Tips to Keep Your Team Engaged from Afar

As teams begin to settle into the reality of working remotely, it’s vital for managers to keep investing in engagement.Keeping your team engaged even when you’re apart doing more than boost productivity: it reassures them that you’re all in it together. Clear and dynamic communication will ease anxieties and help you all succeed.Try these five tips and practices to engage your employees remotely:

1. 1. Introduce Your Work Space

Especially in the early adjustment period, be transparent about working situations. Show them your desk (whether make-shift at the kitchen table or in a full-fledged home office) and introduce them to your pets, kids and family. Be the first one to say, “Pardon any interruptions,” so that they know you’re expecting and ok with real-life blending into work life.

2. 2. Have Virtual Office Hours

Block off time on your calendar and set up a virtual “office” where your team members can come to talk with you. Office hours don’t need to be strictly about work; encourage them to come to you if they’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious or need a quick “water cooler” break.

3. 3. Take the Pulse Regularly

Supplement team meetings and (video) face-to-face check-ins with automated pulse surveys from Butterfly. Get feedback instantly on working situations and ask for feedback about what’s working and what isn’t in this new reality.

4. 4. Eat Lunch Together

In the workplace, it isn’t always feasible to gather together as a team and eat lunch — and it’s something a lot of teams take for granted! Schedule in lunch meetings where colleagues can virtually eat, talk and take their minds off of everything that’s going on.

5. 5. Vocalize Gratitude

Another great practice for any work situation: share praise and thank your team members for their work. Acknowledge that accomplishing things in a remote environment can be really hard, and their ability to power through projects or meet new goals is huge. Say thanks privately and celebrate them publicly. How are you staying engaged with your remote team? Share your stories with us at remote@butterfly.ai.Butterfly gives managers what they need to know about how their people are feeling right now and empowers them to follow up immediately. The loop is closed in real-time with team members receiving meaningful, best-informed actions from their managers. Every manager becomes a leader who knows their people and drives engagement, removing one more burden from the shoulders of HR and creating a happier workforce.