Top employee engagement mistakes most companies still make with remote teams

There are several advantages and disadvantages of working with a remote team. When given the duty of managing a remote team, many executives adopt a management style that is too close to that of an in-person department.

Businesses will continue to hire remote workers in increasing numbers, so managers must learn how to adapt to a changing workplace efficiently.

Running a remote team does require some of the same personality qualities and talents as running a face-to-face team. However, the manager's ability to apply these talents in a new workplace is vastly different.  AgilityPortal is an employee engagement solution that aims to improve company culture & bring the entire digital workplace to life.   Research shows that only 1 in 3 employees feel engaged at work, a somewhat alarming statistic.

Ensuring continued employee engagement is about instilling purpose, open communication, employee recognition, gathering and enacting feedback, and crafting a great employee experience overall.  For now, let's dig deep into the top employee engagement mistakes most companies still make with remote teams.

#1.Not establishing trust-based relationships

Making a haphazard attempt at genuine human connection is a common blunder. A high-functioning team requires trust and connection, which can be tough to create when working in a remote environment with platforms like Slack and Teams. Whether it's a one-on-one encounter or a virtual happy hour, you need to put in extra effort to create those relationships.

#2.Neglecting the value of effective communication

Communication with distant staff is underestimated by many managers. Regular meetings, one-on-one sessions with team members, and unscheduled check-ins must be scheduled to ensure that teams understand priorities, are aligned and are dealing with inevitable challenges quickly in the absence of physical proximity and the additional distractions that come with working from home.

#3.Lack of empathy and grace

​ Before, employees were able to fulfil their social demands outside of the team meetings because of remote management. As a result of the pandemic, social engagement was shifted to the virtual world. Empathy and grace should be demonstrated by leaders through getting to know their staff, allowing for social time, being less formal, and encouraging a deeper level of participation. Continuing to use pre-pandemic management practices could have a negative impact on staff engagement and business outcomes.

#3.Social and emotional well-being has been overlooked ​ 

COVID-19's effect on a distant team's mentality has been profound. We've become prisoners of our own pods since we no longer have the luxury of unstructured time in the same physical location. As a virtual water cooler chat analogy, managers need to create opportunities for their teams to socialize online and for individual team members to check in with each other. Managers often make the mistake of focusing too much on the business and not enough on the social and emotional well-being of their employees.

#4.Lacking a planned approach to culture

​ A common mistake is to overlook how transactional remote work can be. Strategic and tactical measures to ensure that the culture and human connections that foster creativity are not overlooked would be a grave error on the part of management. Isn't it difficult to just call someone on Teams and ask if they are having a cup of coffee so that you may join them and talk about the issue at hand? When you work in an office, this is a common occurrence.

#5.Acquiring and keeping customers' confidence

  The most common mistake managers make when leading remote teams is failing to develop and maintain a sense of trust among their staff members. Organizations will struggle to prosper in an environment where confidence is low, resulting in increased inefficiencies and a lack of new ideas. Because of this, managers must be deliberate and vulnerable in their interactions with individuals and groups, enabling dialogue about decision-making, delegating important responsibilities, and learning from mistakes.

#6.Relationship-building is often overlooked ​ 

Neglecting the creation of company culture and the establishment of strong working relationships can be a major management mistake. There are a lot of transactional engagements to prove accountability and progress when working remotely because there is no direct physical supervision. Developing a culture of trust and self-reliance inside the organization begins with leaders setting aside regular time to meet with their teams.

#6.Assuming that teams are always on the clock ​ 

Managers often make the mistake of assuming that their people work around the clock. While they may be working from home, you must realize that if they do not have a balance between work and play, their output and creativity will suffer.

#7.Micromanaging groups is a bad idea ​ 

  Micromanagers and delegators are the two most common types of managers. Virtual team leadership is more challenging for the former than the latter.  Micromanagement can occur when leaders are insistent upon things getting done their way. Such behavior is often a result of managers not trusting their employees to perform tasks correctly. This approach to management hinders business growth and is harmful to both employees and managers.  The key thing is leadership and the skills that come with it.   Remote management necessitates mastery of delegating and faith in one's employees. Leaders who prefer to micromanage their teams will need to master the art of delegation in order to lead remote teams effectively.

#8.Using email all the time ​ 

Managing projects and deliverables, settling interpersonal disputes, praising employees, and allocating human and time resources are all common blunders made by managers. As a result, managers may demonstrate and reinforce the value of using software and systems to track and share data. Humans use facial expressions, body language, and voice tone to communicate most effectively when using video chat.

#9.Absence of accountability measures ​ 

The failure to develop a good structure of team accountability may be a mistake I see in the future of remote management. The systems in place by management are frequently found to be insufficient. As a result, no single solution is suitable for all businesses. Managers should take into account both the culture and personalities of the company when designing an accountability strategy.

#11.Ignoring the importance of coaching and training ​ 

Many managers resort to coaching and training as a last resort when faced with a challenge. Even in remote teams, this is a squandered opportunity. It is possible to boost corporate performance even in entirely scattered remote teams with the help of executive coaches and training.

#12.Not following set work hours ​ 

  We have learned that one of the most common mistakes organizations make is overworking their staff members. The fact that many supervisors are unfamiliar with remote work may make this seem odd. Workers might easily burn out if the lines between work and leisure time are blurred. To avoid this, managers must establish clear guidelines for how and when employees can be expected to work from home.

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