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How Leaders Are Redefining Retention in a Remote Environment

The way we work has irrevocably changed.

Remote work, once a niche perk, is now a mainstream reality.

But with increased flexibility comes a new challenge: how do you keep top talent engaged and loyal when your team is scattered across time zones?

We asked leaders across different industries to let us in on their secrets to managing a remote team, and received some great insights!

In this article, we delve into the strategies that forward-thinking leaders are using to build thriving remote teams and win the war for talent in the new world of work.

Read on!

Kelly Chan
Marketing Manager, Kinore

As the marketing manager at an accounting firm that’s mostly remote, I’ve found that tackling challenges like isolation and disengagement is all about building connections.

One of my favorite moves is scheduling regular virtual check-ins. These aren’t just about going over tasks; I make sure everyone shares a personal win or a funny story. It’s like bringing a little warmth into our screens, and it really helps everyone feel part of the team.

We’ve also started having informal hangouts—think virtual coffee breaks or even game nights. Just the other day, we played a quick trivia game, and it was a blast! It reminded us that we’re not just colleagues but friends too. Plus, I love our “shout-out” channel where we can give props to each other for hard work.

When we brainstorm marketing ideas together, it’s incredible to see everyone’s enthusiasm. By focusing on relationships and open chats, we’ve built a remote culture that feels tight-knit and energized, even from a distance.

Jim Christy
Managing Director, Midwest Cards

At our company, we value flexibility and understand that remote work can pose challenges like isolation and disengagement. Our go-to strategy for overcoming these challenges is fostering a strong sense of community and purpose among our team members.

We ensure regular communication through video calls, not just for work-related meetings but also for casual check-ins. This helps maintain a personal connection.

Additionally, we focus on clear goal-setting and recognize achievements regularly to keep everyone motivated.

The biggest challenge is maintaining that sense of camaraderie, so we invest in virtual team-building activities and encourage feedback to continuously improve our remote work environment.

George Burgess
Serial Entrepreneur, Modern Day Talent

One of the most effective strategies I’ve found is keeping regular, meaningful check-ins.

Since we operate with a fully remote team and hire remote staff for our clients, we’ve learned that daily group check-ins, once or even twice a day, foster a sense of connection and keep everyone engaged.

These sessions help bridge the gap and create a space where the team feels supported and connected, ensuring we stay aligned despite the distance.

Aurelija Gintaliene
COO & Co-founder, Breezit

When we were a fully remote operation, one of the biggest issues we experienced was miscommunication because there were limited in-person interactions. This led to many misunderstandings and a lack of collaboration with other team members.

We overcame this by putting in place daily check-ins and using instant communication tools that allowed us to provide each other with real-time updates about the projects we were working on. As a company helps clients coordinate their events, it is important that all information is correct and relayed on time to prevent issues from occurring.

Another issue that we faced was employees feeling lonely and isolated because of the lack of in-person interaction.

To overcome this issue in particular, we created more virtual social activities like team building sessions or informal catch-ups so that team members can connect with each other and work better with each other.

Jordan Anthony
Registered Dietitian, Ahara

One of our biggest challenges when we switched to remote teams was finding effective ways to evaluate those workers and provide feedback.

What we’ve eventually found works best for them and for us is setting up clear, concrete, specific performance metrics that are based on deliverables rather than intangible factors.

This helps our remote workers to know exactly what’s expected of them and exactly where they stand, even when they can’t be in every meeting.

Joe Bowab
CEO & Founder, Lobster Anywhere

Running a remote or hybrid model of working provides you with an opportunity to emphasize and encourage a healthy work-life balance among your teams, but this isn’t always possible.

It is very easy for the lines between professional and personal time to get blurred. If individuals in your team do not know how to manage their time properly, it can lead to burnout or a lack of productivity.

Team leaders need to promote a healthy work-life balance by encouraging boundaries being set, ensuring employees take breaks and that they log off when not working.

Some of the ways to encourage a work-life balance is through offering flexible hours which makes room for personal commitments and ensuring personal well-being.

Another way to boost employee morale would be through creating a recognition program to highlight achievements by individuals.

Conduct constant performance reviews to work together with employees about their progress which will allow them to feel valued and appreciated.

Brett Bennett
Director of Operations, PURCOR Pest Solutions

I once rehired someone who worked for me previously. This person had worked for me for about a year, but then ended up moving. They didn’t move too far away – just to a new house that made the commute longer than they could justify. Well, once remote work became a solidified way of working for us, that person reached out to me to see if they could have their old job back. Luckily, we actually had an opening at the time! I gladly rehired them. I knew I could trust them to do the job well since they already had, plus the onboarding time was cut down to practically nothing.

Matt Erhard
Managing Partner, Summit Search Group

The challenge: Providing career pathways and growth/advancement opportunities.

A lack of advancement and career development opportunities is one of the most common reasons that job seekers we work with give for leaving a fully remote position. This has been an ongoing challenge for remote workers, and is one that companies often fail to address.

I think it’s tempting to treat remote workers like freelancers or contractors since they work more independently, but the truth is they need to be provided with the same opportunities for promotions, raises, and skill development as in-office workers.

The first solution I’d propose to this is to make sure that managers of remote teams are meeting with their reports regularly one-on-one.

This gives them a chance to talk about the employee’s career aspirations and how they see their future unfolding with your company in an ideal world.

You can also better identify the areas where they have weaknesses, or the skills that they could develop to become even better in their roles. Helping them strengthen in those areas can help them toward their career goals, and they’re more likely to stay on your team if they feel like they’re making forward progress.

Peer mentorship can also be very beneficial for remote workers, especially those who are early in their career.

One option is to use a “workplace buddy” system, where younger workers are paired with more senior colleagues who can give them guidance on ways to further their career, or answer any questions they have about how to position themselves well for potential promotions.

Finally, make sure that you don’t forget about your remote employees when offering things like upskilling, professional development seminars, optional training, or attendance at industry events.

Even if you can’t offer these in a hybrid format, employees who are committed to their career growth will often be willing to travel into the office, or travel to events like conferences, even though they normally work from home.

The bottom line is that you’ll be more likely to hang on to your top remote employees if they get the same opportunities to grow with your organization as someone who works in the office.

Soumya Mahapatra
CEO, Essenvia

One of the things I always try to make clear to my remote employees is that we have no one-size-fits-all policy for working hours or communication style. Our goal is to develop a schedule that works for them and still meets our business goals. By making these things a negotiation instead of an imposition, I can enable my employees to live their lives and work when and how they do so most effectively.

Clarke Duncan
Founder, OutsourcingStaff

In a fully remote team, the biggest challenge we face is combating feelings of isolation and disengagement. To address this, our go-to strategy involves fostering a strong sense of community and regular communication.

Regular Check-Ins: We have frequent one-on-one meetings and team check-ins to ensure everyone feels connected and heard. This helps in maintaining a personal touch even in a virtual environment.

Virtual Social Events: Scheduled virtual events such as game nights, coffee chats, and team-building activities play a crucial role in breaking the monotony and building camaraderie among team members.

Transparent Communication: Keeping the team informed about company goals, challenges, and achievements through regular updates fosters a sense of inclusion and purpose.

Mental Health Support: We provide resources and support for mental health, encouraging employees to take breaks and prioritize their well-being.

Professional Development: Offering opportunities for continuous learning and growth helps in keeping the team motivated and invested in their roles.

By implementing these strategies, we have noticed significant improvements in employee satisfaction and retention. The key is to create an environment where team members feel valued and connected, despite the physical distance.

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing their insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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