Optimising HR in remote environment: Key strategies from Nerdio's Chief People Officer

Remote work was not a novel concept introduced solely by the COVID-19 pandemic but rather an existing practice that gained widespread adoption during the global health crisis. While remote work was somewhat less common before the pandemic, it became a necessity for businesses of all sizes, compelling them to enable their workforce to operate from anywhere. Even as the pandemic receded, the remote and hybrid work models persisted, offering significant benefits to both employees and employers alike. These models not only enhanced flexibility and work-life balance for employees but also emerged as a pivotal strategy for attracting top talent in a competitive market.

However, managing a remote workforce presents unique challenges for HR professionals. Understanding and addressing the diverse needs of employees dispersed across different locations became more complex. Additionally, executing company-wide plans and strategies seamlessly in a remote or hybrid setup required innovative approaches and robust communication channels. Amid these complexities, optimizing HR operations in a remote environment has become paramount for organizations worldwide.

In an exclusive interview with People Matters, Andy Baker, Chief People Officer at Nerdio, delved into these challenges and shared insights into how organizations can effectively optimize HR operations in a remote setting. 

Baker emphasized the importance of leveraging technology for streamlined communication, maintaining employee well-being, and fostering a cohesive organizational culture despite physical distance. His perspectives underscored the critical role of HR in navigating the evolving landscape of remote work while ensuring continued productivity and employee satisfaction.

Excerpts from the interview: 

What factors do you believe contribute to the decrease in employee engagement, especially in the context of remote work?

Over the past several years, we have found a few important factors that contribute to the decrease in employee engagement in our remote work environment. Some of these factors include:

Lack of connection and collaboration with other employees: Having employees in several different states and countries in a remote work situation can lead to feelings of isolation not having direct face-to-face interactions with peers and managers.  This can diminish a sense of community and belonging within the organization, which are critical for employee engagement.

Communication challenges: Miscommunications and misunderstandings can increase when relying solely on email or instant messaging tools.

Finding balance in your day-to-day life: Work and personal life conflict and pull time from each other.  Remote work can blur the boundaries between work and personal life. Employees can struggle to switch off from work, which can lead to burnout and decreased engagement.

Mental well-being: Remote work can be difficult for employees experiencing stress or anxiety if they are feeling disconnected or isolated.

Lack of recognition and feedback provided to employees: In a remote setting, managers might find it more challenging to provide timely recognition and constructive feedback. This can lead to employees feeling undervalued and disengaged.

Professional growth and skills development: In a remote work environment, it can feel more difficult to find opportunities to grow in your role or progress in your career, which leads to disengagement or deciding to leave the company.

Connecting with your company culture: Maintaining a strong organizational culture can be more difficult when employees are spread out across the globe.  If employees are not connected to the company culture or see a clear line of sight to the company’s mission and values, it will impact employee engagement.

Addressing these factors has been important to our employees and our overall company success.  We work hard and focus to have a supportive remote work culture, to provide clear and effective communication, to create opportunities for social interaction, and to maintain a focus on employee well-being and professional development.

What digital tools or platforms have been particularly effective in creating a supportive and connected work environment for remote employees at Nerdio?

The utilization of technology tools and platforms have proven effective for us in driving employee engagement and connecting our remote workforce. We use the following technologies to address our various needs from communication to file sharing and project management.

1. Communication Tools:

• Microsoft Teams for instant messaging, phone calls, group chats and Team Channels, video meetings, and file storage and sharing.
• Zoom is used as well for video conferencing and webinars.

2. Project Management and Collaboration Tools:   We use Asana and ZenDesk to help teams manage projects and tasks, track progress, and collaborate efficiently.

3. Shared Drive and File Sharing:  We use Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint to provide cloud storage, easy access, and sharing of files for collaborating.

Based on your experience overseeing HR initiatives for a fully remote workforce, what are some best practices for maintaining high levels of employee engagement in remote settings?

We have found success doing the following:

1. Remove barriers to communication and information sharing by driving open, transparent communication and scheduling recurring 1:1’s with employees.

2. Encourage managers to work with employees to define goals and objectives for mutual success.

3. Promote finding your life balance so that work does not overtake your personal life.

4. Find meaningful ways to incentivize and reward your employees.

5. Provide employees with professional development opportunities for growth within the organization. 

6. Listen to your employees’ feedback and take action. 

How do you anticipate digital employee experiences evolving to meet the changing needs of remote employees in the future?

With increasing numbers of employees working remote, the digital employee experience is likely to evolve significantly to enhance and improve engagement and productivity.  We will see continued advancement and increased use of virtual reality tools and AI applications.  These will help to provide a more personalized experience for employees as these VR and AI tools learn work patterns and introduce improved ways to support productivity, learning, and overall well-being.  

Additionally, companies will need to enhance processes aligned to employee onboarding and training for a more interactive and collaborative experience to fully engage employees as to not depart from the in-person experience. The evolution of the digital employee experience will provide for a more supportive and aligned work environment for the diverse needs of remote workers.

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Looking ahead, what strategies or initiatives do you envision implementing to further enhance employee engagement and connectivity within Nerdio's remote workforce?

We see that enhancing employee engagement and connectivity within our remote workforce will require an approach that focuses on several important areas affecting the employee experience.  We are looking closely at the following to support and strengthen our employee engagement.

● Connection and building community are core values within our organization. We regularly encourage employees to meet up in virtual forums and in-person for employees located in the same geographic areas.

● We have created a quarterly and annual employee recognition program where peers nominate other employees when they observe excellent performance and support for our core values.

● We have introduced various training platforms and mentorship opportunities for employees to support career growth and skills development.

● Encourage and support employees to find their life balance by offering flexible work hours and flexible paid time off.

● Revamping our new employee onboarding to provide a comprehensive virtual program with an option to meet in-person with their functional team to ensure new hires feel welcome and a part of a supportive organization.