How To Unite Employees When They Are Working Apart

It’s fair to say that most people are still working from home due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Major companies like Apple and Google have announced that they don’t foresee employees returning to physical offices before September 2021, and even that might change seeing as the current situation is highly volatile. A recent survey found that companies are quickly realising that remote workers tend to be more productive than in-office workers. For businesses that operate in sectors where remote work is attainable, some companies might be considering making remote work the status quo of their operations, even after the pandemic has come and gone. Employers are, however, faced with the challenge of keeping their employees united while they are working remotely. Doing so is essential, seeing as most companies have divided their staff into teams. Keeping team spirit high will likely play into how motivated one’s workforce is and ultimately translate into the success of the company during these trying times. Although there are many ways this can be done, like by hosting weekly virtual staff meetings or by creating chat rooms on apps like Slack or MS Teams, sending your employees practical branded products is another way of keeping them united. Here are some of the top reasons why we argue this is the case. 1. It shows that employers care and boosts company pride Switching to a remote working environment is challenging, especially when trying to do so in the midst of a global pandemic. Employers can show their employees that they care by sending them thoughtful branded products that they need on a daily basis. This includes hand sanitisers and face masks. Other than that, employers can think along practical lines when deciding which products to send to employees. When working from home, virtual meetings are commonplace. One must-have item all workers should have is a set of earphones to listen to Zoom calls while blocking out the noise of residential life. Other products that employees are bound to use frequently when working from home are mousepads, flash drives, stationery holders and definitely a coffee mug! Giving items like the above to employees symbolises a helping hand and thoughtfulness on the side of the employer. Workers are bound to feel a sense of company pride when they receive these items, which will definitely help to give your team a feeling of togetherness. 2. It gives a sense of normality If your company usually went to the effort of giving employees branded products, don’t let the hurdles of remote work stand in the way of keeping up those traditions. By continuing to send your staff the items they would usually get from the company, you maintain company traditions and add a sense of normality in a time where the world of work has rapidly changed. For instance, if you planned on giving your team desk pads or diaries at the start of the year, you can still easily do this by sending these items to them via courier. 3. Maintains company culture Working from home can have a serious impact on company culture as well as employee engagement. One way to help combat this lack of engagement is to choose some specific products to send your team. All businesses have a specific company culture. Usually, this includes certain inside facts that only a true employee would know. For instance, there might be a catchphrase your team loves saying at the end of a good week, or you might have a bell that your sales team rings when they land a new client. Whatever your company culture might have formed in terms of traditions, be creative and keep them alive. If you plan on sending your team-branded shirts, for example, you can print that sacred slogan on the clothes to keep those company favourites relevant. Creative branded products that speak to employees are bound to keep lead to higher co-worker engagement. Imagine the excitement in the company chat room when parcels start arriving and pictures are shared with one another! Where to order branded gifts for your remote workforce Whether you like it or not, remote work is bound to be the norm for at least the foreseeable future. Companies need to adapt to the new mode of operations. Figuring out how to keep employees motivated, engaged and reminding them that they are still part of the team can be difficult at first. However, thoughtful branded gifts can help to achieve these milestones. Brandability has a large variety of products that employees will find useful. As part of our service offering, we can brand all of these products with your company’s logo, slogan and brand identity to create truly bespoke items. Click here to view our online store.