Most employers now have a year of experience with remote staff under their belt, in one capacity or another. And while the benefits have been many, employees with flexible schedules and higher productivity, greater retention rates and lower overhead costs, there are also a few drawbacks. Notably, inclusion. An important element to the workplace is inclusivity, and maintaining it is crucial in a company culture for supporting objectives and meeting overall goals.

Relationship-building in a remote environment is tough to do but it is possible! Here’s a short list of our favorite strategies.
 

Maintaining an inclusive culture

1. Meet regularly, for fun! While we don’t want to contribute to Zoom fatigue, short monthly or quarterly team meetings that focus on a fun activity or celebration can really do wonders in connecting staff and making them feel their efforts are contributing to success and are appreciated. So use virtual meetings as a way to acknowledge and have a few laughs! There are many virtual game ideas on the internet, a quick search will reveal more than you need for an entire year, and most cost little to nothing.
2. Setup a mentorship program and/or provide training. We’re big fans of employers taking on the task in furthering the development of employee’s careers. Aligning professional goals with those of the company results in a big payoff all around.

1. Connect them with one another. Promote the importance of staying connected by making it easy for staff. Simple tech tools such as chat platforms can make it easier for workers to collaborate.
2. Be available yourself. No one wants to feel marooned from the rest of the team and when the boss is inaccessible it can really do damage to morale. Answer inquiries promptly and follow-through with tasks!
3. Request feedback! We talk about this a lot across many subjects in HR and building business in general. It’s incredibly important to REGULARLY check in with your team on their opinions and for their ideas in doing things differently. A collaborative environment builds a positive company culture that’ll prove hard to disrupt. Exactly what you want!

 
If employers approach inclusion with intention they’re more likely to actualize successful goal attainment AND better able to ride out bumps in the business (hello, pandemic). An experienced HR team can help make this process easier, so be sure to involve them in the planning stages. If you’re in need of a such a team, we invite you to reach out to us and learn how Eos HR can help. We work with small businesses to make the necessary adjustments to ensure an inclusive and productive company culture. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more.
 

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