How to motivate your mobile and remote workers

The relationship between managers and the mobile workforce is often a delicate one. But how do you keep mobile workers motivated while they’re out on the road all day and the only contact they have with the office is to clock in and clock out again?

We’ve put together our top tips to keep your mobile workers at the top of their game without having to track their every move.

Four ways to keep mobile workers engaged

Keeping remote workers engaged is crucial for maintaining productivity and fostering a positive work culture, as it ensures they feel valued and connected to the organisation despite the physical distance, resulting in higher motivation and job satisfaction. Here are four ways to help keep your employees motivated:

Communicate more often, and offer genuine support

Take time out to communicate with each employee on a personal basis. Employees want to feel valued, they don’t want to get the sense that they are simply another cog in a large system. Once a week, make an effort to get in touch with every employee; ask how their week has been, if they have encountered any problems, and find out what their goals are for the coming weeks. Deliver useful updates that will affect them, and make them feel like they are an important asset to the business, rather than just another worker bee.

Help to build bridges between colleagues

Facilitate connections between your employees. Life out on the road as a mobile worker can be lonely, especially in sectors like contract cleaning, where employees are often cleaning empty venues on long shifts. It’s important that these workers don’t feel isolated from other staff members. Creating a sense of team spirit amongst the workforce can contribute to greater productivity, so whether you hold regular team building exercises or small weekly meetings where staff can get together and air their views, make sure that they’re not feeling like they’re in it on their own.

Look for opportunities to offer incentives, improve wellbeing and positive recognition

Learn what motivates each employee and use it to set goals and targets on a personal level, rather than across the entire company. Some staff members are motivated by things like material incentives – why not enter them into a raffle for every positive client testimonial they receive? Some staff members are spurred on by their own personal recognition – maybe you could offer these staff members an ‘Employee of the Month’ style spot on your company blog?

In addition, think about wellbeing and whether you are doing enough to support your employees. Remember it’s not about ping pong tables, pizza on a Friday or expensive wellbeing initiatives – simple things like a regular catch-up with a cup of tea, providing access to mental health first aid, and showing genuine care and concern on the issues your workforce face will go a long way.

Focus on the personal development and growth of every employee

Show interest in the development of your team. If staff feel that they are not receiving training regularly, do not have the option to pursue qualifications, or climb up the career ladder, they may begin to believe that they are stuck in a dead-end job. Once this feeling seeps in, it can be difficult to keep employees motivated. Set up an in-house structure for progression so that employees always know that there are opportunities to flourish. Send all staff on training days to boost their knowledge and skills, and you will reap the rewards of boosted productivity and a more energetic workforce.


Want to know more about the benefits of remote workforce management software? Take a look at our workforce management hub.