How to maintain employee engagement for those working remotely

On the evening of 23 March 2020, when then Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation telling us to ‘stay at home’, the workplace environment for UK medical communication agencies changed dramatically overnight.

During lockdown, mandated remote working led to a ‘levelling of the playing field’ in terms of communications in the workplace. There were no more snatched conversations while making a cuppa. We all received the same information, on the same channels, at the same time. We learnt many lessons that we have since pulled through into our post-COVID, hybrid approach to the workplace, with people working at the office, remotely or both. This brings new challenges – in particular, ensuring that everyone has equitable access to communications and resources, regardless of where their workplace is. Here, we explore how as employers and employees, we can help maintain engagement in our everyday, hybrid working lives.

There are two main pillars to bolster employee engagement in the workplace: effective communications, and mental and physical wellness.

We now have more channels to communicate with our colleagues than ever before, from the company intranet, emails and video calls to text messages, which is why effective use of each channel is key. Setting up core guidance on which channel to use, when and with whom can streamline communications and direct the relevant information to the right person without causing information overload for everyone else (as well as when it is appropriate to share a cute cat gif). For those in the office, it is easy to discuss a project and forget that not everyone is there, so remembering to loop in the remote workers on the conversation when back at the desk is important for team alignment.

Video calls are the most valuable tool in the hybrid workplace but getting them right can be a challenge. We have all sat there like screen zombies staring into the abyss, often because we have felt disconnected or distracted. Getting the right cameras and microphones for the different meeting room spaces will ensure that everyone is in shot (even when they do not want to be) and everyone can be heard (even when sitting far away, next to the biscuits). A clear picture, combined with high-quality audio, will engage remote workers making them feel as though they are in the meeting room with you. Equally, a ring light and good headphones will also effectively ‘beam in’ remote workers and provide a balanced experience.

It no longer needs to be the loudest person in the room that has the only voice. Running brainstorms in the hybrid workplace are much easier now with online, interactive workboards, such as Miro and Microsoft Workboard, as individuals can jot down ideas wherever they are based and wherever they sit on a scale of introversion. A cloud-based approach to collaborative working, such as OneDrive or SharePoint, can save time while allowing true co-creation as multiple people can access and update the same document simultaneously.

Technology also has a pivotal role in the set-up of the workplace, wherever it may be – the office or co-working space, corner of the spare bedroom or even in the humble garden shed. Depending on their role, we need to look at what works best – a lightweight laptop for some (for carrying to and from the office), or two large monitors for others (especially for writers and editors who need to review data-heavy documents).

Maintaining mental and physical wellness is vital in all workplace environments. These days, it is easy to hop from one video call to the next. Use ‘walking meetings’ or introduce ‘micro-breaks’ by changing your default settings to start meetings five minutes earlier or finish five minutes later can help avoid ‘screen fatigue’, alongside pit stops to cuddle your pet, go outside for fresh air or a run. Regular, weekly check-ins with employees are crucial and ring-fencing the first five minutes of a team call to chat about non-work-related matters, such as what you did at the weekend, is a simple and effective alternative to a chat in the office kitchen.

As humans, we still enjoy real-life social connections. Bringing the team together can boost morale and productivity, but hybrid workplaces tend to have a wide geographical area. A few social events, organised at an accessible, centrally located place to all employees, will be well attended and make people feel valued.

Hybrid workplaces are the future as they offer a much more inclusive and flexible working environment, in addition to opening the talent pool to larger areas of the country. Maintaining engagement is key in this shifting environment. Indeed, a happy team is a fully engaged team, wherever they are!