Remote work is here to stay. The success many businesses found with the remote working format has proven that it isn’t necessary to force people into the office five days of the week. Sure, there are reasons to bring people in, but a smaller and downsized office can handle your entire workforce if you only need them to come in one, two days a week.

Remote working is beneficial to everyone. It gives those struggling with high costs in the city to move to more affordable locations. It provides a renewed life to smaller towns that now have professionals living and working in their hometown, regardless of what local opportunities are nearby.

Remote working is the way forward, but that does mean businesses need to change the way they approach their company culture. Knowing how to engage remote employees is critical, so use this guide to get started:

Intranet or Internal Communications Network

Most businesses will find themselves stumped on how to connect remote employees, but the answer is often as simple as a single intranet solution. When it comes to how to engage remote employees, Simpplr offers a few suggestions. The first being an intranet solution that works to recreate the entire company culture in digital form.

These intranet solutions can be customized to your business. You can have an employee directory, employee profiles, social following, collaboration, photo and video albums, and even host employee blogs. Think of it like a Facebook-type platform specifically for you and your employees. It is perfect for businesses of all sizes, just remember to push your employees to use it in the beginning so that they know and become familiar with all of the features and actively engage with others in your business.

Redefine the Days’ Goals

Remote working is best done through goal setting and completion. By working with a project mindset, instead of just tasks, you can help keep your employees engaged and productive. Giving employees specific purposes that have clear connections with your overall goals can help engage your staff remotely.

Set Milestones and Rewards

Ensuring your employees feel valued is paramount to every business. Thankfully when all work is online and can be tracked, recognizing hard workers has never been easier. Set milestones for employees based on their roles so that their work can be recognized equally across the board, and then reward them.

Rewards should be equal in value to the milestone they reached. A year anniversary could be a free lunch from their favorite take out sent to their door. A big client could be a trip for two to a getaway weekend. Rewarding employees beyond raises and promotions engages them and makes them loyal, and it can be done remotely just as well as they can be done in-office.

Look Online for Team Bonding

Team bonding is always important, but when employees are remote, it can feel difficult. Thankfully there are many ways to bond online. Your intranet system can help with this, but don’t forget to be creative and try new things. You can take the afternoon off to try an online class that everyone can enjoy right at home, for example.

Build a company culture online using tools and creativity, and you’ll redefine what it means to work in the 21st century.