7 Strategies to Building Engaged Remote Teams for 2022

The way work is done and how work is done has changed significantly in all industries, including Senior Living. Many employees and organizations have shifted their perceptions of working remocalltoy, citing both the challenges and wins of remote work that were accelerated by the pandemic. Per BusinessInsider.com, 41% of remote workers never want to go back to a traditional work schedule. 

Remote work will continue to gain ground and by 2028, it’s expected that about 70% of the workforce will be working remote or at the very least, working a hybrid schedule. 

Here are several more remote work stats:

• 69% of U.S. employees worked remocalltoy at the peak of the pandemic
• 19% of remote workers want to be fully remote after pandemic is no longer a concern
• Industries with the highest number of remote workers are healthcare (15%), technology (10%), and financial services (9%)
• 98% of people would like to work remocalltoy at least some of the time
• The biggest perceived benefit of working remocalltoy is a flexible schedule

With remote work gaining popularity and acceptance, many organizations are discovering that managing and engaging a remote workforce isn’t always easy. So, what can be done about it? 

Here are 7 strategies that will help to engage your remote team:

• Offer the Right Tools & Latest Technology.
  Ensure that your employees feel empowered no matter where they’re located by offering the right tools and resources such as laptops and company cell phones plus use Zoom, RingCentral, GoToMeeting, or Slack to streamline communication between team members, so everyone is on the same page. 

• Show You Care.
  Build meaningful and personal relationships with your remote workers. Get to know them, their hobbies, and families. Respect their boundaries and keep your communications to traditional working hours. Check-in often regarding their workload and make sure they’re not suffering from stress and burnout. 

• Give Recognition.
  Employee recognition is a top driver of employee engagement. Remote workers can sometimes feel forgotten (out of sight, out of mind). During virtual meetings, call out the good work of an employee and reward them with a gift card or be more creative with a perk or incentive.  

• Keep Them in the Loop.
  Update your remote workers daily regarding projects, goals, progress, and company news. Not being part of the water cooler talk, remote employees can get left out of the loop. Share documents using Google Docs or the like for easy access to company goals, project status and updates, new and future projects, etc. Connection and regular communication are key.

• Encourage Social Interaction.
  Use virtual technology to bring the team together socially. Encourage happy hours and team-building activities and games. For remote employees, virtual games are fun and easy ways to keep spirits high, even from a distance. Per CozyMeal.com, some of the best virtual games include Ice Breaker (a get to know you game), Video Charades, Virtual Scavenger Hunt, Truth or Lie, etc. 

• Keep Lines of Communication Open.
  Set the expectations from the start. For example, let them know how often you want them to check in, whether you’d like them to touch base daily or at a weekly briefing. In return, be open to worker’s feedback. Let them know they are heard and that you value their opinions and suggestions.
• Trust Them & Remain Flexible.
  Trust your remote workers to get the job done. Building trust between employees and managers is crucial for employee engagement and satisfaction. Also, be flexible after all, one of the best things about remote work is the flexibility it offers employees. Today’s workers want a work/life balance.

Employers and employees alike know that remote work won’t disappear as we move toward a post-pandemic way of life. It’s become a prevalent and popular work arrangement. Organizations that are open to remote work or hybrid schedules will attract the most and best candidates. 

ABOUT JULIE RUPENSKI

Julie Rupenski is the Founder, President & CEO of MedBest, opening the doors in 2001. Since then, Julie has gained national recognition for providing top talent solutions exclusively for the Senior Living Industry. Her specialties include filling C-Suite, Vice President, Regional, and Property level positions.

Julie has an in-depth knowledge of the Senior Living Industry.  She previously worked in operations for both Senior Housing and Senior Living prior to founding MedBest. Today, Julie makes it her personal and professional mission to place qualified people in health care positions where they have the greatest impact.

Julie earned her degree in Gerontology at the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida and continues to cultivate her career through senior living conferences, forums, trade shows, and expos.

Contact Julie Rupenski at jkrupenski@www.medbest.com / 727-526-1294.

(Julie’s industry articles and interviews have been published in Provider Magazine, Argentum Quarterly, LeadingAge Magazine, Florida Health Care Association, Florida Assisted Living Association, Florida Senior Living Association, LeadingAge Florida, LeadingAge Indiana, Pennsylvania Health Care Association, Oregon Health Care Association, and Virginia Assisted Living Association.)

ABOUT MEDBEST

MedBest is an award-winning national Executive Search Firm exclusive to the Senior Living Industry established in 2001.  We recruit and acquire exceptional senior care talent, permanent and interim executives, for the full continuum of LTC facilities across the US including Assisted Living, Continuing Care Retirement Communities, Independent Living, Memory Care,  Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Home Health Care.

Contact us at 727-526-1294 / info@www.medbest.com.