Let’s face it: no one wants to be treated like a second-class citizen when it comes to working for a company. Unfortunately, remote workers can feel as if they didn’t matter in their company, since their employer may not be giving them the same attention and benefits that they would with in-house employees. Think about it: Every time management decides to give its staff benefits that can easily be obtained in the local office, it’s not only sending a small message to remote workers, but also leaving them out on what they should be getting, but can’t since they’re not physically there. Thus, remote staff can believe that they’re underappreciated in their company.
Therefore, it’s important for companies to not just recognize remote workers, but also reward them for their hard work by giving them staff benefits. Rewarding remote workers is a good thing because it paves the way for motivation, guided mentorship, and healthy interactions with them on a regular basis.
In addition, keep in mind that some remote employees may be new to the job, and would need to be taken into consideration. Therefore, be sensitive towards new remote staff, so that they can easily adapt to their role; and don’t forget to keep in touch to them at all times, because they’ll look to management for answers to questions or concerns that they might have. And also don’t forget: make them feel like part of the team!
Why Rewarding Remote Workers Is Important
“It’s important to remember that remote team members are part of the workforce, too,” says Jamie Low, a project manager at Eliteassignmenthelp and Oxessays. “With today’s workforce being different from that of yesteryears – about five or even ten years ago – there has been a surge of people turning to remote work. Plus, many companies are open to hiring people that live outside their state, or even outside the country, either as contractors, or as full-time members, or both.”
Though, it’s easy for online teamwork to be left under the radar at the time. How can companies fix this?
“The best way to not forget about your remote staff is to come up with great benefits for them,” adds Low. “Staff benefits should definitely be extended to remote workers, since they make online contributes to a company.”
Design Employee Benefits For Remote Staff
Rewarding remote workers starts with designing the right benefits for them. So, when thinking of employee benefits, management must make a proactive decision on how it’ll reward its remote team. Though, it’s best to design your rewards for the remote team first. In this way, once everything is said and done, everyone in the workforce, including remote staff, can reap the rewards.
But how to go about rewarding remote workers?
Here are five great ideas on how to give your remote staff the best benefits possible, to thank them for their hard work!
1. Offer Workplace Upgrades
Like in-house workers, remote staff also have to use tools to complete their work and maintain job satisfaction. So, why not treat your hardworking remote workers into new tools and equipment every once in a while?
These can include things such as:
- A computer monitor
- A tablet
- A pair of headphones
- A laptop (or laptop upgrade)
- A desk (standing or sitting)
- A treadmill desk (for those who like exercising while working)
- A new computer chair
The possibilities are endless!
Though, you may want to talk to your remote staff on what you can do to make it more comfortable for them to work at home, and then negotiate from there. In fact, it’s best to give employees an annual technology allowance, instead of trying to choose their workplace upgrade. Sometimes, all employees want is something as simple as a small but helpful device that can help them work (ex. a Bluetooth-enabled computer mouse). Be sure to ask!
2. Allow Learning And Development
When it comes to advancement, most people want to keep developing and expanding their skills. So, why not take advantage of their desire to grow in skill?
Yes, your company can suggest training courses that remote workers can take if they want to take their careers to a whole new level. This is considered another benefit for remote staff since they already strive to do the best work for your company possible.
Nowadays, there are so many online training courses that anybody can take. This would make a great opportunity to announce to your remote team of the online training courses available. You can offer them memberships that allow them to have access to these courses, or you can have a training budget that lets them pick a course of their choosing.
3. Offer Health Benefits
Health insurance allows people to visit a doctor, pay for medications, etc. without having to pay out of pocket. Thus, this type of benefit can be beneficial for all employees, especially those who have families.
However, with remote employees, they may not be able to qualify for such health benefits. So, why not align some of these great benefits with your remote employees? Some health insurance companies may be able to help contractors, especially if they’ve been with a company for quite a while. Plus, you can give remote staff a health budget that they can put towards new running shoes and or attire, a gym membership, yoga classes, etc.
4. Host Team-Building Events
Another great perk is when companies host annual events and or retreats for their employees. So, why not let remote staff join the fun too? In addition, one of the best events to host are team-building events where employees – in-house and remote – can take part in fun teamwork-related activities. Some of these activities include:
- Sporting activities
- Escape games
- Other internal competitions
Or, you can go the classy route and host outings that are extravagant, such as:
- A day trip out of town
- A fancy dinner
- A theater show
- A luncheon where employees can invite spouses/partners to attend
- Christmas parties
Although much of this can be costly for companies, but these events can be worthwhile if everyone is having a great time, and getting to know one another. With people bonding in teams, and motivation running high, your events will mean so much to your remote staff especially; and people will look forward to next year’s event.
4. Give Vacations
“Every once in a while, employees will need a break from their work,” says John Fink, a business writer at Australian reviewer and Ukservicesreviews, “and the same is true for remote staff. So, why not allow your remote staff to have extra vacation days, or encourage them to take a week or two off? Vacations allow your remote staff to recuperate, and they can come back to work refreshed and well-rested.”
Although vacations are often a talking point between friends and coworkers, it’s important for your company to take breaks when necessary. If you see that a remote employee has been working steadily with little to no break, then you can suggest a vacation time for them. Or, if they request certain dates to take a vacation, then listen to them and try to work something out with them, so that both you and the remote employee can benefit from such a request. Also, if your team travels frequently, why not give them a subscription to a travel lounge to make their travel experience a good one?
BONUS TIP: Give Recognition
It’s not surprising that when employees do great work for a company, then they would like their company to recognize their hard work. The same is true for remote workers, since they work from home, but are still putting in the effort to get work done. Therefore, it’s important to make them feel like they’re a part of the team by recognizing and celebrating their efforts in the company.
First, understand how remote workers are going above and beyond for you. It could be putting in extra hours to complete a report online. Or, it could be them contributing great ideas in virtual meetings, or creating well-thought-out presentations for such meetings. These are the types of work that are both the company and remote staff can benefit from – it’s a win-win.
Then, once you learn how your remote staff has contributed to the company in positive ways, you can show your appreciation by doing one (or some) of the following:
- A company-wide email
- Call them via video chat or phone conference, and get to know them more
- Invite them to a special lunch or dinner
The key here is to be creative, and have your appreciation for said employees to be sincere and heartfelt. Just keep in mind: your appreciation doesn’t have to cost a lot of money if you’re unable to do so; you can still show appreciation in other ways. Again, be creative, and be sincere and heartfelt.
Conclusion
As you can see from these five ideas (including the bonus), it’s not that difficult to reward remote team members; and the best part is that you don’t have to sacrifice a whole lot when it comes to compensating all of your employees fairly. All you have to do is keep everyone in mind, including your remote staff.
Kristin Herman writes and edits at Write my Australia and Best Australian writers. She also contributes for online magazines like Simple Grad. As a tech enthusiast, she blogs about the latest trends in technology. And, as a project manager, she has overseen many technical projects nationwide.
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