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Forum Focuses On ‘Virtual Employee’ Engagement

“With off-site workers now representing up to 40% of the U.S. workforce in companies with 5,000 employees or more, and as many as three out of four organizations already using remote employees, we felt it was important to examine ways that employers can better engage their remote employees,” says Keith Fenhaus, President of The Forum (formerly known as The Forum for People Performance Management & Measurement). At their Fourth Annual Think Tank, Fenhaus explained that The Forum’s latest study examined the challenges of building relationships between a company and virtual workers who may feel disenfranchised due to geography or cultural barriers. Analysis of the interviews resulted in these key findings:

1. Engaging remote employees must be a strategic part of a bigger virtual employee management practice endorsed by top organizational leaders.
2. Virtual employment helps address the trade-off between finding quality talent needed within a restricted geographic area.
3. Periodic face-to-face contact can help overcome the disconnect of distance.
4. Formal policies and programs for virtual employees enhance the performance and quality of the work experience.
5. Companies need to invest in technology that empowers virtual employees.
6. Leaders need to actively work on integrating virtual employees into the organizational culture.

For more on The Forum’s Fourth Annual Think Tank, go to www.performanceforum.org.