Why Employee Happiness Is Key to a Strong Remote Work Culture
Work beyond the office is here to stay, and with it comes a challenge for companies all around the world:
How can you build a great work culture when your employees are spread across different time zones?
When you have more than your onshore staff to think about, ping pong tables and free coffee are not enough to keep employees engaged. Cultivating a strong remote work culture is essential for sustainability, productivity, retention, and success.
Happiness at the forefront of work culture
Put your employees’ happiness at the forefront of your culture-building efforts. Research shows that happy staff are 12% more productive. Not only that but it makes them more likely to stay with the company and more engaged in daily activities.
But fostering happiness remotely requires more than just a regular Zoom happy hour. It involves intentional efforts to build connection, recognition, and a positive work environment despite physical distance.
Guide to a Happy and High-Performing Remote Team
- Promote Mental Health
Limit work communication during work hours, provide a safe environment for feedback, and if possible, allot mental health days for employees who are experiencing personal setbacks. There are no hard and fast rules to this, but the key is practicing empathy.
- Make Communication Human
Don’t just communicate for work. Make regular check-ins with sincerity. Do video calls, celebrate birthdays, and ask about how your remote team is doing. Make them feel seen as more than cogs in the machine.
- Affirm goals and achievements
Knowing that their efforts count towards something contributes to workers’ happiness. Get remote employees excited about their overall goals by sharing weekly wins, metrics, or success stories.
- Invest in Virtual Team Building
Think of ways to connect with your remote team. Try virtual escape rooms, Slack games, online shout-outs, or even virtual lunches. These activities don’t have to be awkward or forced—what matters is that they’re purposeful. When done right, even virtual bonding can feel genuine.
- Recruit with Culture as a Focus
Having a strong remote work culture starts from getting the right hires. Choose candidates that have both the skills and personality to thrive at work. Make sure to stress your company’s values throughout the entire recruitment and onboarding process to ensure smooth integration.
Red Flags That Your Remote Work Culture is Off the Mark
Thinking of whether your remote work culture is as it should be? Be on the lookout for these red flags:
- Poor participation during team calls
- Burnout or high turnover
- Low productivity
- Disinterest in team activities and initiatives
Happy Remote Teams’ ROI
Companies that invest in remote team happiness experience:
- Higher employee retention
- Increased productivity and performance
- Smoother communication and stronger team dynamics
- Easier talent attraction through positive reputation
In other words, happiness pays off.
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Maximize your ROI by building a remote team in the Philippines with Tahche. At Tahche, support does not stop upon hiring. Throughout our partnership, we continue to nurture your team with us with regular employee engagement activities onsite to supplement any of your virtual team buildings and efforts. We not only grow your team, but ensure they enjoy an excellent remote work culture that truly reflects your company.
