An essential part of being an effective manager is motivating your teams. After a difficult quarter or a hard week, nothing is better than recognizing those team members who went above and beyond to ensure the success of your group and the company. When making the switch to working virtually many leaders may find this hard to incorporate into their new remote management styles. In this blog, I will share with you ideas for motivating virtual teams.
Recognizing individual team members and their successes is just as important for virtual teams as it is for groups who meet in a physical office space. I once heard a story of a remote manager who wanted to thank one of his employees who had worked overtime for a week in order to meet stressful corporate deadlines. The manager thought back to previous conversations with this employee and remembered him mentioning his favorite pizza place within the neighborhood. In order to show his appreciation, this manager called up the restaurant and paid for a full dinner to be delivered to the employee and his family. Through acts like these, we can show our gratitude to hard-working employees and motivate our teams to work diligently.
You can further motivate your teams by reminding them that you are invested in their professional growth. For virtual teams, frequently share links to training opportunities or possible promotions that may interest your employees. Showcase the recent affinity groups or opportunities for advancement that your corporation may be involved with. Have one-on-one meetings with team members to discuss their future career goals and put together plans for how to achieve this with the resources of your company. By continuing to support your employees’ professional growth, you highlight your investment in them and their importance to the organization as a whole. This motivational strategy results in higher engagement and output from employees even when working from home.
In addition to this, motivate your employees with virtual team building activities. Many organizations are now hosting coffee meetings or happy hours on certain days of the week. By switching just one meeting to a themed gathering or fun event, you can motivate your employees to tune into professional discussions and engage them with your future messages. These alterations may be just what your team needs in order to make it through a difficult work week.
By being intentional in motivating your employees and finding creative ways to do so, you can encourage your virtual team members to feel connected and motivated.
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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs, and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.