The COVID pandemic taught the world many things. It taught us that we do not need Hollywood telling us how to think, nor do we need movie theaters or comic book shops. It showed us that social distancing is harmful to the mental health of children, and showed us that our impact on nature is undeniable since the environment started to recover after the 2020 worldwide lockdown began.

The 2020 lockdown also taught us that remote workers are more viable than anyone ever thought possible, and remote working infrastructures have taken hold and will no doubt become a strong part of a modern economy moving forwards. This, however, presents new challenges for HR departments, such as how we are supposed to reward and incentivize remote workers.Health Benefits Are a Great Way to Show Appreciation2020 is going to be burned into the minds of the general public for many years to come, which means offering something like added health benefits for over-performing remote workers is a great idea. Not only does it offer a genuine perk to becoming a good worker, but it is also very media and social media-friendly. From a PR perspective, it shows that your company really cares about the health of its employees, which is more important than ever now that health is a big focus point in the global media sphere.Positive Recognition in its Many FormsTelling somebody they are great is fine, but it is a little hollow these days, especially if it is being said digitally. On the other hand, if you were using something like data rooms at Firmex where all your remote employees work from one hub, then highlighting one employee over the rest may disincentivize the other workers.

So, if you cannot single people out for recognition via shared workspace, and your compliments fall on deaf ears, then how are you to offer positive recognition?

There are overt ways, such as small money bonuses for doing extra great work. There are also overtime incentives such as paying a bit extra if people over-produce beyond their weekly quota. You could also lower somebody’s workload if they excel in one way or another. Positive language and praise is cheaper but try to temper it so that it seems more sincere.Offer Encouragement Through Sneakier Psychological Methods There is a method where you phrase the encouragement before the actual work is done. For example, you may say, “We have a deadline of Friday, but you would be a 24ct diamond if you could get it done by Tuesday.” That way, if the employee completes the job before Tuesday, then he or she feels appreciated. Plus, any compliments that come after hitting the Tuesday deadline will appear more sincere and genuine.
 
Another little trick is to make it personal. Remote workers become accustomed to people issuing orders over the Internet like they are robots. Remote workers do not mind it but giving the employee an incentive to work a little faster is tough when you are regarded as a piece of text on a file. What you need to do is make the process a little more personal. Explain what is going on, why the work is needed, why the deadline is set, and how it would help out if the work was done well.

To continue the point made in the previous paragraph, if you know the employee personally, then you could ask employees to work to occasional tighter deadlines as a favor to you. Oddly, asking a favor often makes the other person like you a little more. It is called the Ben Franklin effect, and it still works over the internet with remote workers so long as you do not do it too often.Use the Same Methods You Use to Motivate YourselfFor a start, you need to create clear goals and have measurable deadlines and avoid making lists if you want people to keep grinding and stay motivated. You should also be careful of your framing. Do not call it “Paperwork”, call it “Administrative tasks.” Try to steer clear of the word “Work” and replace it with projects, assignments, or tasks.

Let people see the results of their work, if that is possible, and let them understand why their deadlines exist. Be careful when setting long deadlines because home creates the sort of comfort that breeds procrastination. That is why students have such trouble hitting their deadlines. It is better if you split up your tasks and set frequent deadlines rather than setting larger pieces of work with long deadlines.Final Thoughts - Do All Employees Need an Incentive?Obviously, your remote workers are not lost puppies that need leading home. There is a good chance that your organization can work well without regularly giving your employees incentive and rewards. However, ignoring the issue of motivation may become a problem if suddenly you start facing tight deadlines and need your remote workers to chip in a little more hard work. If things start looking time-sensitive or risky, it is better to have a positively primed remote workforce who are ready to work harder for their beloved employer.