Employee Engagement

 

Virtual employees are people who, most or all of the time, work in a remote location away from their supervisor or work group. These include telecommuters, road warriors, geographically dispersed teams, and anyone who isn't located with co-workers. According to Entrepreneur Magazine (August 2007):

• More than 80% of companies define themselves as virtual workplaces
• On average, organizations classify 27% of their employees as virtual
• 17% of employees telecommute regularly

Technology makes a virtual workforce more attainable than ever before. Email, instant messaging, web conferencing and portable communication devices make it easy for people in distant places to connect and collaborate. But technology is only part of the solution.

When you look at the issues and solutions, the key to successfully managing and engaging virtual workers is building TRUST with them, their peers and the organization’s leadership. The components needed to do this include:

• T – Team Make-up and Guidelines – Define the team norms, establish guidelines for operation, such as meeting and communication standards, and have a well-defined onboarding process.
• R – Resources and Policies – Ensure that you define the necessary skill sets and policies for success and then provide the tools, training and processes to support those needs.
• U – User-friendly work environment – Set standards for the type of work environment that will support high performance for virtual workers. Identify the type of equipment, supplies, technology, and ergonomic work set-up that is required.
• S – Strategy for Employee Engagement – Recognize the importance of engaging the virtual workforce so they understand their role in the company’s success and are committed to contributing. Make the extra effort to stay in touch with these people on a personal level just as you would stop by someone’s desk and chat.
• T – Technology and Communication – Technology is important, but it’s not the only way to communicate with virtual workers. Define all of the communication channels available, and don’t forget the importance of phone calls and even written thank-you notes.

Building TRUST with this critical and ever-increasing portion of the workforce is core to establishing a high performing organization.

See you next month.

Chris Gay
Partner, Bridge Consulting
engagement@melcrum.com