How to Build Employee Engagement in Distributed Teams

It's no secret that distributed teams are becoming more and more common in the world of customer support. With technology making it easier than ever for agents to work from anywhere, it's inevitable that companies will start to embrace virtual contact centers.

While there are many benefits to having a distributed contact center, one of the biggest challenges for managers of remote agents is building employee engagement. In this post, we'll offer tips for contact center managers who want to improve remote employee engagement, and suggest ways companies can build morale when their employees are working remotely.

How Managers Can Build Remote Employee Engagement

When you manage a distributed team, it's important to keep in mind that there are some key differences from managing a traditional, in-office team. Here are some tips for managing remote employees:

• Make sure your distributed team has a clear understanding of the company's (and your specific team's) goals and objectives. Without this foundation, it will be difficult to build engagement. Employees need to feel like their work is contributing toward a shared goal.
  
  
• Keep lines of communication open and encourage regular check-ins, whether that's through video conferencing, chat platforms, or even just a quick phone call.
  
  
• Help your team members feel like they're part of a community by creating opportunities for social interaction. This can be as simple as hosting regular virtual happy hours or starting an online book club.
  
  
• Encourage your team to take advantage of opportunities for professional development, such as online courses or webinars, and if possible, schedule regular in-person meetups so team members can get to know each other better and form real-life bonds.
  
  
• Encourage employees to take time off when they need it, and practice self-care to prevent burnout.

Ways to Measure Employee Engagement on Distributed Teams

It can be difficult to gauge employee engagement when everyone is working remotely. Here are some signs that your remote agents are checked out:

1. There's a decrease in productivity or quality of work
2. Agents are missing deadlines or not meeting quotas
3. Agents taking more sick days or calling out last minute
4. Employee morale is low and you're receiving more complaints than usual

If you notice any of these signs, it's important to take action quickly.

How to Help a Disengaged Remote Agent

If you have an employee who seems disengaged, there are a few things you can do to try to help them get back on track:

First, talk to them and see if there's anything going on in their personal life that might be affecting their work. If they're dealing with a difficult situation, see if there's anything you can do to help them.

Next, see if there's anything about their work that they're unhappy with. Maybe they're feeling unchallenged or like their skills are being underutilized. This is a good opportunity to have a discussion about their career goals and see how you can help them achieve those.

Finally, if all else fails, you may need to consider whether or not they're a good fit for the company. It's possible that they're just not cut out for a distributed work environment and would be happier (and more productive) working in a traditional contact center.

More Tips for Managing Remote Agents

Looking for more advice for effectively managing a virtual call center? Check out these articles and downloadable guides: 

• How to Manage Remote Agents
• How to Train Remote Agents
• Security Checklist for Remote Agents
• How to Give Feedback to Remote Agents