How can you include remote employees in decision-making?

Companies often assume they’ve communicated well and that their employees have all the context they need. To ensure remote employees are included in decision-making effectively, be clear and upfront with them, giving them all the info they need to make informed choices. By keeping everyone in the know and giving remote employees access to all the right information and resources, they can jump into the conversation and have their say just like everyone else. It's about making sure nobody feels left out and that everyone can pitch in when it's decision time.

Although there are lots of benefits and flexibility to remote work, remote employees can sometimes feel isolated in their roles. They may not feel part of important decisions within their organization. Leaders can be conscious about the decisions they are making and make an intentional effort solicit input from everyone around them. If input is not necessary, than leaders can keep everyone informed. Using a variety of channels is important because it takes folks in a remote environment up to 13x to see messaging before it truly sinks in.

To ensure remote employees stay informed, establish clear and consistent communication channels, such as regular team meetings and updates through email or collaboration tools like Slack. Use project management platforms to centralize information, ensuring everyone has access to key documents and updates in real time. Encourage open communication by fostering a culture where employees feel comfortable asking questions or seeking clarification. Additionally, schedule periodic check-ins to address any gaps in understanding and provide important updates directly.

It's important to be clear about the purpose of involving others. If employees are being asked for input on implementing a strategy that has already been decided, they should not be encouraged to provide additional ideas on the strategy. Show respect by honestly communicating their level of involvement. When they have a say in the decision, make it clear. When they don't, be equally clear. When teams are regularly engaged in decisions that impact their experience, they are more understanding when there are moments when they have no voice or vote.

By not including remote employees early and often in decision-making, companies overlook valuable perspectives. Remote employees bring diverse viewpoints which enriching the decision-making process. Encourage open communication channels and provide opportunities for remote employees to share their insights throughout the decision-making journey. By valuing their input and avoiding assumptions, companies can make more informed decisions and prevent potential negative outcomes.

While remote work offers flexibility, some people may feel left out, especially if they cannot actively participate in company activities in person. This can pose challenges for those individuals and lead to disengagement. To address that, ask your remote employees how they would like to be more involved in the decision-making process. Additionally, employee chats, knowledge groups, ERGs, engagement platforms, and virtual events can help engage remote employees, as their active participation can foster individual contributions.

Empowering employees - whether remote or otherwise - is a key part of delivering a positive workplace experience. In fact, we argue that is just as important as engaging them. In terms of what empowerment of remote workers looks like, this arguably needn't be too different to management practices for people working in the same physical location. It all centres on line managers demonstrating trust in people, and: > Defining clear role and responsibilities > Showing superior willingness to delegate > Displaying transformational leadership > Creating psychological safety

Having ownership over certain decisions is crucial, whether working on-site or remotely. Clearly defined roles and expectations provide guidance, while excessive micromanagement can be both discouraging and inefficient. Empowering employees within set boundaries fosters confidence, autonomy, and productivity.

Provide remote team members with the relevant materials ahead of time. This gives them the opportunity to review, process, and prepare feedback before the meeting, leading to more informed contributions. Use tools like surveys, polls, or comment threads to capture input from remote employees who may not be able to join live discussions. This ensures their perspectives are included regardless of time zones or schedules. After decisions are made, ensure both remote and on-site employees have access to the same updates, documentation, and follow-up actions. Transparency is key to fostering inclusion and trust across the entire team.

If you have remote workers they should be treated as much as possible as those onsite, and vice versa if onsite is a minority! I've been in companies where onsite workers are the minority and they can often feel the most disconnected. I've been in an office one day with noone else in, it's tough! To me its all about inclusive Comms planning regardless...

Having a fully remote team presents the challenge of visibility for team members. The classic move of asking the same people who have previously delivered successful outcomes to go again on the next project gets amplified. Be deliberate in the sharing of new projects so that all are included and the diversity of the team can shine through

When sharing feedback I recommend including the impact of outcomes. Colleagues are often unaware of the significant impacts they have delivered. Spending time in discovery of this can really encourage further great work and build pride in previous deliverables. Amabile & Kramer report the the importance of reflection of journey and growth in their work on 'The Progress Principle'.

To ensure remote employees feel valued and connected to decision-making outcomes, it's crucial to transparently share the results and impact of decisions with them. By providing clear communication about how their input influenced the outcomes, remote employees can understand their impact and contribution. Managers should highlight and recognize how their input directly contributed to the decision’s outcome. This can foster a sense of ownership and engagement. Ultimately, transparent communication and recognition reinforce the importance remote employees play in shaping the organization's direction and outcomes.

Incorporating collaborative tools is a great idea. You can start with shared documents or project management software, which helps facilitate open collaboration and streamline decision-making. This initiative ensures everyone has access to key information, helping everyone contribute effectively regardless of their current location.

The real question here should be 'have you set up an effective internal Comms strategy' As ability to make decisions shouldn't be a question of 'is someone remote or not' when that strategy is in place. Think this way - if you're fully remote or fully 'onsite' it wouldn't be a challenge, so why when hybrid? Comms!!!

Best practices in engaging folks in decision making don't differ between remote and in-office employees, other than perhaps the technology used. Presumably, leaders with remote workforces have put in place good practices to stay engaged with their team: regular 1x1s, team meetings, etc. If the leader has created an environment where folks feel their opinion matters, then engaging them in decision making should be agnostic to their work location.

Select the right tools and methodologies! As a former Comms and Engagement Program Manager working with remote teams, I’ve used different tools. Here are some suggestions: 1) For inclusive brainstorming ensuring valued input: Miro, Trello, Slack. 2) To foster collaboration, creativity, and innovation: Design Thinking, Theory U. 3) Tracking project advances, use PM apps: Workfront, Asana, Monday for timely delivery. 4) Implement combined Agile or Six Sigma methodologies for iterative decision-making, data-driven approaches, collaboration and continuous improvement. 5) Use Dropbox, Google Drive or alternative tools for securely storing generated documents, and establish an efficient mechanism to track changes in documentation.