Leading a remote workforce: Values based approach for keeping employees engaged

Authored by: Aleks Pupovac, Consultant, PBC

 

Flexible work is not a new concept for a lot of people. With growing technologies and changing attitudes to flexible working, more workplaces have moved to accommodate our fast-paced life. Initially a growing trend but now required due to the global pandemic, a forced shift in leadership is required to maintain operational efficiencies. With an uncertain economy, it is more important than ever to have an engaged and productive workforce.

Understanding how to most effectively engage our workforce now has never been more important for keeping a business alive. Engagement drives performance and with that, profits. In a market full of unknowns, it’s going to be sink or swim for a lot of businesses. An engaged workforce is critical right now to allow creativity to be maximised and to ensure our businesses can adapt to these new conditions. Reminding ourselves that the most important aspects of a business are both money and people, holding a microscope over the financials of a business could miss important opportunities in taking employee engagement into consideration. Quick ways to understand what motivates our employees are essential to adapt to help our workforce perform effectively in a changing environment.  

We know from research on the Hogan Motives Values Preferences Inventory (MVPI) that values are a crucial key to unlocking employee engagement and with that, potential. Understanding an individual’s motivations is vital in meeting their needs, managing that person and keeping them engaged. There is no doubt that the forced shutdowns and necessity to work from home will pave the way for more employers to think about continuing this practice when business as usual resumes. In order to progress in the way we work and use this time as efficiently as possible, it is vital for our leaders to continue to meet their team’s needs in an adaptive way.

Based on a review of 80 years of theory and research on occupational motivates, values and interests, the 10 scales within the MVPI capture the most common workplace values. Understanding these values is the first step to keeping our employees engaged in the new world of work. Indeed, the way in which our leaders will be required to continue to engage their remote teams will need to change and start pivoting towards an infrastructure that supports remote working in the future.

Based on the Motives, Values and Preferences Inventories, there are some valuable insights in which leaders will need to consider in driving remote engagement.

 

Recognition

The need

Public acknowledgement for a job well done.

Leadership that will drive engagement

It is important that leaders are recognising individuals that are responding and performing in this time of crisis. Providing feedback, acknowledgement and opportunity to perform is crucial to keeping these employees engaged. Be conscious of how you’re providing feedback to your employees and whether your existing strategies for providing recognition has been adapted. This might include acknowledging individual and team wins during daily huddles.

Power

The need

Success, accomplishment and status. Opportunities to contribute and make a difference.

Leadership that will drive engagement

Allowing everyone to have their say, even if it’s a small contribution will enhance the individual’s feeling of contributing to the bigger picture and provide a sense of control and ownership within the business. Provide opportunities for high Power employees to have their input on important matters and let their voices be heard. High Power individuals thrive on wins and achievement. Set clear short-term goals and outline what success looks like in the next 60 to 90 days.

Hedonism

The need

Having fun and entertaining others. Seeking excitement, variety and good times.

Leadership that will drive engagement

Maintaining flexibility and ensuring transitioning to new working arrangements is supported is crucial for engagement. Acknowledging there is a time for formalities, ensure that you include informal conversations and provide an opportunity for recreation time during virtual meetings. This will help keep high Hedonism individuals engaged. Not all meetings need to be formal, scheduling time to have a work break and have a laugh will be a handy tool.

Altruistic

The need

Desire to help others and contribute to society.

Leadership that will drive engagement

Demonstrating that you care about your staff will need to exceed a quick “how are you” at the start of your team meeting. Ensure that you are checking on the wellbeing status of your team and offering supportive efforts as much as you can during the context. High Altruistic individuals will be motivated by an emphasis on an “us” collective attitude when tackling this time of change rather than “survival of the fittest”. Providing opportunity for these individuals to help other business units will also increase overall engagement. 

Affiliation

The need

Connection and socialising. An environment that provides an opportunity to work with others.

Leadership that will drive engagement

Working collaboratively is crucial to ensuring individuals stay connected. Encouraging your team to connect with work areas or teams they haven’t previously worked with and leveraging some of their expertise will drive overall knowledge sharing, but also get people connected in a way they haven’t been before. Increase your team meetings and provide opportunities for your staff to connect on a social level. Don’t be afraid to create a WhatsApp or Facebook group to keep people engaged in topics outside of work.

Tradition

The need

Customs and established moral codes. Motivated by a traditional work ethic and organisational loyalty.

Leadership that will drive engagement

High Tradition individuals might particularly be struggling to cope with change. A leader will want to provide clear expectations of behaviour and work output during this time. Based on the need for a strong moral compass, these leaders will need to make decisions that are fair and ethically sound. The communication of how the decisions have been made are crucial to gaining support for these individuals.

Security

The need

Planning, structure and order as well as the need for job security.

Leadership that will drive engagement

Although it may not be possible during the current economic environment to ensure job security, high Security individuals will appreciate knowing where they stand as quickly as possible. It is crucial to communicate as early as possible and provide as much certainty as possible. Avoid providing small parts of information and leaving your employees feeling uncertain. Even if the news that needs to be delivered is bad, employees prefer some news rather than no news. To further encourage the need for order, encourage your team to create a structure in their working from home environment by setting clear boundaries, utilising strict work hours and goal-setting techniques.

Commerce

The need

Opportunities to working with budgets, finances and to make money. These individuals enjoy paying attention to profitability and commercial success.

Leadership that will drive engagement

Share the financials with your staff and keep them informed of how the business is tracking. Share with them on how the current climate has impacted the profitability and business operations. Provide opportunities for your team to give their insights for generating financial success and evaluating what may be profitable right now.

Aesthetics

The need

Creative problem solving and working in environments that drive innovative solutions.

Leadership that will drive engagement

Provide opportunity for these individuals to brainstorm creative ways of pivoting and driving strategy that can generate business during this time. This might involve working across business units and getting these individuals involved in marketing strategies. Leaders should be encouraging creative thinking and supporting new ideas during the time of change.

Science

The need

Data-driven problem-solving and future orientated thinking.

Leadership that will drive engagement

Provide opportunities for high Science individuals to do a competitor analysis and see what is happening in the market. Evaluate what other businesses are doing to stay successful and experiment in a structured way when adapting to the changing market. When communicating with high Science individuals, it will be crucial to support ideas and initiatives with evidence and facts. Be prepared for questions and to support your arguments with clear evidence.

 

Understanding values is critical for ensuring our employees remain engaged, even when working remotely. The MVPI offers a taxonomy of common values that we can leverage to understand and support different personalities. Engagement will drive performance and ultimately the bottom line. Strong leadership will require focusing on both people and financials to drive business success. Our top leaders will find ways to engage their remote workforce and build foundations to hit the ground running when the pandemic eases and normality returns.

 

References

Anitha, J. (2014). Determinants of employee engagement and their impact on employee performance, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 63(3), 308-323

Hogan, R., & Hogan, J. (2010). Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory manual (Administrative and Norming Updates). Tulsa, OK: Hogan Press.

Howell, A. (2017). Engagement starts at the top: the role of a leader’s personality on employee engagement, Strategic HR Review, 16(3), 144-214.

Kordbacheh, N., Shultz, K. S., Olson, D. A. (2014). Engaging mid and late career employees: The relationship between age and employee engagement, intrinsic motivation, and meaningfulness, Journal of Organizational Psychology, 14(1), 11-25.