5 Tips for Improving Staff Communication with Remote Employees

While only 18% of people work remotely full-time, come 2028, 73% of all workplaces will have remote workers. Working remotely is no longer based on whether you work from home full or part-time. Sometimes, effective employees and successful businesses come from one’s ability to do both. 

Working remotely’s not for everyone. It requires a unique level of adaptability, structure, work ethic, and organization.

If you’re starting a business with a remote team, improving staff communication is top priority. It’s hard enough to communicate well in-person, so remote work calls for a communication upgrade.

Whether your staff’s temporarily or permanently remote, here’s how to bring stellar communication to your business.

Improving Staff Communication

Geography can amplify a sense of chaos. Having employees states or countries away can be an asset to your business with these communication methods.

1. Scheduling Team Meetings

The more team meetings you have, the more cohesive the team. Whether you choose to meet once a day or once a week, consistency creates a structure for remote workers.

Meetings are the perfect time for hosting video conferences. Maximizing face-time makes remote work seem as personal and professional as meeting in person.

2. Having Assignments for Each Employee

All successful bosses delegate. Team meetings are meant for checking in about assignments, as well as mapping out goals. Making employees accountable for their work keeps the team on task, organized, and connected.

3. Set Realistic Expectations

It wouldn’t make sense to expect the same of your remote workers as you do those in-house. Working from home has unique obstacles like family, pets, and distracting environments. As the business owner or boss, you can provide your team with suggestions on how to stay focused.

This might look like:

• Keeping your phone on airplane mode except for calls and meetings
• Having a specific room in the house for work only
• Making a to-do list each day
• Getting dressed in a semi-professional way
• Keeping a consistent schedule

While working remotely might feel freer, that’s only beneficial if work gets done.

4. Have the Right Resources

Keeping everyone on the same page requires the right resources. Remote work often means needing technology. Sharing documents, downloading software, and maximizing check-ins keeps everyone in the loop.

If you have remote workers out in the field, making sure the worksites are equipped keeps teams happy. For example, not having a bathroom trailer for outdoor work is a miscommunication that impacts morale.

Though your employees work for you, making sure they’re cared for reflects strong communication.

5. Learn Employees’ Preferences for Communication

Technology access makes communicating possible on many platforms—and sometimes on many at once. Requesting your team’s communication preferences does the following for your business.

It does the following:

1. Shows you value communication
2. Ensures communicating well
3. Develops a strong, close-knit team
4. Helps you know your employees better

Finding out if your employees prefer phone calls, texts, emails, Facetime, one-on-one or group check-ins is great for improving staff communication.

Communication Makes Community

No matter the size of your business, improving staff communication’s essential. Of all workers, remote workers need creative solutions to stay connected. You can also think about setting up a yearly retreat or conference for your team. With many in-person aspects of these events available virtually, it has made it much easier to get your remote team “together”. For example, https://escapely.com/ offers virtual escape games for teams of any size to break the ice and bond.

Though technology connects people instantly, it doesn’t ensure communicating well. Once you bring communication methods to technology, you’ll have a winning team.

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