How to keep remote employees engaged?

The Covid-19 pandemic has validated the practice of working remotely.  If remote work was a taboo before 2020, today, employers and employees alike have realized the advantage of remote work, and it is here to stay.  Remote work is productive and flexible, attracts more talent, and helps businesses retain talent. 

Whether an employer implements full-time remote work or a hybrid system between remote and in-office work, it is essential to ensure that employees are engaged wherever they are working.  One solution is to schedule a monthly happy hour at the office where the staff comes together to mingle and interact through team-building games.  

Don't be afraid to get creative!  Encourage the staff to play board games or fun activities.

The monthly happy-hour games will keep remote and in-office staff connected.  Since information at companies gets circulated through coffee, smoke breaks, or chats across desks, remote employees can easily get left out of the loop and feel disconnected.  The monthly happy-hour games will help remote workers catch up on this in-office information and help them feel as though they are a part of the team.  It will also help change how in-office staff views remote work and foster team connections and dialogue.

Additionally, the monthly happy-hour games will help new hires feel more present in the office environment, build meaningful relationships, and get extra support/mentors and tips to do their job well.

Moreover, with an increasing level of burnout, the monthly happy-hour games will help alleviate stress and mental or emotional anxiety and create a healthier work-life balance.

Employers are rewarded with happier and more engaged employees when employees feel appreciated and valued. Perhaps the future of office work will be one in which the time for remote work will be for employees’ focus and productivity;  and the time spent in the office for staff to connect and for in-person bonding through drinks and board games.