Personalized recognition can be much more impactful than generic praise.

Peel back the layers to understand what makes each person on your agile team tick: their quirks, strengths, and what gets them out of bed in the morning. You could also create a tribute to your team’s wins, a “Trophy Case” of sorts for reaching milestones that can make employees feel truly valued and motivated.

6. Mental Health Support

Remote work can sometimes make employees feel isolated and burnt out. One way employers can keep morale soaring is to provide support for mental wellness. Offer access to virtual counseling services and mental health resources.

Imagine a workplace where employees openly share and discuss mental health challenges as easily and confidently as they would share their weekend plans. That’s the kind of culture we should strive for: one where employees feel comfortable speaking up and seeking help if and when needed.

Conclusion

Although they seem simple, implementing these six strategies can help businesses create a positive and supportive remote work environment where employees feel supported, more motivated, productive, and simply more enjoyable to work with long-term.

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The purpose of Human Resources (HR) is to ensure our organization achieves success through our people. Without the right people in place—at all levels of the organization—we will never be able to execute our Strategy effectively.

This begs the question: Does your organization view HR as a support function or a strategic one? Research shows leading organizations leverage HR as a strategic function, one that both supports and drives the organization's Strategy. In fact, having strong HRM capabilities is a source of Competitive Advantage.

This has never been more true than right now in the Digital Age, as organizations must compete for specialized talent to drive forward their Digital Transformation Strategies. Beyond just hiring and selection, HR also plays the critical role in retaining talent—by keeping people engaged, motivated, and happy.

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