Employee engagement is the staff’s emotional investment to the company and its objectives. When employment satisfaction rates are high, employee engagement increases. This has direct links to improved productivity and company culture. Due to the current Coronavirus crisis, traditional methods of holding seminars or challenges directed towards improving employee engagement remotely is impossible. This makes managers and leaders unsure of how to proceed – however, common principals of conventional employee engagement along with strategic modifications are certain to create successful online engagement modules. 

The first step is to measure the current employee engagement rate. Without this information, companies will have difficulty in identifying where, how much, and what types of improvements are necessary. The easiest way to achieve this is to develop a well-crafted online survey. It should be concise and allow for comments to be written. Transparency and interaction are key to designing an inclusive survey – therefore, the results should be discussed with at least a few employees to benefit from multiple perspectives.

Almost every company can benefit from improved workplace communication. This applies especially when employees are not present in the office. Taking initiatives such as creating intranet platforms, newsletters, mail chains, and group meetings will encourage engagement and allow everybody to remain in track. Additionally, it is necessary for managers to be available virtually in case of queries and reassurance. They should be present and involved in the workforce’s day to day task as much as possible to be a true leader in times of crisis.

Recognition of employees’ accomplishments is the key necessity to boost employee engagement. Nonverbal and verbal conversations are a given when it comes to office environments, but the same cannot be said for remote teams. Therefore, constant appraisal of work is necessary to keep employees motivated and sure of the quality of their output. A web-based employee compensation and acknowledgement platform which ensures immediate recognition of work is a helpful tool for this. Additionally, it helps peers respect and even recommend each other for various incentives. This improves employee engagement by encouraging a healthy company culture, which is vital for businesses during and post-crisis situations.

Lastly, online team building activities is a great way to not only improve employee engagement but maintain good workplace morale. During the stressful times of confinement, employees prone to feeling isolated and stressed. Subsequently, this is a great way to improve solidarity and exchanges between them in a lighthearted fashion.

The importance of improving employee engagement remotely might have decreased in importance due to the pandemic, but it is an extremely valuable necessity for productivity and good spirits. It will certainly prepare businesses and its’ workforce to be successful in the aftermath of the Coronavirus crisis. 

References:

1. How Leaders Can Keep Remote Employees Engaged And Productive During Tumultuous Times, Mar 10, 2020, Forbes.