{"id":2899,"date":"2020-01-16T15:45:26","date_gmt":"2020-01-16T07:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flydesk.com\/?p=2899"},"modified":"2020-07-29T03:36:25","modified_gmt":"2020-07-28T19:36:25","slug":"how-to-keep-a-distributed-team-engaged-and-motivated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flydesk.com\/fi\/insights\/how-to-keep-a-distributed-team-engaged-and-motivated\/","title":{"rendered":"How to keep a remote team engaged and motivated"},"content":{"rendered":"

Work satisfaction is a crucial element to keeping your remote staff engaged, motivated, and loyal for the long-term. It’s a challenge to ensure that your virtual team feels connected and valued; especially if you are managing an in-house workforce at the same time.<\/p>\n

Tips to help you span the impersonal virtual stratosphere of the Internet:<\/p>\n

1. Communication<\/h2>\n

Always be aware that you are blind to non-verbal nuances unless you are using Facetime, Skype, or a similar tool to communicate with your remote team<\/a>. Not being able to look someone in the eye when communicating can lead to all sorts of interpretations, or misinterpretations, of words appearing on a screen. A slip of the tongue can instantly be corrected when taken the wrong way, but a written sentence sent with the click of a key can create dramas if misinterpreted.<\/p>\n

Keep your remote staff informed weekly of what is happening within the business. Ask for feedback or any questions. Allow this to be on a confidential basis and ensure that you are working on an effective remote communication platform. This will allow them to know that they are a part of a team, albeit a remote workforce; their opinions matter, and they are not just sitting at home alone in a solitary work haze.<\/p>\n

Over-communicate rather than trust that your remote team understands your garbled instructions or expectations. Be clear, concise, and highlight the vital parts from the waffle of correct English. No one of the human race is a mind reader, yet.<\/p>\n

Ask your remote staff to confirm their interpretation of a communication to make sure they understand what you want.<\/p>\n

Keep communication lines open at all times so that a constant flow naturally happens, as it would in an office situation.<\/p>\n

Stay in touch regularly, such as a weekly video update that your remote worker can view at any time when it suits them.<\/p>\n

2. Project Management Tools<\/h2>\n

Use an excellent project management tool, there are plenty on the scene to choose from to suit your purpose (Trello, Basecamp, Asana, TeamWeek…). Think along the lines of online chatting, video and audio calls, time and performance tracking, plus whatever other apps suit your purpose for remote workers to keep in touch or to share screens if needed.<\/p>\n

3. Set Goals and Expectations<\/h2>\n