Most companies are distributed in some form or another. But we don’t always operate in the most effective ways given how spread out we are. Which means we’re leaving a lot on the table. That’s why, we want to share our top six distributed workforce best practices to make sure you’re getting the most out of your teams, and they’re getting the most out of their jobs.
You might think that everything at your company is operating smoothly. But have you done some digging to uncover barriers or improvements that would help you take your business to the next level?
Odds are, there’s something that could be better.
And the reality is, certain parts of your workforce might feel more positively about how everything is operating than others. It’s important to hone in on which segments of your workforce need more support.
For example, deskbound workers, especially those who come into a traditional office, get the most perks, technology, and support. But what about your frontline employees if you have them? What about the employees who work fully or partly remote? What about your satellite offices?
Once you realize that you have a very diverse employee base, you’ll realize that one strategy doesn’t fit all. The distributed workforce best practices we’ll share in this blog will help you cater your existing strategy to a dispersed population.
Let’s dive in.
By incorporating these best practices into your distributed workforce management strategy, you can create a more engaging and inclusive work environment. Remember that for this advice to work, you have to consider the unique needs of each segment of your workforce.
If you aren’t sure how to do that, we have a great tool called an Empathy Map that you can use. Download your free copy here 👇
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When employees work both remotely and from various on-site locations, personalization plays a crucial role in fostering a sense of ownership, creativity, and connection.
While personalizing physical workspaces is a common practice, it’s equally important to extend this concept to communication channels, problem-solving approaches, and innovation. Let’s explore how encouraging personalization in these areas can unlock the full potential of your distributed team.
Use these approaches to create a supportive ecosystem where remote employees feel empowered to be their authentic selves.
Work-life integration is an approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of work and personal life. Rather than compartmentalizing them into separate entities, work-life integration encourages individuals to find a rhythm that allows them to thrive in both domains simultaneously.
This mindset is valuable because it can increase employee well-being, productivity, and satisfaction, which leads to higher levels of retention for the business. Here’s how you can transition your company into this mindset:
There have been a variety of studies lately that show the power of work friendship. According to the 2021 Wildgoose study, 57% of people say having a best friend at work makes work more enjoyable.
While you might not need a best friend at work, that doesn’t mean that you don’t need positive relationships with colleagues. But remote and even hybrid employees have it a lot harder.
Without as much face-to-face time with their peers, it can be much harder to build meaningful work relationships. That’s why we need to make sure we’re carving out virtual events and activities beyond regular work meetings.
This can include virtual happy hours, online game nights, or themed virtual gatherings. These events promote team bonding, boost morale, and create a sense of community among remote employees.
Some companies start to panic when they don’t have eyes on all their employees during the workday. But with more companies being global, dispersed geographically, and even embracing flexible working arrangements, it’s not possible.
Before you start googling employee monitoring software, perhaps consider that your company’s mindset about measuring performance and output might be what’s broken.
Historically, there has been a huge focus on time spent at work as a measure of success or engagement. But this is inherently flawed, isn’t it? And not a very human approach—energy levels fluctuate day-to-day and forcing employees to focus on keystrokes is a creativity killer.
Instead, shift your focus to a performance-oriented approach. This is less about time and task completion and weighs improvement more heavily than other models of performance evaluation.
So, encourage employees to set clear goals and measure success based on outcomes rather than the number of hours worked. This approach fosters higher productivity, accountability, and creativity.
Retaining talent is getting harder. But you can dramatically improve your retention rate by providing continuous learning and skill sharing opportunities. By encouraging employees to expand their knowledge, acquire new skills, and share their expertise, you can cultivate a culture of growth and innovation. Here are a few activities you can try:
Fostering cross-team collaboration is a crucial best practice for the distributed workforce. By breaking down silos and encouraging collaboration among teams, you can harness the collective knowledge, skills, and perspectives of your workforce.
At theEMPLOYEEapp, we help companies with frontline, deskbound, and hybrid teams communicate more effectively. Bring your dispersed workforce together on one platform, that includes an internal communications app, an employee intranet, and SMS texting.
Book a demo today to learn more!
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