How to Motivate Virtual Employees?

It is important to first define motivation before moving on to methods for inspiring your employees.
Motivation is divided into two parts – extrinsic and intrinsic.

Extrinsic motivation, often known as external motivation, describes outside forces that motivate you to take action. You could, for instance, be driven by external benefits such as:

1. Status:Spot honors, achievements that are made known to the public, etc.
2. Access:Providing senior executives with access (all-access passes and cards )
3. Power:More budgets, direct reporting, and other duties.
4. Stuff:Money or other benefits.

Intrinsic motivation on the other hand is the motivation that originates from the inside. It describes actions that you take because they are in line with your interests, passions, or core beliefs. These include:

1. Autonomy:Give individuals the freedom to accomplish their jobs . In summary, be clear about the what while leaving the “how” up to the individual.
2. Mastery:Demonstrate to others how your work helps you develop your individual talents.
3. Purpose:Help others understand why the task is important. how it affects other people.
   

Think about a worker that lacks much enthusiasm for their job. They’re presumably working more slowly, putting off chores, and using their phones excessively. However, they lack enthusiasm and are largely distracted in their tasks.
This isn’t only a waste of your resources; it may also affect other employees, which could prevent the entire organization from creating work of the greatest caliber or accomplishing crucial goals. A motivated employee, on the other hand, is enthusiastic, focused, and proud of their work. They work swiftly, take initiative, and want to do a good job for both themselves and the business. This is why it is important to motivate employees that work virtually whether your business is flourishing or just getting started. Income and production could follow shortly if it declines.

It’s important to communicate since it fosters teamwork among your personnel. Remote employees may have a sense of isolation from the outside world. Because employees don’t know what goes on within the organization, a lack of communication breeds anxiety and unsettling ideas. To increase staff engagement, discuss responsibilities, and find solutions to issues, you should schedule online meetings often. Even one-on-one meetings with your employees are something you can plan. Don’t forget to inquire about their welfare. To communicate with your employees you can use tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google meet. Effective communication among staff members makes possible strong connections and shared understanding at all levels. As a result, the workplace becomes more positive and employees are more motivated and productive. A survey conducted by owl labs shows that 43% of the employees have reported increased efficiency after effective communication with their supervisor.

According to the research directed by Office-vibe, 4 out of 10 workers are actively disengaged when they get little or no feedback. If you want to maintain the motivation of employees that work virtually, regular feedback is crucial. Make comments regarding the performance, suggestions, and accomplishments of your staff to demonstrate your appreciation for their efforts. Along with encouraging them to take chances and think outside the box, you should compliment your staff members. Encourage staff to promote an endeavor if they come up with a fresh concept or exhibit passion. To encourage proactive staff, you may also implement a bonus system

A team with inadequate resources can’t complete its task in a timely manner. The employee’s workflow is ultimately disrupted by a lack of technological tools. When a worker is remote without communication access to the IT team, communication problems become more serious. In order to perform their jobs efficiently, remote workers require email, a strong internet connection, time tracking software, remote communication software, video conferencing software, project management software, an instant messenger platform, and a method to exchange and download data. This promotes cooperation and communication, two important elements that influence the motivation of employees that work virtually and their success. There are several tools that can also track an employee’s productivity, through which one can optimize their workflow, hence increasing efficiency.

Although crucial, positive reinforcement is insufficient. For your workers to continue to find their jobs fascinating, they need to be challenged frequently. So assign them various types of tasks. Make them work outside of their comfort zone. Encourage the development of your staff members to be their best selves. There is no greater way to boost self-confidence than by effectively overcoming new challenges. Work that is challenging may be a terrific motivator since it keeps individuals interested in and engaged in their jobs. Many people find that working through some degree of difficulty is considerably more enjoyable than being bored with a simple, undemanding job. Challenges will not only increase self-confidence but will also make sure that the motivation of employees that work virtually soars to new heights.

When employees work from home, it might put them under unneeded strain. They gripe that deadlines aren’t met and that their jobs aren’t secure. Depression and mental stress are now problems, and these might lead to choices that could endanger your life. Managing the stress of their remote workforce is crucial for leaders. They feel more confident knowing you are concerned for their welfare. As a result, you and your team will grow to trust one another.
Making employee mental health a priority demonstrates to your staff your concern for them and desire for their wellbeing. Ultimately, a happy employee will surely be a motivated employee. According to study from the University of Warwick, satisfied workers are 12% more productive than dissatisfied ones. Employee happiness also affects how tired they are at work. Stress-free Employees are significantly more productive and take fewer vacation days. The consequence of this is that company revenue is more likely to rise if your employees are more productive.