3 Ways To Keep Remote Work Culture Fresh

You did everything to establish a productive team before Covid-19 was even a thing. You scheduled weekly update meetings with coffee and donuts. Your door was always open. Then the world shut down, and buzzing workplaces became ghost towns overnight.

Employees excited to ditch the commute for daily zoom calls are now growing weary 15 months later. The novelty of the video meeting has effectively worn off, so how do you keep your employees engaged? This isn't optimal for a sustainable remote work culture. If you're sensing some lethargy in your team, here are three ways to perk up your employees and avoid "zoom fatigue. "

Set a limit to Zoom calls.

Not every meeting with your team needs to be on video. A recent article in CNN Business suggests managers limit zoom meetings to two or three per week to avoid Zoom fatigue. Video calls are draining for most employees, specifically those who lack a separate office space to shut out background noises like kids crying or dogs barking. As a manager, your role is just as important now as it was in the office. Providing your employees with the tools and support they need to conduct their jobs is just as relevant when everyone works remotely. You just don't need to do it over video. 

Avoid tracking your employees.

Early on in the pandemic, the news was full of reports of companies installing spyware to track the number of hours employees spent on their computers. They also monitored sites they visited and whether they were conducting personal business during work hours. This was not only infuriating for the workers but counterintuitive to productivity. Instead, managers who provided employees with a personalized dashboard to track their own results had happier employees with better output.

There is a third option.

As vaccination rates increase and Covid case numbers come under control, the return to work does not have to be a black and white option. Some companies will move to a total return to work when it is safe to do so, and others will allow some combination of a work-from-home and office work hybrid. Remote workspaces outside the home and offices are gaining popularity and offer employees and managers a third option - a professional workspace with reliable technology a short distance from home. It's a quiet, professional space out of the house to work, without the grind of a long commute to the office.