Happy employees are successful employees.

Not only is it good practice to support the employees that keep your business running, but studies have shown that connected, engaged employees are more loyal to their places of work. Considering there are all types of workers, such as part-time, contract, and remote employees, it’s important to figure out methods that keep them all connected and functioning together.

Here are the best ways to keep your employees connected in order to facilitate a strong, successful team.

10. Have team meetings

Schedule monthly, weekly, or daily team meetings in addition to one-on-ones. Dedicated face or phone-time is important to keep communication lines open, make sure everyone is on the same page, and give open praise to individual and team successes. Just be sure that meeting times don’t disrupt the flow of work. No one enjoys excessive meetings that could have been replaced by a simple email.

9. Develop schedules

Be transparent in creating schedules for both in-office and remote workers that set clear expectations for when they should be online and available, in addition to deadlines for upcoming projects. Setting clear expectations from the start lessens the chances of employees feeling uncertain about their role or work at their company.

8. Use a digital file-sharing service

Keep files accessible for all employees by using an online storage service, such as the Cloud. When all team members are able to easily share information or collaborative documents regardless of where they are in the world, this ensures clear communication. There are plenty of digital solutions to meet the needs and budget of any company.

7. Encourage cross-collaboration

Facilitate office connections within teams or across departments, when appropriate. As a boss, it’s your job to step in and make that first introduction on behalf of your employees to help them communicate with other coworkers. A friendly introduction can start professional relationships off on the right foot.

6. Build a community

Use social media or online collaborative tools, such as Slack, to keep employees in the loop with up-to-date information. Business chat software is a great way to send quick messages to all employees, such as office closing reminders, group surveys, and even friendly banter. This is the best way to build a sense of community–when employees feel that the lines of communication are open and supported at all times.

5. Assign mentors

Starting an office mentorship program is especially relevant for new hires or younger employees who may be looking for professional guidance. Also consider the needs of employees from specialized or marginalized backgrounds. Allow interested employees to fill out a brief questionnaire that helps to pair them with those in more senior roles who are excited to provide advice and share their experiences about how to navigate the business, professional culture, or the specificities of their identities in the corporate world.

4. Include Everyone

What better way to make sure that everyone feels included than team bonding activities! It could be as simple as a team lunch or a more coordinated after-work event. For those who work remote, consider a yearly team meet up in a central location. Whatever the event, give everyone a chance to show-up and connect outside of an office setting.

3. Set and Define Short- and Long-Term Goals

Being a great manager means defining the business’s vision in a distilled manner that motivates employees. Engaged employees keep their focus when they feel like they’re contributing to a worthwhile endeavor. Having short- and long-term goals is an effective way to keep your employees connected to the bigger mission on a day-to-day basis. This lets them envision every task as having a greater purpose.

2. Offer Incentives

Give plenty of positive feedback, recognition, and appreciation for your employees’ efforts and successes. Even better, improve engagement with monetary incentives on top of excellent compensation and benefits packages. This might be a stake in the company, an annual bonus if goals are met, or even friendly competition with gift card rewards.

1. Hire Great Employees

The only assured way to keeping your employees connected is by hiring the right people in the first place. It’s crucial during the interview process to find potential employees with suitable skills, experiences, and knowledge to meet the needs of the role. Don’t underestimate the power of office culture. Making sure that your new employees, especially if they work remotely, will fit with leadership, their working arrangements, and job requirements should be the most important hiring goal, regardless of geographic location.

by Catalogs.com Info Guru Samantha Rose