Although the rate has fallen since Covid, many people still take advantage of remote or hybrid working. How can we motivate our remote workers?

We’ve had time to get used to remote working in the recent years, and a published by the US Federal Reserve shows that this type of working does not harm performance and productivity – a fact that should be reassuring for employers. Indeed, they argue that the key to sustained productivity growth is continuous innovation. And remote working can foster innovation by reducing communication costs and better distributing talent across different locations.

What is challenging for managers, however, is motivating people in the workplace, as it is much easier to keep a team together, motivate and even evaluate them in person. Imagine yourself as the conductor of a digital orchestra, where diverse voices harmonize across screens, creating a melody of collaboration. You have to grow up to the task both in infrastructure and mentally. Fortunately, there are tools and methods to do this.

In this article we give you some examples.

Online meetings with extras

In online meetings, you can talk through the tasks ahead, but you can also assess past performance. Surprise your team from time to time: if the messenger rings with a box of cookies before the meeting, you can liven up a meeting that might be getting exhausting.

Be comfortable at work!

If you as a company manager decide to replace part of your office work with teleworking, you need to provide the necessary conditions – e.g. a laptop, server access, etc. The technological background is an elementary part of getting the job done effectively, but never lose sight of the human element and empathy, which from a leader can be fuel for employees.  In addition, you can surprise your employees with a good quality speaker, a nice room lamp, or similar small things that ensure the comfort of working from home.

Joint programs

There may be workers who feel most productive in a hybrid working environment (as the study cited above also concludes that hybrid working is the most likely to increase innovation in a company). If your team is doing well, surprise them with lunch in a restaurant! It’s a simple but effective way to motivate and acknowledge work, and it has a team-building effect.

Gift cards, season tickets

One of the most obvious ways to reward and encourage someone is to give a gift online: whether it’s a personalised gift card or a pass to their favourite gym, it’s surely hit the mark. If the employee experiences attention and care, it increases their loyalty