Marketing Director
It’s challenging enough to keep your team motivated in-house. Throw a global pandemic into the mix and take away the communal glue of the physical office space and you’re met with a raft of new remote-working problems.
Businesses around the world are asking themselves the same question: how do we keep our remote workers motivated? You could opt for the usual daily zoom catchup. Or you can go a step further and show your workers you really care with these creative tips.
How to keep remote workers motivated
Bring pub quizzes onto Zoom
Zoom has more uses than the odd team meeting. With the rise of recreational video-calling apps booming since the pandemic hit, people are turning to virtual means to keep connected with their friends and family.
Did you have a weekly quiz night at your local pub with your employees? Bring it online! There are plenty of sites with free content to use – all you have to do is call your employees onto a chat and let the night unfold.
As lockdown wears on, it’s important to keep up these practices to keep employees engaged. Without the physical office to bind people together, there’s little time to socialise or engage in water-cooler chat. Make time for your employees to let their hair down and have some fun – and then reap the rewards of a freshly bound team when they ‘arrive’ at work the next day.
Virtual escape rooms
This might sound crazy, and on the surface it is – but bringing a physical experience into the virtual world harbours great results.
Team building and problem-solving are two of the hallmarks of completing escape rooms. They ask teams to consider something unknown and work together to find a solution.
Whilst lockdown is still preventing physical closeness, some escape rooms are pivoting to their newly-virtual counterparts with activities running over Zoom. A leader from the escape room acts on your behalf; you just need to decide what your team wants them to do.
It’s a great way to get employees engaging with one another and working on essential team building and communication in the process.
Host a virtual pizza-party
Nothing brings people together more than food – but that communal environment is hard to achieve when your team is separated by miles of distance.
Bring the party to your employee’s home instead, and then set aside some time for the team to collectively experience something together. Sharing the same food or drink at the same time creates an atmosphere of togetherness, and is something completely separate from anything work-related.
You can even turn your dinner party into a cook-off by sending a pizza making kit to each of your employee’s homes. Businesses have got particularly creative during lockdown and some have taken to offering DIY kits from their produce.
Leverage gamification and recognition platforms
One of the most effective ways to keep remote workers motivated today is by incorporating gamification and real-time recognition into daily workflows. Platforms like Kahoot!, Bonusly and Kudos enable employers to reward employees instantly for their achievements, big or small. Gamified challenges, leaderboards and peer recognition not only create a sense of healthy competition but also foster a culture of appreciation that’s often missing in remote settings.
Studies from Gallup and Achievers 2024 State of Employee Recognition Report show that companies implementing recognition programs experience up to 50% higher employee engagement and a 30% boost in productivity. For remote teams, these platforms become vital tools to maintain motivation and build a strong team culture without physical interaction.
LinkedIn’s Bravo! peer-to-peer recognition program has also demonstrated how real-time acknowledgment can boost retention and performance (Workhuman case study).
Prioritise mental health and flexible work schedules
In today’s remote work environment, prioritising mental health is not just beneficial – it’s essential. Research indicates that 40% of remote workers struggle to disconnect from work, leading to higher burnout rates compared to office employees. In fact, 86% of full-time remote workers report experiencing burnout.
Offering flexible work schedules is a powerful way to support mental health. Remote employees value the ability to balance work with personal responsibilities, and flexibility reduces stress caused by rigid 9-to-5 routines. Tools like asynchronous communication, results-oriented performance metrics, and “core hours” policies allow teams to collaborate effectively without sacrificing individual needs.
Additionally, many companies are investing in mental health resources such as virtual counselling, mindfulness workshops, and wellness apps like Headspace or Calm. Encouraging employees to take regular breaks, set clear boundaries and participate in wellness activities cultivates a healthier remote work culture.
Send a personalised care package
Some enterprising businesses will send out personalised hampers with themed items to your employees on your behalf, e.g. Scottish shortbread and whiskey, or New York-style bagels and coffee.
Choose a theme and then send your employees a hamper. If an employee’s birthday falls during lockdown, throw a themed party at a distance. When people share these experiences they naturally bond. Bonding releases serotonin, a powerful hormone that is responsible for everything from the feeling of happiness to motivation.
With so many brick and mortar companies pivoting to create virtual experiences, online ventures are cropping up almost every day. Make sure you take the time to consider your employee’s wellbeing and their psychological health during the pandemic and keep them motivated and engaged at a distance.
If you are an employer looking for help with your next hiring process, contact us today and we’d love to help.
How to measure what’s working
Keeping remote workers motivated isn’t just about implementing fun ideas, it’s also about knowing what’s actually having an impact. To track remote motivation effectively, you’ll need a thoughtful approach that goes beyond guesswork.
One of the most effective ways to stay in tune with your team is through regular pulse surveys. Tools like 15Five and Officevibe let you check in quickly and consistently, giving employees a safe and structured way to share how they’re really feeling. These short surveys can highlight areas where motivation may be dipping before it turns into a bigger problem.
One-to-one meetings are just as valuable. Even in a remote setup, creating space for individual conversations helps foster trust and allows for more nuanced discussions. You might uncover things in a chat that would never show up in a survey.
It’s also worth encouraging open feedback loops. This means creating a culture where employees feel comfortable sharing what’s working and what isn’t, without fear of judgement. Transparency goes both ways, and when leadership shows they’re listening and acting on feedback, motivation tends to follow.
Finally, be clear about what success looks like. Set tangible KPIs that are directly linked to employee engagement and satisfaction. Whether it’s survey response rates, participation in team activities, or qualitative feedback, having defined markers helps you track progress over time.
By combining structured tools with human connection, you can measure engagement meaningfully and make adjustments that keep your remote team thriving.
With so many brick and mortar companies pivoting to create virtual experiences, online ventures are cropping up almost every day. Make sure you take the time to consider your employee’s wellbeing and their psychological health during the pandemic and keep them motivated and engaged at a distance.
If you are an employer looking for help with your next hiring process, contact us today and we’d love to help.
