Ways to Tell If a Remote Worker Is Engaged at Work

When all of your workers are centrally located in one office, it’s easy to see whether they are engaged at work or not. Simply pop into a staffer’s cube or office and see if they’re hard at work or clicking and commenting on social media.

But what happens when your remote workforce is spread out all over the country—or event the globe? Without visual cues, it’s almost impossible to tell if your staff is working or slacking, right?

Fortunately, there are many nonvisual ways employers can ensure that staff are hard at work and also happy with the company (and the job). Here are a few ways to tell if a remote worker is engaged at work.

How to Tell if a Remote Worker Is Engaged at Work

They Communicate Regularly

One of the most important skills a remoter work can possess is the ability to communicate. Without a physical office, having a worker who can come to you with both good (and bad) news is extremely important for the success of your team and the company as a whole.

From asking for clarification on certain projects, giving you an update on their progress, or even just reaching out to say hello, a remote worker who openly communicates is an engaged one.

They Meet Deadlines

A big bonus of flexible work is that employees can customize their work schedules. If they need to shift their hours to attend their child’s soccer game, they’ll catch up and finish that report later.

A remote worker who is happy and engaged will ensure their work is done on time and done well. They’ll review the work before it’s submitted to ensure it’s not sloppy because they take pride in what they produce for the company.

They Are Productive

Not only do engaged employees meet (and beat!) deadlines, they are also productive.

Employees who love what they do are engrossed in the work and consistently meet or beat the productivity targets you set for them. And they don’t just turn in the work—they turn in excellent work.

They Willingly Volunteer

Even if it’s not part of the job description, a remote employee who is engaged at work and invested in the company volunteers their services every now and again.

From pitching in to help a coworker finish a project to wearing a T-shirt with the company’s logo on it, engaged remote workers make an effort to be a part of the team and go above and beyond to show their loyalty to the company and its mission.

They Are Accessible

One of the fears that often holds back employers from full-time, remote work is that staff won’t be accessible. Managers worry they’ll have to hunt down staff to ask questions (and get answers!) and that they’ll have no idea what people are working on, or even when they are working.

Remote workers who are engaged are accessible and responsive. They’ll let you know if they need to switch up the schedule or if they’ve hit a snag with their current project. Engaged employees always respond fairly rapidly via email or IM and are always willing to jump on a quick call for urgent matters.

They Are Curious About the Company

A dedicated worker is not only focused on the tasks assigned to them, but they are also interested in the company as a whole. Someone who is engaged makes an effort to find out what’s going on (professional and personally) with other team members.

Engaged remote workers also learn more about what projects other departments are working on and what direction the company is headed. They believe strongly in the company’s core principles, and this curiosity not only shows a vested interest in the organization but their loyalty as well.

Happiness Shows

When a remote worker is happy with their remote job, it will show in a variety of ways. Being aware of some of these clues can help you assess if your remote worker is engaged at work or not. These tips can even help you create some job interview questions that will help you hire remote workers in the future who will be happy to work for your company!

To learn more about running a remote company, check out our Q and A’s.