The rise of hybrid working is at its peak one could say, particularly in a post-pandemic world, and with more employees working from home than ever, we’ve got to dig deeper and ensure that every remote employee has what they need to thrive. Ask any remote employee, and they tell you that they feel left out, particularly if there’s a central hub where many people attend. This is why it’s vital that, as businesses, we give remote employees what they want, especially when it comes to growth. So let’s show you exactly what you can do to maximize career progression for remote workers.
Establishing Clear Pathways
The foundation of career progression is all about clear objectives and understanding the potential growth opportunities. We should work with our employees to create personalized roadmaps and identify strengths, weaknesses, and those long-term aspirations. As an organization, we play a crucial role in shaping and helping employees visualize their potential. We’ve invested in them by giving them a role, but it doesn’t stop there; there are many ways to ensure that your employees can identify their aspirations and goals.
Creating a Culture of Continuous Learning and Development
In the rapidly evolving work environment, it’s safe to say that continuous learning is more important than ever, especially as AI is on the increase. We can help employees utilize virtual conferences, webinars, and online courses. A business degree has always been considered a great catch-all qualification, and if you can give your employees the opportunity to achieve a graduate certificate in business administration online alongside their work, you’re going to cultivate a culture that prioritizes skill development. We should encourage employees to take ownership of their professional development by seeking out learning opportunities and setting growth objectives. This is a very proactive approach, which means employees will, in the long run, be more engaged and far more motivated.
Enhancing Visibility and Communication
For remote employees, being seen and heard can be a major challenge, and to overcome this, we should create opportunities for remote workers to showcase their achievements and build strong relationships with colleagues and managers through regular communication channels, cross-departmental activities, and online social hours. We should never feel that an employee has to fit into our way of working. It should be a very flexible environment, particularly if an employee has chosen to work remotely because of their life demands. This is where technology becomes vital through online collaboration tools, and also recognizing that employees who work from home are just as important as those in the office.
When we focus on these key areas, organizations can create an environment that supports and enhances career progression for remote employees. There is almost a stigma attached to remote employees that they don’t work hard enough because they’re not seen to make the same sacrifices as those who commute, but there are many who are far more productive working at home. And if you recognize that increased job satisfaction and productivity is covered, this will result in long-term success for you and the employee.
