You might think that what remote employees worry about most is how to stay motivated while working from home. But really, their issue of biggest concern is how working remotely will impact their careers. In other words, if they’re out of sight, will they also be out of mind for a big promotion or for the opportunity to take on an exciting project?

So if it’s your job to manage remote employees, what can you do to ensure they stay in the loop – and still feel like part of the team?

As a Houston, Texas recruitment firm, we know that it really all comes down to one thing: Communication.

Communication is important no matter where employees work, whether off-site, on-site, or a mix of the two. However, when employees work entirely remotely, good communication becomes more than just important…it becomes vital for success.

To help you communicate effectively with your remote employees, keep these tips in mind:

Talk everyday.

Whether by phone, text, email, or video conference, be sure to have at least one point of contact each day with all of your remote employees. Even if you just check in to ask for a status update, having this regular line of communication ensures your remote employees feel engaged and motivated.

Provide tools for online collaboration.

Just because an employee works off-site doesn’t mean team collaboration has to go out the window. To ensure they can collaborate with peers and managers, offer web-based collaboration tools to keep them as connected and productive as possible.

Offer feedback.

Be sure to communicate positive and constructive feedback on a regular basis, as well. You can do so by having mini-performance evaluations each month (over the phone or via video conference) in which you discuss what things the remote employee needs to improve on, which areas they’ve already improved on, and accomplishments and professional highlights, as well as low lights of the month.

Don’t rely only on email.

Much of communication involves interpreting body language and non-verbal cues. But when you rely solely on email, those messages get lost. So don’t just rely on email to communicate; use the wonders of technology – like video conferencing – along with old-fashioned modes of communication – like actual in-person meetings – to make sure your message is heard loud and clear.

And if you need some help recruiting skilled professionals for your virtual team, let us know. As a top recruitment firm in Houston, Texas, we have the knowledge, experience, and network to connect you with Houston’s top talent! Learn more now.