Eko for Remote Work: Advice from Amity’s HR Leader

The sudden shift to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic has forced organizations to adapt quickly. While many organizations have focused on maintaining productivity and ensuring business continuity, it is equally important to prioritize the resilience and well-being of employees.

At Amity, we believe that building a trusting and united remote team can lead to reduced employee turnover, increased engagement, and overall success. Here are some key lessons and recommendations based on our experience:

Embrace diverse communication styles

With remote teams, it's essential to vary the style of your messages to ensure that key points are effectively communicated and employees remain engaged. Eko offers a range of features that can help you diversify your communication. 

Utilize Eko Banners to share meeting agendas, Cards to align project expectations, and one-way Broadcasts for important organizational announcements. By combining these channels, you can maximize coverage and keep your team informed and connected.

‍

Prioritize work-life balance

Remote work can blur the boundaries between personal and professional time, leading to overworking and potential burnout. It's crucial to encourage employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Respect lunch hours and use Eko's working hours feature to prevent notifications outside of designated times. 

Regularly emphasize the company's commitment to employee well-being to show that it is a top priority. By promoting a culture that values balance, you can help your team avoid the pitfalls of overworking and maintain their resilience in the long run.

Foster open communication and feedback

In a virtual workplace, it can be challenging to ensure that employees feel heard and valued. To overcome this, provide multiple feedback channels that cater to different communication preferences. 

Schedule regular online coffee chats focused solely on feedback, create surveys using Eko Forms to capture detailed insights, and set up polls for quick employee opinions. By offering various avenues for feedback, you demonstrate that employee voices truly count and promote a culture of proactive communication.

Maintain the human touch

The casual conversations and social interactions that occur naturally in a physical office are essential for building interpersonal trust and increasing workplace satisfaction. To replicate this in a remote setting, leverage Eko's chat forums and Discover feed to facilitate small talk and encourage employees to share personal experiences. 

Create "Pantry" topics in office chat groups to allow staff to take quick breaks and engage in non-work-related discussions. By providing virtual spaces for socialization, you can help build a supportive community and maintain the human touch that is crucial for a thriving remote workforce.

Adapt onboarding for remote new hires

Integrating new employees into the company culture can be particularly challenging in a remote setting. To ensure a smooth onboarding process, restructure your content for online learning using Eko Library. Share company OKRs, mission/vision resources, and create fun quizzes to test new-starter knowledge. 

Set up dedicated chat groups for new hires to facilitate a buddy system and help them build connections within the organization. Make sure to introduce new team members through virtual welcome messages in company-wide chat groups to help them feel included from day one.

Lead with empathy and trust

In times of uncertainty, it's more important than ever to lead with empathy and trust. Recognize that each employee may face unique challenges while working remotely, and be understanding of their individual circumstances. 

Trust your team to manage their workload and maintain productivity, even when you can't see them in person. By demonstrating empathy and trust, you create a psychologically safe environment where employees feel supported and motivated to do their best work.

‍

At Amity, we have found that by adjusting our mindset and leveraging Eko's features, we can maintain a strong, people-first culture despite the challenges of remote work. Organizations can foster a resilient and engaged remote workforce that thrives in the face of adversity by prioritizing communication, work-life balance, open feedback, social connection, and effective onboarding. 

Remember, the key to success lies in putting your people first and providing them with the tools and support they need to succeed, no matter where they are working.

Consult with our experts at Amity Solutions for additional information on Eko here