5 Creative Ways to Increase Employee Engagement for Remote Workers

Engagement Challenges for Leaders of Remote Teams

The rise of virtual workspaces has been incredible since COVID drove everyone out of office settings and into their homes. This historical shift in the work environment has led many companies to ditch or downsize brick-and-mortar offices and opt to keep their teams remote. This has had a host of benefits for employees and companies. Employees save time and money by not commuting to work. They have more opportunities to be available to their families. And some have reported they feel more focused when they are not distracted by normal interruptions of the physical workplace. Organizations have seen benefits in decreasing overhead for office space and using those funds on better technology.

One of the biggest hurdles is the decrease in human connection, which can hinder innovation, collaboration, and employee engagement. In fact, US Berkeley Haas School of Business found that total team collaboration dropped by 25% from pre-pandemic numbers and the flow of information slowed down, siloing teams even more. Forbes also reported that it degrades a sense of belonging, increases disconnection, and accelerates mental health issues. It’s for these reason why leaders within organizations need to consciously focus on how to build employee engagement within the virtual work environment. 

1. Get to Know Your Virtual Employees to Increase Engagement

Maybe it goes without saying, but in order to improve employee engagement, leaders must first know who is working for them. In the physical office environment, this can happen naturally and spontaneously. When people are working in an office, they run into each other, eat lunch together, and have conversations that make it easier to get to know each other. In the virtual environment, these conversations have to be intentional. The spontaneity decreases and meetings are often scheduled, maybe weeks out, making it difficult for a leader to keep a pulse on what is happening for an employee. Therefore, leaders must make time in their schedules on a regular, weekly basis to account for the lost time of being in the workplace with their teams. This is true for both individual and team communication. There must be opportunities for employees and leaders to get to know each other on a personal level. When an employee feels like their leader cares about them as a person, rather than just as a job, their sense of belonging increases, thus increasing their engagement. 

Design Daily and Weekly Virtual Team Engagement Rituals 

Make a habit for the team to check in with each other in the morning by sharing a GIF, song, or emoji of how they are feeling that day. This gives the leader immediate feedback on where each team member is at. This can be especially helpful if someone might be struggling. If someone sends a sad emoji, the leader can reach out to the team member and make sure they are ok and provide support if needed. Employees can do this as well. This builds a sense of caring and empathy that helps the employee know that people care about them and want them to feel better. Daily rituals like this can also help bring levity to the morning! Funny or crazy GIFs can bring smiles to people’s faces, increasing their serotonin levels, and thus their mood and sense of connection to others. These non-work-related habits can help team members feel connected in remote offices. 

Rituals can also be used for intention or goal setting for the day. When people articulate their goals, it helps them stay motivated to completing them to the best of their ability. This can help improve efficiency, support, and accountability. This habit is a great way to keep the group and individuals on track and helps the leader know what their team is working on. If the leader has insight into what the top priorities of their employees are, they can redirect or offer if needed.

2. Use Technology to Build Employee Engagement

With all the hangups about technology, when used intentionally, it can improve engagement by building community. Employees can create interest groups to share ideas, hobbies, and skills. This can help employees identify who they connect with on their team. For instance, someone could create a recipe sharing community or a fitness group or a gaming team. People could also identify where they are geographically so they can meet up with coworkers in person if desired. Another option is to create a skills development community where employees can sign up to teach the team something related to their work or industry. These rich activities can help improve engagement by bringing people together with like interests and be used to improve team skills. 

Another way technology can strengthen employee engagement is by facilitating recognition and celebration. Platforms that allow employees to give shout-outs, share achievements, or highlight small wins create a culture of appreciation that spans locations and time zones. Digital recognition boards, virtual award ceremonies, or even informal “kudos channels” give team members a chance to connect over each other’s successes. This not only reinforces relationships but also promotes a sense of belonging, as employees feel seen and valued, no matter where they are working from.

3. Intentionally Integrate New Employees During the Onboarding Process and Start Engagement Off from the Beginning

Being a new employee is hard enough in an office setting. In a virtual environment, without intentional integration, they can feel left out, undertrained, or disconnected from their team. Onboarding for new employees must have specific and measurable outcomes that are led by the leader and established employees to help the new team member feel welcomed into the fold. This could look like mentorship, introductions, regular 1:1s with the leader, or making sure that the employee has intentional time with their coworkers to get to know them. This could be done with a connection game, ensuring they pick an online community group, or a virtual team lunch that puts the new employee at ease. These are all easy and simple ways to integrate new employees onto the team and get them engaged immediately.

4. Have a Wellness Giving Fund 

The Post, a restaurant in Colorado has a wonderful program for employees to and their families who need help navigating difficult life circumstances. It is a volunteer program where employees can opt to contribute $1 or more to the fund in order to access the funds. It can be used for anything from healthcare needs to car issues to financial concerns. Ryan O., a server at the restaurant says that this fund, “Makes me feel supported, acknowledged, and appreciated by my place of work and it gives me confidence that if something comes up out of my control, I have opportunities to get help from an outside source”. It is a great way to build a caring and giving environment for employees and their families. It declares that employees are more than just workers. They are human beings with financial needs that are sometimes difficult for them to meet, so the community comes together to help one another. 

This sense of community creates loyalty, trust, and engagement. When people feel seen, heard, and acknowledged, they show up for others. It is the law of reciprocity. Giving selflessly creates more of the same in others. Just imagine how many people this has helped over the years and how grateful they are for the opportunity it provided to help them in their lives.

5. Invest in Culture Building Experiences for Better Engagement

Building culture online is entirely possible! It just takes intentionality. Some of the ideas that have been mentioned will help to build greater employee engagement. The key is to create intentional non-work time that is still focused on team building. Spend two hours per month doing something that builds team camaraderie. Games

like an online escape room (Wolf Escape Rooms is a personal favorite!), VIBE Online™, virtual retreats, team lunches, or mental health breaks can be valuable tools to helping teams stay connected, grounded, and engaged in your organization. 

In addition, encourage storytelling and shared experiences to deepen connections. Host short “story circles” where team members can share personal or professional experiences, lessons learned, or even fun anecdotes. Creating spaces for employees to express themselves authentically helps build trust and empathy across the team. When people feel understood and connected on a personal level, even virtually, it reinforces a positive culture and strengthens employee engagement.

Employee Engagement is Entirely Possible for Virtual Teams!

Leaders do not have to feel disconnected or distant from their remote employees, and employees can build relationships with each other, even in the virtual environment. It does take intention, planning, and curiosity to understand the needs of your team. Ask employees for their ideas and implement some of them, surprise them with an act of appreciation, and stay committed to creating and building community with your team to help them stay engaged in the work they do for your organization. 

Now is the time to take action: experiment with new ways to connect, celebrate wins, and foster collaboration. When you invest in building relationships and employee engagement intentionally, your remote team won’t just work together, they’ll thrive together. 

Written by: Kelli Oberndorf