How regular contact can combat remote worker isolation

The modern workforce has expanded beyond traditional foundations. It’s no longer confined to one building; workers can be found anywhere and everywhere, including their own homes or on the road working with clients. 

It can be hard to look after such a far-reaching workforce. Remote workers may not have a dedicated human resources department on-site, while people working from home or driving to see clients can find it tough to just check in with HR. 

But they are the people you need to invest in and look after, no matter how often you physically see them. Now, more than ever, it’s important to have an accessible HR department for remote workers and this is how you can achieve it.

Be informative and responsive

Employees with limited exposure to the main office can feel disconnected. Remote workers could feel like they’re missing out on key updates if they’re the last to know, or even ignored if response times are high.

It’s critical – just as it is for any employee – to keep your remote workers informed. Ensure they are receiving all company updates and check they’re in the relevant staff chats and mailing lists. 

Meanwhile, make sure you are responsive. It could be easy to prioritise workers you see on a regular basis over those you don’t, but their needs are just as important. A brief reaction time can be the difference between a good day and a bad day for remote workers looking for support.

Support them with technology

There’s plenty of technology available to keep your workers connected, but support is always necessary. There are a few routes to take when it comes to tools and technology, too.

• If you have the means to supply staff with their own equipment, ensure they know how to use it before working remotely. Training and experience is essential.
• Connect your staff with the IT department, or relevant tech expert, so they have someone to contact easily if anything goes wrong.
• Offer or encourage training courses to boost digital literacy skills. All workers should feel confident using emails or video call technology.
• Recognise when and where there could be internet connection issues. If their job relies on a level of connectivity you don’t want them to be without support if there’s no Wi-Fi.

Have an accessible HR portal

Human resources doesn’t have to be purely physical; your presence can exist online or over the phone. But sometimes additional resources are needed and that can be hard to deliver in remote or regional locations, or even when life just gets busy. That’s why remote workers can benefit from an accessible online HR portal. 

You can utilise third-party HR software – this may already be a feature you have now – or you could provide an internal portal or set of resources that’s ready to go. This should include clear guidance on accessing the Employee Assistance Program, plus quick links to other helpful resources, such as at-home mental health support tools like This Way Up. 

In addition, you could even include information regarding local businesses like a mechanic. The mechanic could be handy for home care workers who would otherwise be stressed out in dealing with a breakdown on their own, which is just one way to show you go the extra mile for workers. 

Encourage and facilitate participation

Workers who are regularly out of the office are likely to skip work catch-ups. This might not be because they feel isolated, they might just be the type to avoid work events, but you should always encourage their participation.

While it should be up to a manager or team leader to reach out, HR following up with staff who tend to miss events is always beneficial. A fresh approach means they might be more willing to say yes to a friendly face, or at the very least, they know the business cares. 

Similarly, if you notice certain employees continue to miss events, investigate whether more needs to be done to support remote worker participation. Are events being held too far away, is the timing inconvenient, etc.

This could often be the case, so even a smaller catch-up specifically designed for remote workers could be the answer. But that means someone needs to ask how they can help, rather than just accepting no, and that’s a great time for HR to step in.