Working from the four walls of home takes a massive toll on the overall well-being of employees. Lack of workplace activities and difficulties in effectively collaborating with team members lead to feelings of stress and loneliness.

Organizations must follow these 4Cs to keep their employees happy and engaged amidst these challenging times –

• Communication – Organized communication is the backbone of an enterprise. Allocating work, checking on the progress, deliberating on projects, collaborating with team members, and much more require continuous communication. Moreover, regular conversations with the team help in recognizing the early signs of anxiety and providing necessary support. Hosting video calls, in addition to emails, is an effective way of staying connected with peers and subordinates. Therefore, leaders need to adopt the right tools and technologies to break through physical barriers as employees work remotely.
• Culture –  A deep-rooted culture is the foundation of every organization. To reinforce its culture and inculcate a sense of “the company sees you,” leaders must take small measures, such as scheduling weekly conference calls to share success stories or organizing recreational activities from time-to-time. Promoting a culture that values inclusion and individuality creates a safe space for employees to voice their concerns. Another effective method to boost an organization’s culture is to set up a network of teams that promote cross-functional collaboration.
• Care – Leaders must display care and a deep interest in improving employee well-being. Initiatives, such as providing upskilling opportunities via online courses, promoting mental health and physical fitness through virtual yoga sessions, talks by motivational speakers, and much more, can help remote workers stay calm, focused, and feel connected.
• Compassion – With employees working from home, the line between personal and professional life is blurring slowly. Employees are juggling new responsibilities and problems, and they need their managers to empathize and provide the necessary support. Organizing virtual family days, granting additional leaves to care for loved ones, etc. can go a long way in ensuring remote employee engagement.

Besides the 4Cs, there are a few other considerations that organizations must focus on to improve engagement in the remote setup –

• Innovation – Innovating is complex. It requires collective brainstorming and management of conflicting thoughts to come up with unique ideas. Achieving this in an office setup is easy; however, innovation within a remote structure requires leaders to invest in powerful collaboration tools and technology.
• Information Accessibility – While working remotely, employees need a one-stop-shop for all information relevant to their role. Sifting through multiple tabs, tools, and siloed applications is challenging and brings down employee interest, productivity, and engagement.