How to Keep Your Employees Engaged While Working Remotely

More than three-quarters of office workers have moved to a remote work environment since the start of the pandemic. Many believe remote work will be a permanent part of the workforce, even after the pandemic is over. With this shift, HR leaders are faced with the challenge of keeping remote employees productive and engaged. 

IDC Research found that employers with robust employee experience have employees who stay on average 6-10 years with the company and are 35 times more likely to feel like part of one team--driving organizational resilience. No one can argue about the benefits of having a strong employee experience, but how do HR leaders deliver this in a remote work environment? 

Here are three key ways: 

1. Listen to Your Employees

At our recent industry roundtable, HR leaders all agreed: the first step is listening to your employees. Find out how their lives have changed in a remote work environment, what’s top of mind for them, and how you can best support them. Companies with robust employee experience have a pulse on their employees and their careabouts. Leverage surveys, focus groups, one-on-one check-ins, and other ways to gain insight. Your employees’ needs in today’s new remote work reality are vastly different from before.

2. Invest in Their Well-being

Office perks such as catered lunches and on-site massages are now being replaced by benefits that truly matter to employees--those that focus on their well-being. In our recent survey of HR leaders, 83% of companies either maintained or increased their benefits budget. This investment is focused on employee wellness programs that improve physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Happy employees tend to be more productive and engaged, ultimately a win-win for both employers and employees.

Many employers last year boosted their employee wellness programs by doubling down on financial wellness and mental health benefits. Financial and mental and physical health are closely linked as finance is a significant cause of stress for Americans.  We expect this trend to continue through 2021 with more employers offering holistic employee wellness programs that prioritize financial and mental health. 

3. Focus on Impact 

Finally, the dramatic turn of events in 2020 led many employees to question their ability to have an impact on the world around them. Employers who can help connect the dots between an employee’s work and larger societal impact can reap the benefits of a more engaged workforce. It’s well known that younger employees seek purpose in their work life. But all employees who have their purpose aligned with their work are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and stay longer at their organization. 

Employers seeking to attract and retain top talent can no longer ignore the link between their company and society at large. According to a report by Mercer, 1 in 3 employees prefers to work for a company that shows responsibility towards all stakeholders, not just shareholders. The same report found that 37% of employees are motivated by strong corporate values, mission and purpose, and 36% favor companies that focus on social equity and environmental protection. The New Year is an excellent time to reflect on your company’s impact on the world around you and communicate and align your employees with this purpose.  

Engaged employees are more productive and drive better business outcomes. With the new remote work reality, engaging employees needs to be a top priority. You can set your company up for success by listening to your employees, investing in their well-being, and giving them purpose and the ability to make a broader impact.