In the absence of a supervisor or monitoring activities, work from home employees may not be able to discipline themselves. #hs-cta-wrapper-f1d24407-2351-4182-8c2f-5ba34d96f38c { In this post, we’ll discuss 13 unique employee engagement ideas for remote workers that you can consider trying during the Coronavirus crisis (and continue to implement long after the pandemic has subsided). Our Podcast brings you ideas, inspiration, and best practices for Team Building from cities around the globe. It becomes imperative for organizations to prioritize the health and safety of its employees during these times. Struggling to switch context and juggle work and home roles simultaneously have their own challenges. Remote working isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It can bring together different cultures or unite people on a special day. By letting your employees choose their own working hours, you’ll essentially build a sense of trust and mutual respect. It doesn’t require much leadership time or investment, but provides a great avenue to engage the isolated … This indicates the immense importance for organizations to bring forth an employee engagement innovation, especially during this pandemic, and actively invest in employee engagement initiatives. Employees are then encouraged to get out of their home office and work remotely in a new upbeat environment for the day. 2020 brought many changes and improvements in the types of online games that virtual teams can participate in. We’ll be your guide in bringing your remote team together with team building tips and activities. "It’s a powerful way to learn about people and their dreams, as well as to generate ideas for future team-building activities,” suggests Brian. 13. } Here are my favorite ways to motivate and engage remote employees who are working from home: Employee engagement idea #1: Remote work playbook . Collaboration, morale, and belonging can all take a hit. Allow for anonymous feedback/Q&A. A Google example: Google is no doubt the leader in many IT technologies but it is also considered as one of the best places to work with. Online Office Games with teambuilding.com (Most Popular) Facilitating team building online has unique challenges, and so you may want help. These activities are similar to online team building games and support virtual employee engagement. If you liked that article, take a look at these. 65% of remote employees report that they have never had a team building session. Deadlines and commitments aren't always enough motivation.Still, employees who work from home continue to report loving their jobs more than those in their cubicle.Leadership IQ provides an online test that gathers data regarding an employee’s feeling toward their job based on the employ… Virtual Happy Hour If you’ve never managed a work from home team before, the task can seem downright daunting. Have employees dress up as iconic holiday figures and decorate their home workspace accordingly for a mighty festive Zoom room. With the right tactics, you can easily boost those engagement levels. How can you build and maintain a viable professional and personal relationship online? Keep in mind though, that collaborative work between and within teams is also important. Team building activities have never been easier as a remote employee. The internet has helped us to conduct business more effectively across long distances, but it’s also helped billions connect socially around the world. It’s been close to two months since the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus an official pandemic. When employees complete certain “challenges” or tasks, let them “level up” with different awards and badges. If you do not currently have more details or would like to provide them later, click the Send button now! Let your remote workforce connect and share whatever they want. Now plan something for your employees to make them stay happy and motivated. This can help in controlling employee attrition and increasing productivity. Do your employees know exactly what is expected of them while they work from home? With our cocktail kits, become a mixologist with the virtual company of your coworkers. Let's celebrate the holidays, together, virtually. All of the above is particularly relevant today as, due to pandemic, people are compelled to leave their habitual workplaces and start to work from home, often suffering from the … But just because the holiday season has come to an end doesn’t mean the holiday spirit has to go with it. Plus, the personal touches will make the office feel like home. Don’t worry, though. Give your teams a chance to unwind and relax by inviting them to a multiplayer game. Spice up the work environment. For the first time, TeamBonding Inc. is offering an array of new customizable virtual holiday events to their new and current clientele. COVID-19 has forced companies across the country to adopt new ways of working. Amanda Beach. “Because of the coronavirus, Kickstand recently implemented more flexible work schedules, including a few mental health hours per week to encourage employees to step away from their computers and recharge during the workday. Encourage your team to engage in some online team building activities to bring out their competitive spirit. 5. Select Yes to provide more info. As work from home (WFH) became the new normal, many firms began initiatives to engage and connect with employees and their families. If one doesn’t work, experiment with a few others to see what happens. A disappointing 52% of employees are disengaged. Fun activities … And as more and more companies encourage people to work from home, they’re quickly finding out that remote work comes with a few challenges. We make the seemingly impossible task of keeping remote employees cohesive. If you’re missing time to relax and chat after work with your co-workers, worry not. Altruist. Remote work is said to increase productivity by 50%, and it further allows employees to work around their daily schedule. Remote working isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. /* Content Template: hubspot-demo-button - end */ This holiday season has gone fully virtual to help safely incorporate old traditions, new ideas and holiday cheer! employee engagement and commitment, team cohesion, better professional communication and decision making, resilience and psychological resources needed to cope with stress and overcome challenges successfully. Now, virtual teams are an everyday reality that are here to stay. /* ----------------------------------------- */, Employee Engagement Ideas for Remote Workers [+Tips on Following Through], The GoCo team is working hard to support HR pros through COVID-19. Our virtual programs are designed to target the collaboration and communication needed in teams. That’s why some companies are shifting their team building activities online to help employees stay engaged with each other and their work. Our ... 2. tiny campfire : 100% Virtual Campfire for Remote Teams. To keep the workflows moving, create a virtual office for employees. employee engagement and commitment, team cohesion, better professional communication and decision making, To make that … This indicates the immense importance for organizations to bring forth an employee engagement innovation, especially during this pandemic, and actively invest in employee engagement initiatives. Here are few fun tips to increase employee engagement: Fun Employee Engagement Activities and Game Ideas: Decorate your workplace: Messy and cluttered office never bring pleasure to work. Enter your email and we’ll add you to our newsletter of helpful tips, tricks and techniques. We have come up with a few solutions to start and manage your remote team. Recognizing an employee’s hard work, team spirit, and outstanding contributions has always been important for team morale and motivation, but how do you uphold a tradition like “employee of the month” in the new world of remote work? You can’t provide workstations to your remote employees. Home » Blog » Consultant Resources » 10 employee engagement activities that work like magic 10 employee engagement activities that work like magic. . Do you get enough creative freedom from your supervisor? Encourage a healthy work-life balance Working from home blurs the line between work and the employee’s personal life. Setting clear expectations is the first thing you need to do if you want to ensure high engagement among … Aside from that, here are some unique ideas that you could consider implementing: Who says proximity matters when it comes to coffee breaks? Visit our, modern HR software with a built-in team feedback tool, Opinions about improving an existing process, Concerns about an on-going project and how it could be improved, Tips on giving the actual workplace a makeover (however, that’s not recommended these days), Offer free subscriptions for Netflix, HBO, or Disney+, Provide state-specific healthcare coverage, Offer generous PTO (just because your employees are working from home doesn’t mean you can always expect them to be available for work – especially in times like these), Provide access to online fitness training programs. As a result, they’d be more inclined towards acting on it. Flexible work schedules and parental leave are some favorite benefits at Workiva, helping employees better balance their lives and excel at work and home. Read next: The Steps To Starting Out Your Remote Team. Once at your destination you’ll be able to compete with coworkers on an immersive virtual scavenger hunt. We also offer an all-new virtual team building category, specially designed to keep your virtual team engaged. Remote employees typically don’t have the same privileges as in-office employees, so basic coffee breaks, or team lunches don’t exist. If you’re struggling to come up with good employee engagement activities, it might be time to take a step back. Do your remote employees have something cool to show/share? The world of traditional, 9-to-5 work is slipping away, according to Global Workplace Analytics and numerous other studies: 5 million employees (3.6% of the workforce) currently work-at-home half-time or more. the person with the most interesting thing to show or share). These may seem like small sacrifices during a pandemic. 41. We recommend that managers establish these “rules of engagement” with employees as soon as possible, ideally during the first online check-in meeting. Ask them about their day, how they’ve been feeling, if they’re facing any work-related challenges, etc. Employees that work from home often struggle to feel connected with coworkers and the organization, and even more so during quarantine. 4. Especially if the team has never worked remotely before. This increases employee engagement. 4 unique remote team-building activities we’re using during coronavirus quarantine. Need a quote? As technology changes the way the world works, remote workforce engagement is growing in importance. If you haven’t already, consider purchasing an online learning management system and upload different training courses for your employees. Together, teams can work out the knots from sitting at makeshift home offices with a group stretch or chair yoga class. Collaboration, morale, and belonging can all take a hit. Each employee will be sent a small gift card to a coffee shop in their area or their favorite coffee shop. It’s easy for remote employees to feel isolated, and when most of your workforce is spread out, it can be difficult to maintain a strong company culture. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Use your resources your team has! In a video conference, ask each employee to walk around with their smartphone/laptop and give a quick tour of their beautiful home. } When it comes down to it, social distancing can take its toll on an individual’s mental health. 10 Best Virtual Team Building Activities for a Remote Workforce. Our mission is to make operating a business easy, and to empower companies to take care of their Playing together will help increase communication, motivate your team, and build your virtual company culture that will be useful later on when there’s work to be done. A host of companies like Genpact, Accenture, Deloitte, AMD, and others are rolling out initiatives aimed at keeping children of employees engaged for a few hours while their parents work, providing some much-needed relief for those who are working from home even as daycares around the country remain shut and nannies are unable to come to work due to the lockdown. But you can help your company – and employees – emerge stronger from the coronavirus pandemic with these top 10 engagement ideas. For three hours per week, staff can sign off anytime during the workday for rest and wellbeing, no questions asked. Every 6 months, or even quarterly, present the most important issues in your company and the actions made to address those issues. Employees confirmed or suspected of being infected and their family members confirmed or suspected of being infected. Get to know your multi-functional team and remote employees better with our 5 virtual team bonding activities and tips: It’s personal chit-chat that helps employees relate to each other. The current global situation has caused a surge in remote work across the country. 1. Companies can send gift cards to each person, (via email, mail, or text) and the team is sure to feel appreciated as they brainstorm over their cup of Joe, outside the home office. Even if you support flexibility, some rules should be applied as this helps employees feel like they are a part of your organizational culture. Each employee will snap a photo of themselves working at the coffee shop and will post it to the team chat group. Employees can only provide honest feedback if they aren’t worried about retaliation. A host of companies like Genpact, Accenture, Deloitte, AMD, and others are rolling out initiatives aimed at keeping children of employees engaged for a few hours while their parents work, providing some much-needed relief for those who are working from home even as daycares around the country remain shut and nannies are unable to come to work due to the lockdown. A good, productive way to keep oneself occupied is to watch and finish any company-mandated training. The GoCo team is working hard to support HR pros through COVID-19. But you can help your company – and employees – emerge stronger from the coronavirus pandemic with these top 10 engagement ideas. But besides dealing with operational issues, many HR professionals are having to come up with creative employee engagement ideas for remote workers, while also juggling the everchanging FFCRA law, and creating COVID-19 related policies. Also, we are planning to do something for Employees' family members who are helping or who are working for us during these sensitive days. By investing in remote team building activities, you can not only model the engagement of teams that work in offices, but actually exceed it. … What’s the point of implementing those employee engagement ideas for remote workers if they’re not working? Employee empowerment and engagement go hand-in-hand. 6 min read. If you can’t be physically in the same space, or your planet happens to be experiencing a pandemic, virtual and. If a company can establish a great working relationship with its employees, the result is more productivity, greater employee retention, and a winning culture where everyone is in lockstep and focused on accomplishing the goals of the business. The Steps To Starting Out Your Remote Team, Virtual & Remote Team Building Activities, The Official Jeopardy!® – Virtual Team Building Game Show, The Original Virtual Museum Scavenger Hunt, How to Manage and Avoid Conflict in the Virtual Workplace, 8 Winter Team Building Activities Your Team Will Love, 10 Workplace Wellness Tips to Maintain Mental & Physical Wellness, 6 Tips for Combating Job Search Decision Fatigue, 5 Employee of the Month & Employee Spotlight Ideas in 2020, How HR Specialists Can Improve Employee Relationship Management, The Guide To The Best Virtual & Online Onboarding. To make things interesting, you can have everyone choose from a list of pre-determined questions to break the ice. Since you’ve probably never had your in-house employees interact with your remote workers, get them all on a video call. And things don’t always go so smoothly when everyone’s working-from-home. They’re also really good at employee recognition. Employees whose contracts will end soon. This feedback could be about anything, including: You can achieve that through online employee engagement surveys or through one-on-one video calls. Login, Don't yet have an account? Aside from providing feedback, the remote team members should get the opportunity to share their concerns and opinions. Like, Police, Nurses, Doctors, Cleaners, Govt officers, etc. However, there’s a work-around – you can dig up some funds to help pay for their home offices. All industries are showing a trend of not wanting to settle and instead choosing to be highly … Ask your team members to brew mean cups of joe (or make any other drink they want). If you’re missing time to relax and chat after work with your co-workers, worry not. Having your team participate in competitive online team building activities not only increases their team spirit, but helps build your virtual company culture. Have everyone post in their communication channel what they received. Work isn’t a game, but you can use gaming psychology to drive employee engagement. Erin Balsa . Stay Informed While the lure of working from home is exciting for many workers, the exuberance of producing from the humble abode can wear off over time. Define what employee engagement means for your company. But employee engagement still saw an upward trend. We’re always looking for win-win opportunities. According to Sarkar , in employee engagement, new dimension included by the organizations is family engagement, to keep employees' kids engaged for a few hours while their parents work from home during COVID‐19 lockdown. Make a fun excursion to the museum with your coworkers from the comfort of your own home. With our cocktail kits, become a mixologist with the virtual company of your coworkers. Highly trained Facilitators create the best team building icebreakers meant to facilitate relationships and bonds within your virtual team. Let’s just start out by saying the struggle is real. Here are a few examples of employee engagement survey questions: In the end, make sure you’re using the right metrics, such as: If you’ve tried everything, maybe try revisiting your remote work policy and look for any potential flaws. Here are some of our favorites (you just need a mobile device to play these): Ask each employee if there’s any specific game that they’d like to play. Foster better teamwork with everyone on-location. Engaging, fun activities for remote employees. Employee Engagement Ideas for … You can also use an employee recognition tool for this purpose. During the holidays, employees have extra demands on their personal time, so maintaining work-life balance gets even more challenging. 3. As we reflect on two months (or more) of mandated virtual work, HR and people teams around the world are looking back on their most successful morale-boosting activities—and searching for new ideas to keep their teams happy, healthy, and engaged. It’s one thing to create an atmosphere of trust and a feeling of camaraderie between employees when they’re all in the same building 40 or so hours a week. From right before you go to sleep and you have to decide what time to set the alarm for to as soon as you wake up and have to decide whether or not you’re going to hit the snooze button. Clarity is crucial for remote workers to be productive. Send them candy or a gift! If you never bothered with the icebreaking or intimate side of onboarding for your remote employees, now is the perfect time to make them feel a part of the team. Hence, online team building can become a real rescue to both the spirit of remote teams and their organizational behaviors. Rules: S park a conversation and complete this Revealing Quiz. Team building activities ... 2. Fun Employee Engagement Activities. Take advantage of this fact and use food to drive virtual events and activities that are sure to engage your team. : the Steps to Starting out your remote team activities, this exercise builds empathy and adds context to remote. To adopt new ways of working the core of everything successful businesses do an end doesn ’ just. Team-Building activities, it might be time to relax and chat after work your! To target the collaboration and communication needed in teams have no choice but to embrace the WFH lifestyle,! Out your remote workforce ), as all our members are working from home to help employees engaged... Line between work and the actions made to address those issues, ask each employee walk... 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