9 Ways to Create Belonging for Remote Workers

A sense of belonging is a shared feeling that permeates company culture - that every employee is part of one Teams with a shared mission and backed by a strong support system. It's easy to recognize belonging in a workplace: just look for employees who work together and feel valued.

Belonging is at the middle of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. It is the foundation on which self-esteem and meaning rest. Without it, the workplace becomes a job about getting through the day rather than having the chance to contribute ideas.

But Belonging is more than just a feel-good option for employees. It also pays off for companies. When people feel like they belong in their workplace, it means their values ​​and goals are aligned with the company's ethos. And that means they don't just work for their salary, but also for your company's goals.

What belonging looks like in a team - Source: pexels.com

Employees who feel like they belong to their company help the company in many ways: They contribute to a positive company culture by being enthusiastic about their work and the company; they increase employee engagement and reduce turnover; and they increase productivity and sales.

Employees who feel like they belong also work harder and put more time and effort into their work. On the other hand, when people have no sense of belonging, they naturally do what is expected of them - and not much more. There are also fewer incentives to get involved on a personal level. The best companies are made up of people who feel personally connected to the company and even feel somewhat responsible for the company's success.

And a sense of belonging can be especially important for remote workers.

The lack of face-to-face contact can leave many remote workers feeling disconnected from their teams and workspaces - and not just in the literal sense. And the feeling of belonging makes the difference between being a valuable team member or not.

Many employees who work away from the office don't have their supervisors nearby to monitor their morale as closely. They must be truly passionate about the company so that they can maintain their productivity and commitment and make a positive contribution to the company.

That's just one reason why companies with remote workers should take extra measures to create a sense of camaraderie and team spirit. When they do this, their remote workers can engage with their colleagues and in their roles and make a positive contribution to the company.

Now that you know what a sense of belonging can do for your company and how important it is for remote workers to have that sense, here are nine ways to create a sense of belonging for remote workers.

1. Give remote workers plenty of opportunities to get involved

Remote workers can feel disconnected from their teams and - when it comes to meetings - a few steps (or miles) away from the planning process. Therefore, managers should give their team members the opportunity to help shape the agenda of team meetings in advance. By allowing remote workers to contribute to the agenda, you show them that they are important members of your team. This can also reduce employees' discomfort with exchanging ideas in a group and help them overcome communication problems.

You can also encourage collaboration outside of meetings. For example, you can encourage your employees to exchange ideas about projects outside of official meetings. This allows remote employees to communicate more frequently with other team members.

Schedule routine virtual encounters.

Virtual meeting - Source: pexels.com

Schedule weekly meetings with your employees, either via Zoom or phone. A regular group or individual meeting with an employee can really help them feel included and supported at work. The visual component of being in front of the camera can improve the connection, but if that's not possible, a phone call is another alternative. If you have a small team, she also recommends making time for face-to-face meetings. These get-togethers can strengthen belonging by showing that you make enough time for them.

Start team meetings with networking opportunities

To create a sense of belonging among your employees - especially those logging in remotely - it's important to give your team the opportunity to connect whenever they meet, even virtually. Start each meeting with a five- to ten-minute networking opportunity, perhaps using prompts that encourage conversation and connection. These prompts can lead to people with different skills and backgrounds learning from each other and connecting. And for remote workers, this is an ideal way to create or replace the table conversations that are becoming increasingly rare with virtual work.

4. Be transparent about how and why your company makes its decisions

Thoughtful Manager - Source: pexels.com

Big company decisions like hiring a new team member or client - or firing employees - can sometimes have a greater impact on your employees than you realize, especially if they're not in the office with you and following your decision-making process. However, being transparent about why something is happening can also have the opposite effect: it can make employees feel like they are an integral part of the team. So always make your team feel like they understand why you made a decision and that you are available to answer any questions or feedback. And when in doubt, be overly communicative.

Conduct regular “temperature checks” with remote employees

When communicating with remote workers, consider asking them, "How are you feeling?" rather than jumping straight into reporting results. If you take a moment to ask your employees about their emotional health, they will likely feel included. People feel like they belong when they are heard. You don't have to have a solution or answer ready. Just the question gives a team member the opportunity to share, and that opportunity is what makes people feel cared about. Vulnerability also creates connection. Virtual work requires more effort to build a strong working relationship. This is a good way to cultivate them.

Happy team in a call - Source: pexels.com

Recognize the efforts of your remote workforce.

Prioritize recognition from your team. When you see something positive happening, take a moment to send an email to your group and highlight the remote team members who are doing good work. This gives them visibility among others they don't see and can make them feel like they belong. If you want to take it a step further, you can also show your appreciation in other ways, such as sending remote employees gift cards or promotional materials with the company logo, such as a notebook or pens, to physically show them your appreciation show.

7. Be clear about your expectations for remote workers - and practice what you preach

Especially with remote workers, it is important that you clearly formulate your expectations and meet them yourself. And why? If you tell your employees to do something but don't do it yourself, you're making them feel like your beliefs aren't aligned with your behavior, and that can make them feel disconnected from the entire team. For example, if you always tell them to be online at 9 a.m. but you don't respond to emails until 10 a.m., you might be sending them the wrong message. This could lead to resentment within your team in the long term, so make sure that your demands are standards that you can adhere to yourself.

8. Host virtual happy hours to encourage collaboration

Classic Happy Hours (Not Virtual) - Source: pexels.com

Every now and then, offer your team a virtual happy hour on Zoom or another online platform. As a leader You can set the framework, but a good idea is to offer your team snacks and drinks that they can enjoy during their time together. Such a meeting makes it easier to talk about topics other than work and promotes relationship building.

9. Take time to identify things that might impact your employees

Take an intersectional leadership approach by highlighting particularly traumatic public events that affect the marginalized members of your team. Mention the event and then say, "Please let me know how I or HR can support you." If this seems a bit too personal, ignoring traumatic public events is the quickest way to make someone feel invisible.

Empathetic leaders make those around them feel seen. People who feel seen are more likely to feel like they belong. In addition, remote workers often have both their personal and professional lives at the same time, especially when they work from home.