Strategies for Employee Engagement Online

Is your leadership's management philosophy stuck in the 1960s? Let's redefine it: Leadership by Being Engaged. The concept of "management by walking around" came from Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard (HP founders) in the 1960s, popularized by Tom Peters in 1982, and gets used today to describe what's missing in #remote work. "The expected benefit: by random sampling of events or employee discussions, managers are more likely to facilitate improvements to the morale, sense of purpose, productivity and and quality... compared to remaining in a specific office area, or the delivery of status reports." The literal concept doesn't work if your managers have people who are working in multiple locations, now the majority case. 60 to 80% of all "enterprise" company managers now have #distributed teams. 100% of Fortune 500 Execs have teams that are #distributed today, according to Atlassian (kudos Molly Sands, PhD). #RTO mandates rooted in this philosophy are trying to return to a world that no longer exists. Leaders need a both/and approach. Get employees together to jump-start #belonging, and build better #culture and #performance by being involved in the digital #collaboration tools that your teams use every day. Let's redefine a philosophy rooted in co-location into one for the #digital age. Four starting points for leaders looking to get digitally engaged: 🔸 Increase transparency. Internal transparency around clear goals and realistic progress against them drives focus on outcomes, and builds trust. 🔸 Get engaged in the work. Execs need to stop saying "Teams/Slack etc are for the kids; you'll find me in email" and get into the tools people use every day to work through account issues, project updates, and problem solving. 🔸 Participate in digital communities. Social forums at work build belonging. That cuts across everything from an Abilities ERG to Sneakerheads. Finding community at work boosts retention; even leaders need to find that. 🔸 Get a reverse mentor. Being available and engaged digitally can feel foreign as a leader, and initially scary to a team. Find a digital native in your organization who can coach you! What's your take? Retire the phrase, or revive an important concept?

Last year, we rolled out an experimental company perk: Ethena employees can expense up to $100/month towards bonding activities with each other. Why? Because even though a good chunk of the workforce has gone remote, employees still crave a sense of community. And as many of us in the HR/People space have had to learn the hard way: *More* virtual happy hours and pizza parties isn't going to cut it. So what's a People professional to do? Explore new and experimental ways to provide the sense of community employees want — while keeping things sustainable for both the People team and the company budget, of course. So how did our little experiment shake out? - The response was instantaneous. All across the company, our location-based Slack channels started pinging with employees eager to organize get-togethers: Dinner, rock climbing, trips to the nail salon for a fun mani-pedi. We've even opened the perk up to virtual bonding activities, i.e. a virtual cooking class with a personal chef. - Our employees are leveraging this perk in exactly the ways we hoped they would. So far, employees all across the US and Canada have met up to: Watch a Broadway play, go out for tapas, spend a day canoeing — and more! - The sense of camaraderie and inspiration around this perk has been incredible to watch. People are sharing pictures of their meetups on Slack, getting others excited about arranging get-togethers for their own local groups, and showing us as a company the many, varied ways of building team culture and employee satisfaction. And before you ask: No, we're not overly prescriptive about it. If the money is going towards hanging out with someone (or several someones) at the company, we tell our employees to go ahead and expense it. Although this is just one of many efforts we've continued to make towards fostering a sense of community at work, it's one that has stood out for the flexibility it allows employees to connect in the ways that work best for them without requiring an incredible lift from the People team. What are your favorite ways of building community at work?

😮 5% of people are responsible for 35% of the valuable collaboration in your organization.   One of the highlights of my time at the Tulsa Remote Plugged In Conference was meeting Rebecca Hinds, PhD, Head of Asana's Work Innovation Lab. Onstage she gave a presentation jam-packed with great insights about what it takes for effective team collaboration. Offstage we got to share stories about how what her research shows is what I see on a daily basis as we work with cross-functional distributed and hybrid teams. And how teaching teams to create their team charters / team working agreements to codify goals, roles, and ways of working leads to more effective collaboration and more teammate connection. Key takeaways from her presentation, "5 Research-Backed Strategies to Drive Better Collaboration": 1. Collaboration equity 52% of employees say their teams rely on a few high performers to get work done. When Asana provided a dashboard to show how collaboration was distributed across the team, 93% made meaningful changes when it was visible who needed to step back and others needed to step up 2. Cross-functional collaboration The most innovative firms have 30-50% of their ties established cross-functionally. Example: for tech companies the top predictor of innovation is strength of collaboration between marketing and engineering 3. Collaboration across physical space Asana research shows that the current behavior is for people to do more cross functional collaboration on in-office workdays than on remote workdays. [My 2 cents → this is why building what I call "Omni-modal" leadership skills is so critical, so that people are equally skilled at collaborating in a remote or hybrid setting as they are in an in-person setting. Especially since many people need to switch between these modes even within the same day. ] 4. Collaboration across work The connection between tasks and goals is a massive driver of employee engagement. Only 55% of workers in remote and hybrid orgs are clear on how their work helps their company reach its goal. For every 10 pieces of work related to goals there is + 7% increase in engagement. For every 100 pieces there is a +101% increase in engagement. 5. Collaboration with AI Treat it like a teammate, not just a tool. When used daily, 89% of people say they get productivity gains. But AI needs cross-functional context to enable the best collaboration. P.S. a big thanks to Justin Harlan and Betsy Slagle for pulling together a well-crafted event with a great line-up of speakers! #tulsaremote #virtualleadership #hybridteams

If your feedback isn't changing behavior, you're not giving feedback—you're just complaining. After 25 years of coaching leaders through difficult conversations, I've learned that most feedback fails because it focuses on making the giver feel better rather than making the receiver better. Why most feedback doesn't work: ↳ It's delivered months after the fact ↳ It attacks personality instead of addressing behavior ↳ It assumes the person knows what to do differently ↳ It's given when emotions are high ↳ It lacks specific examples or clear direction The feedback framework that actually changes behavior: TIMING: Soon, not eventually. Give feedback within 48 hours when possible Don't save it all for annual reviews. Address issues while they're still relevant. INTENT: Lead with purpose and use statements like - "I'm sharing this because I want to see you succeed" or "This feedback comes from a place of support." Make your positive intent explicit. STRUCTURE: Use the SBI Model. ↳Situation: When and where it happened ↳Behavior: What you observed (facts, not interpretations) ↳Impact: The effect on results, relationships, or culture COLLABORATION: Solve together by using statements such as - ↳"What's your perspective on this?" ↳"What would help you succeed in this area?" ↳"How can I better support you moving forward?" Great feedback is a gift that keeps giving. When people trust your feedback, they seek it out. When they implement it successfully, they become advocates for your leadership. Your feedback skills significantly impact your leadership effectiveness. Coaching can help; let's chat. | Joshua Miller What's the best feedback tip/advice, and what made it effective? #executivecoaching #communication #leadership #performance

Too often, work goes unnoticed. But people want to be seen. A recent statistic had me thinking: 37% of employees claim that increased personal recognition would significantly enhance their work output. This insight comes from an O.C. Tanner survey, which leveraged 1.7 million responses from employees across various industries and company sizes. Beyond just feeling nice, recognition emerges as the most impactful driver of motivation. It makes real-time feedback, personal appreciation, and meaningful rewards not just nice-to-haves — they're must-haves to fuel performance. Here are concrete ways you can supercharge your recognition efforts to resonate deeply with your team: (1) Spotlight Specifics: Highlight specific achievements. Hilton’s Recognition Calendar equips managers with daily actionable ideas that turn recognizing real accomplishments into a routine practice. (2) Quick Kudos: Swift praise is so important. Timeliness in recognition makes it feel authentic and maintains high motivation levels. (3) Tailored Cheers: Personalize your appreciation. Crowe's "Recognize Alert" system enhances recognition by transforming client praises into celebratory moments, encouraging recipients to pay it forward. (4) Genuine Thank-Yous: Don't underestimate the power of small gestures. Regular acknowledgments, whether through handwritten notes or intranet shout-outs, create a culture where appreciation is commonplace. You do it, others will do it too. (5) Big Picture Praises: Connect individual achievements to the company’s larger mission. Texas Health Resources celebrates personal milestones with personalized yearbooks that link each person’s contributions to the organization’s goals. Using these practices genuinely and consistently can make every team member feel truly valued and more connected to the collective mission. Each act of recognition builds a stronger, more engaged team, poised to meet challenges and drive success. #Recognition #Appreciation #FeelingValued #Workplace #Culture #Innovation #HumanResources #Leadership Source: https://lnkd.in/e8jUtHZH

Please stop with the BORING zoom meetings! For anyone who hosts virtual meetings, please add one little thing. At the beginning of a meeting with a group of 4 or more, ask an icebreaker question in the chat to get the good vibes going. This can replace small talk and can serve as a knife to cut any tension. Use this if you usually have meeting participants slowly trickle in for the first few minutes, or if you're waiting for one particular attendee. Icebreaker questions in the meeting chat can be especially useful to get creative juices flowing and get people feeling comfortable speaking up if you're hosting a brainstorming session. Here are a few questions you can steal: --> If you could time travel, would you prefer to go forward or backward? --> What's a great book you've read recently? --> What city would you love to travel to next? --> What would be your strategy in a zombie apocalypse? --> What was the first concert you saw live? --> Which famous person would you invite to dinner? --> Favorite quote? --> Favorite food to eat? Asking icebreaker questions like these is exactly what Ryan K. and I did in my podcast this week. I really like his management style and I took a page out of his book and brought some fun into my workday :) Life is short. Office life can be dry. Introduce some fun. Let's give it a shot. Find a question in the comments below that makes you smile and leave a reply (or comment your own question that people can answer!)

🧠 Is Your Workplace Designed for Everyone—Or Just the Majority? 👀 Imagine this: A brilliant new hire is ready to contribute—but the tools, meetings, and environment weren’t built with their needs in mind. They’re not underperforming. They’re under-accommodated. ➡️ And this is exactly where universal design comes in. 💡Universal design is not about making special exceptions. It’s about building inclusion into the very foundation of your workplace. When we design with everyone in mind from the start, regardless of ability, background, or communication style, we don’t just accommodate; we empower. This approach transforms workplaces from reactive to proactive, from surface-level compliance to deep systemic inclusion. And here’s the truth many leaders are realizing: 👉 👉 True inclusion isn’t about making room—it’s about designing a workplace where no one is ever left out to begin with. 🛠️ Below are 5 ways to start embedding universal design into your organization: ✅ Audit accessibility – Regularly evaluate your digital tools, websites, and physical workspaces. ✅ Invest in inclusive technology – Use platforms that work seamlessly with screen readers, voice input, and other assistive tools. ✅ Diversify communication – Incorporate alt-text, audio descriptions, and transcripts; avoid relying solely on visuals. ✅ Train your teams – Equip staff and leaders with practical tools and mindsets that promote inclusion. ✅ Institutionalize it – Update hiring practices, performance reviews, and promotion paths to reflect inclusive values. 🧠 These changes don’t just benefit one group—they improve the experience for everyone—and that is the brilliance of universal design. 🏆 The Payoff: Equity that drives engagement and innovation. Organizations that embrace universal design consistently see: ✔️ Higher employee satisfaction ✔️ Better team collaboration ✔️ Greater innovation (because diverse perspectives are heard and valued) ✔️ Lower turnover and higher retention 🔥 The hidden cost of exclusion isn’t just about morale—it’s about missed potential, lost innovation, and the quiet departure of voices we never truly heard. When systems, tools, and environments aren’t built with inclusion in mind, we don’t just create inconvenience—we create barriers. And those barriers silently push away the very talent we say we want to attract and retain. Universal design flips that script. It ensures that everyone, not just the majority, can participate, contribute, and thrive from day one. 🎓 Ready to Take Action? Start With Our Signature Workshop “Working with Diverse Physical and Mental Ability.” 📩 Message me to learn how we can bring this powerful session to your team. #UniversalDesign #InclusiveWorkplaces #ChampionDiverseVoices #Neurodiversity #BelongingByDesign #AccessibilityMatters

Let’s get real; those chats around the water cooler were never that great. There’s a reason why this photo looks like a generic stock photo—this situation is fictionalized. While people may have shared casual stories about the weather or the latest movies around the water cooler, deep relationships were never built there. Remote and hybrid work is criticized for a perceived inability to build culture. If people aren’t talking about their weekends in the break room, the thinking goes, how can we build a cohesive team? In reality, those surface-level conversations don’t do much to build a strong culture, and they certainly aren’t more important because they happen in person. In fact, Gallup research shows only 20% of fully in-office employees feel connected to their company’s culture, slightly below the rate of hybrid employees. What people need more than serendipitous chit-chat is focused, intentional moments of connection - and you don’t need an office building for those. Instead, managers can adopt a few strategies to create connections in hybrid/remote (or in-person) settings that build cohesiveness, decrease feelings of isolation, and boost morale. Good examples are outlined in @Rising Team’s new Guide to Maximizing Hybrid Work Success, including strategies like: 🛠️Dedicate time to build understanding:  Activities that foster authentic understanding are essential for maintaining connection in hybrid environments. While happy hours may be fun, learning about people’s workplace preferences, like how they like to be appreciated and how they prefer to receive feedback, go a lot further towards building strong relationships. 🔗Create micro-connections:  Quick, intentional check-ins about work and life can do much more than casual conversations. Try asking, “How do you like to be supported on a hard day?” or “What is something you’re proud of outside of work?” instead of small talk about weekend plans. Questions like these enhance trust and understanding. 👥Maximize in-person time:  When your team does meet in person, focus on activities that the research shows benefit from face-to-face interaction, like brainstorming or collaborative projects. These in-person moments should strengthen virtual connections and keep the team aligned on shared goals. Find the full list of examples by downloading our free Guide: https://lnkd.in/g9ditxXA Building a strong team culture isn’t about casual in-office encounters—it’s about fostering intentional connections that have real impact. Whether through meaningful check-ins or focused team activities, managers have the tools to create a cohesive, engaged team in any environment. Hybrid and remote work aren’t obstacles to culture-building—they’re opportunities to redefine it. #HybridWork #RemoteLeadership  — This is the final post in my series on maximizing success in remote work. Check out my LinkedIn channel for past posts on best practices for leading hybrid/remote teams.

Remote work challenge: How do you build a connected culture when teams are miles apart? At Bunny Studio we’ve discovered that intentional connection is the foundation of our remote culture. This means consistently reinforcing our values while creating spaces where every team member feels seen and valued. Four initiatives that have transformed our remote culture: 🔸 Weekly Town Halls where teams showcase their impact, creating visibility across departments. 🔸 Digital Recognition through our dedicated Slack “kudos” channel, celebrating wins both big and small. 🔸 Random Coffee Connections via Donut, pairing colleagues for 15-minute conversations that break down silos. 🔸 Strategic Bonding Events that pull us away from routines to build genuine connections. Beyond these programs, we’ve learned two critical lessons: 1. Hiring people who thrive in collaborative environments is non-negotiable. 2. Avoiding rigid specialization prevents isolation and encourages cross-functional thinking. The strongest organizational cultures aren’t imposed from above—they’re co-created by everyone. In a remote environment, this co-creation requires deliberate, consistent effort. 🤝 What’s working in your remote culture? I’d love to hear your strategies.

Top 5 ways to encourage learning at work without a big budget - (Because workplace learning doesn’t have to come with high cost.)   1. Start a book club Select a popular business or industry-relevant book and host discussions to exchange insights and ideas.   2. Share TED Talks or LinkedIn Learning topics Pick compelling TED Talks or LinkedIn Learnings on critical skills and behaviors. Send the links to employees and facilitate follow-up conversations.   3. Create a peer mentorship program Connect employees together who are eager to share and learn key skills from one another, fostering knowledge-sharing and collaboration.   4. Schedule regular "Lunch and Learns" Encourage team members to present on topics they’ve recently explored or mastered.   5. Crowdsource a knowledge library Ask employees to share helpful how-to videos, guides, and resources, then build a list of links and make them easily accessible to all employees.   These simple initiatives can help cultivate continuous learning without requiring a large budget.   What other creative ways have you encouraged learning at work? #iamtalentcentric