When it comes to creating an outstanding employee experience, one thing matters above all else: communication.
Effective communication is the key to setting clear expectations, sharing best practices, and creating engagement with organizational culture. Strong communication is the cornerstone of a loyal, committed team.
But how do you communicate when your team members aren’t in the same physical location?
This is one of the biggest challenges in Government Contracting. Most GovCon workers are located on-site with the government client, and they may not have day-to-day contact with their direct employer. The lack of communication can have serious consequences, including lost revenue opportunities for the GovCon firm.
However, the good news is that there are ways to keep the lines of communication open with a remote workforce. By following the right strategy, you can build a solid team that stays loyal across multiple engagements.
Challenges of the distributed workforce model
Distributed workforces are more common than ever, thanks to the rise of remote working. Many private-sector firms now have remote teams in different locations or even different countries.
Remote work is popular because it offers many benefits, such as cost savings, improved work-life balance, and access to a bigger talent pool. However, as GovCon employers well know, there are also some challenges that come from working with distributed employees:
- Reliable communication: Poor communication makes it hard to pass on essential information, such as best practices and organizational news. Employees may also struggle to get answers to questions about work, benefits, or HR policies.
- Inclusion: Remote workers often feel excluded from company culture. This creates a sense of isolation that can impact retention and engagement.
- Relationship-building: Relationships between team members are a crucial part of organizational culture. Remote employees don’t always get a chance to build these connections.
- Idea development: Some of the best ideas emerge from conversations around the watercooler. Without real-time communication, there are fewer chances for ideas to flourish.
GovCon work creates even more issues, as each contract cycle can result in a major change in personnel. Many contractors, especially incumbent workers, feel a stronger relationship with the government client than with their direct employer.
Despite these challenges, GovCon HR leaders still need to create an outstanding work environment and build relationships that last beyond each contract. Doing so relies on overcoming the challenges and finding a way to communicate.
5 tips for building connections with a distributed workforce
Dealing with a distributed team requires you to be proactive about communicating with people. You’ll need to take advantage of every opportunity to connect with your employees, and you’ll need to ensure your team can contact someone when they need to. Here are some tips to get started.
1. Get off to a good start during onboarding
Onboarding is your first opportunity to build trust with a new employee, so it’s a perfect chance to set the tone for your long-term relationship. Use this opportunity to talk about your culture and values, set expectations, and learn about the employee’s career ambitions.
Remember, incumbent hires also need onboarding, even if their day-to-day role isn’t changing. Arrange a session to talk about what the changes mean for them, especially in terms of payroll, benefits, and reporting.
2. Be available
Off-site workers need to know how to contact essential people within your group, such as team leaders, project managers, and HR representatives. Make sure they know how to contact the right person for any query that might emerge, even if they’re working in remote locations.
It’s also helpful to let the employee know you’re not only available for emergencies. Tell them they’re welcome to check in at any time, whether they just want to bounce an idea or find out about the latest news.
3. Open multiple communication channels
Technology gives us a lot of options for staying in touch. Apps like Zoom and Teams meetings allow people to join in remotely; Slack channels are great for building community and keeping the conversation going. Make sure to check what’s permitted by the client’s IT policies—some federal offices may not allow access to certain collaboration tools.
More traditional channels are also valuable. Face-to-face team meetings and in-person social events are immensely valuable for building rapport (if your team members can attend). Visiting onsite and taking employees out to lunch or for coffee with a member of your HR and Executive teams makes employees feel more connected to your organization. Even a simple phone call to check in goes a long way towards team-building. You can also get creative in your communication approach; consider asking employees for permission to use their personal email or send text messages to ensure they don't miss important information.
4. Provide training for your managers
It can be very difficult for government contractors to carve out time for essential internal training. That said, training your managers on team leadership strategies is worth the time investment. Employees are more likely to go to their managers with challenges or for information, so it's important that managers know where to find information or where to direct employees. Well-trained managers help create positive employee communication while also ensuring consistency in the way your company answers questions and handles issues.
It's important to make sure your PMs are present and connected with their teams and are providing information back to the appropriate internal staff in the central office as needed. Effective managers are also better at building cohesive teams, thus strengthening culture and helping employees feel connected to the business.
5. Talk about growth opportunities
One of the unique elements of GovCon work is the opportunity for organic growth. If you identify a client need, you can offer to provide additional services, which increases the total value of the contract. It’s something your project management team should be working on constantly.
This is also a great topic for discussion with individual team members. Do they see a need for more staff? If so, can they recommend any suitable contractors? If you don’t already have an employee referral program, consider implementing one. This will not only help grow your business but also help build employee engagement with your team members, who will feel like an essential part of your long-term growth.
Build a thriving GovCon team
Providing opportunities for employees to connect and interact with other team members helps build a positive culture and loyalty to your business. Outside of the traditional company events and lunches with the team, consider providing opportunities for community impact. This allows team members to connect outside of work while also benefiting their local community. In the government contracting space, businesses that communicate openly and frequently are more likely to have employees who are happy at work and feel connected with both their team and the organization as a whole.
Need help recruiting and retaining your GovCon team? Book a call with Helios HR and speak to an experienced consultant!
