Since 2020, the world has changed drastically in every way. Schools and government buildings were closed, students began taking online classes, and employees began working from home. Employees are still working from home three years later because the working conditions are satisfactory. In fact, 40% of US workers believe that they are much more productive when working from home. 

There is a lot of flexibility in terms of hours and location with remote work, and employees can often avoid the need for childcare or other forms of support. However, remote working is sometimes difficult because employees might feel isolated from colleagues and peers. That is why working with a remote team necessitates a different approach than managing an in-house team. 

You will have to overcome obstacles such as poor communication, lack of recognition, and scheduling issues, among other things. This means you'll need to put processes in place to ensure your remote team performs optimally. The main goal is to form a team that can successfully collaborate no matter where they are. So, you need to make sure you find effective ways to connect with your employees and improve the communication process. 

This article will discuss four tips for improving remote employee communication that you can use right away.

Implement employee monitoring software 

Monitoring the work of your remote employees will assist you in understanding your current working situation and potential future. If you're wondering how to monitor and track your employees’ work so they don’t feel uncomfortable and controlled, look for the best remote tracking systems and find the one that suits your business the most. 

Implementing this system allows you to track the computer activities of your remote employees in real time, during working hours. It will assist you in discovering when they start their working days, how much time they spend on a specific project, identify the top performers in each department, and finally, identify any bottlenecks. This way you'll be more involved in their projects, and also offer encouragement and step in when needed.

Additionally, you can help in the organization of their projects. You can divide the projects they work on into smaller tasks and assign them to your employees. This way, they will know their obligations, deadlines, and tasks for each day of the week. It will help them increase their productivity and preparedness for any upcoming challenges with their projects. 

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Keep them informed

It is important to keep your remote employees informed about projects, goals, team progress, and company news. Because a lot of information at companies passes through a water cooler talk or chats across desks, remote employees can easily feel disconnected and left out of the loop. To give everyone access to all information, organize a weekly employee meeting and discuss any news regarding the company. 

Additionally, organize a one-on-one meeting with each employee. This way, everyone will have the chance to talk with you and ask questions that they don’t feel comfortable asking in front of everyone else. A conversation about their salary, possible promotion, or the future goals of the company. When remote employees take part in this kind of discussion, they become more confident, associated, and enthusiastic about their job.

Make their well-being your top priority

The physical and emotional well-being of your employees should always be your top priority. Employees value receiving support at work because it will help them improve their productivity. Also, having this kind of support will encourage them to ask for your help with any issue they may have. 

There are many beneficial ways to show that you care for employees' physical and emotional well-being when they work remotely. Gym access or other fitness facilities, healthy food options, and mental health resources are just a few examples of how to keep your employees well and happy. Send birthday gifts to each employee, and make sure you send something they'll enjoy and surprise them.

Organize a virtual coffee chat

Once or twice a month, organize a virtual coffee meet-up where you gather all employees on a video call and simply drink coffee and talk. Remember, no work topics are allowed. To make things more fun, instead of a virtual coffee chat, invite them to a team happy hour talk. This implies a virtual meeting after work where you drink wine or cocktails and discuss interesting situations from your everyday life. 

Final thoughts 

Every business, regardless of industry, relies on clear, effective, and open communication with all employees. The more time you spend learning about your remote employees' work habits and communication preferences, the easier it will be to communicate effectively but also to increase productivity, create an environment of streamlined collaborations, and achieve critical business goals.