5 Ways to Connect With Virtual Staff

The American workforce has undergone a sea change over the past two years in terms of physical work locations. 

A new survey from the Pew Foundation finds that 59% of Americans with jobs that can be done remotely say they still are working from home much or all of the time. Additionally, 60% of workers with jobs that can be done at home say they’d like to continue working from home all or most of the time when the pandemic is over.

It’s not uncommon now to hire, onboard, train and work with a new employee without ever meeting them in person and getting to know them holistically as an individual. Employees might be working from home in the next town or, given the new reality of remote work, they could be seven states and two time zones away.  

According to the study “Supervisor-Subordinate Relationships and Its Effect on Job Satisfaction and Job Performance” by Charles T. Hampton, Jr. of the University of Tennessee, employees with strong relationships with their supervisors are more likely to be pleased with their job and likely to perform better. 

The challenge for supervisors is to foster positive relationships with their direct reports without the benefit of physical proximity that promotes casual interactions like chats in their office or the breakroom. 

Many years ago, I was put in charge of two employees in a branch office on Long Island while I continued to work in North Carolina. Although I was able to fly in and meet them twice, most of our interactions were remote. 

In that time, I developed some practices to foster good personal relationships that I still use with my staff today (albeit with access to better teleconferencing platforms now). Here are five recommendations for connecting with your remote workers.

1. Ask each one how he or she prefers to receive communications.

Each staff member might have different preferences on how they like to receive individual communications from you — email, text, phone call, Slack, etc. Ask them which they prefer, and likewise inform them of how you prefer to receive direct communications from them. This applies to one-on-one communications and not messages directed toward a team or multiple individuals. 

2. Keep a “personal” file for each employee.

This is not meant to replace a personnel file, which is an official HR record of an individual’s employment. I like to keep an unofficial file for each direct report where I jot down personal information about their lives outside the office. Where did they go to school? What are their spouse’s and children’s names? What pets do they have? What are their hobbies and favorite sports teams? 

This can spur casual interactions via email, chat or pre-meeting banter (e.g., “Congrats on your team winning last night”) that remind them you care about them as individuals beyond their role with the company. This doesn’t need to be an actual file; it could be an index card or other easily accessible document.

3. Schedule occasional chats without an agenda.

While many of us are experiencing Zoom fatigue or working through back-to-back-to-back online meetings, it’s worth it to schedule occasional “touching-base” chats by phone or teleconference without any specific agenda. Ask your employee how he or she is doing. Ask how you can help them accomplish their annual goals or professional-development goals. These sessions don’t have to be long or frequent, and they can reinforce good working relationships. 

4. Make them feel valued.

Making employees feel valued builds trust, raises productivity, increases morale and reduces turnover. Does your organization have an employee-recognition program? Reward your staff with points, gift cards, company swag, etc. Ask for their opinions and input. Champion their proposals and suggestions. 

Additionally, compliment your staff on good work and thank them publicly in group meetings and emails seen by management. Pass along any compliments to them you receive as their supervisor. 

5. Acknowledge personal and professional milestones.

This may seem like a no-brainer but is harder to carry out with remote staff. In many office settings, even simple birthday celebrations with cake are now a thing of the past. Send them messages to acknowledge birthdays, work anniversaries and other significant milestones. 

Larger life events like marriages, births of children, professional accreditation and advanced degrees still warrant physical greeting cards in my book, although you may have to mail them to your employee’s home. 

Employees working from home or in remote locations can occasionally feel isolated and disconnected, which can impact their productivity and morale. By proactively engaging with them as distinct and whole individuals and celebrating their accomplishments, supervisors can build and reinforce positive relationships that make them feel valued, recognized and supported.