Remote employee engagement is a critical factor for productivity, retention, and overall business success. With hybrid roles on the rise and remote positions high above pre-pandemic levels, now is the time for managers to learn what motivates remote workers.
To do this, they need to understand why the trend is so popular and make the necessary adjustments to keep employees engaged, whether they are in a shared workspace or far away with nothing but a connection from their laptop.
At Primalogik, we believe that happy workers help organizations thrive. Here we share our top tips for keeping remote employees engaged.
Key Takeaways
- In 2025, remote work is not a fleeting trend. Roughly a quarter of the Canadian and American workforces continue to work from home. Employees choose remote work for several reasons, including: flexibility, cost savings, and increased productivity.
- However, remote work also presents challenges that can lead to disengagement, such as social isolation, blurred work-life boundaries, and “proximity bias” where in-office employees get more opportunities.
- To keep remote employees engaged, companies should focus on adjusting their culture and management practices; giving employees control over their work environment; focusing on results rather than tracking hours; offering personalized schedules and healthy work styles; adjusting communication and check-ins to match each employee’s individual needs; considering a hybrid model where appropriate; providing training for managers to help them develop key skills for leading remote teams; using digital platforms for casual conversation; organizing virtual team-building activities like trivia nights or cooking classes; ensuring remote employees receive equal opportunities for recognition, growth, and promotions; providing all employees with the tools and software they need; using surveys and other platforms to regularly check on employee satisfaction and show that you are listening by acting on their feedback.
Table of Contents
- A quick look at remote work statistics in 2025
- The pandemic is over: why are employees still working remotely?
- Boost remote employee engagement: build on what works, and fix what doesn’t
- We analyzed the research: Here are 10 ways to engage remote employees
- Primalogik performance management software can help you keep your remote teams engaged!
A quick look at remote work statistics in 2025
Around 37% of the Canadian workforce, and 35% of the American workforce worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2025, 25.4% of Canadian employees, and roughly 22% of American employees, are still working from home.
Clearly, remote work is not a passing trend, or at least, not a trend that will pass quickly. Employers today must be equipped and ready to face the challenges of remote workers, including how to keep these valuable employees engaged.
The pandemic is over: why are employees still working remotely?
When the pandemic hit in 2020, remote work was suddenly forced on millions of employees. The reason was simple: safety. But now that COVID-related working restrictions have been removed, many people are still working out of the office.
If you want to keep remote workers engaged, it’s important to understand why they aren’t simply returning to the office. You may be surprised at the wide variety of factors that are keeping people working in their homes.
First, let’s look at two types of remote employees:
Group One: Employees who prefer to work remotely
According to a recent study by Gallup, six in 10 employees with remote-capable jobs want a hybrid work arrangement, and about one-third prefer fully remote work. Less than 10% prefer to work on-site.
That’s right: what was first a giant inconvenience has now become a privilege. A surprising number of people have not only learned to tolerate remote work, they prefer it. These employees usually show a high level of engagement in their professional activities, which, according to Andrew Brodsky and Mike Tolliver in The Harvard Business Review, only diminishes when they participate in fewer meetings.
Group Two: Employees who have to work remotely for personal or professional reasons
Other employees are not working remotely by choice. They may be forced into remote work because they live in a different city or country from their employer, or because they are coping with disabilities or are in the position of a caregiver. These employees may struggle with some aspects of the remote work set-up, and crave extra involvement or initiative on the part of their employer to stay motivated.
Boost remote employee engagement: build on what works, and fix what doesn’t
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of remote work according to employees, to give you some context for what may (or may not) drive engagement.
1. Build on what works: Understand what employees love about remote work
According to the SHRM, any employee would consider leaving their jobs if forced to return to full-time in-office work, citing the hybrid or remote arrangement as their primary reason for staying in their current position. There must be something they really love about remote work! Managers should consider building on these perks to keep engagement high.
Here are a few key points:
Flexibility
This remains the number one reason employees love remote work. A flexible workplace allows them to work from a home office or elsewhere, set their own schedules, and adapt to a variety of personal issues and events. Flexibility is often linked with a better work-life balance, reduced stress and fatigue, healthier habits and more personal time to enjoy non-work-related activities. Robert Half cites the desire for more flexibility as a “top motivator” for most employees looking for a new position.
Cost Savings
When working remotely, employees save money on commuting costs (gas, public transport), professional clothing, and often on meals (cooking at home vs. buying out). These savings can be substantial over a year, and can be a real driver in engagement when working remotely.
Higher Productivity and Focus
According to Larry Alton in Forbes, Many remote employees feel more productive and focused outside the traditional office environment, with fewer distractions and the ability to work when they feel productive.
2. Fix what doesn’t work: understand what employees dislike about remote work
Some remote employees also face significant challenges and frustrations. Here are the top reported downsides of remote work. Remember, employers can address these to boost employee engagement and improve the overall remote experience:
Lack of Social Connection
Isolation and loneliness are consistently cited as a major downside of remote work. Employees miss spontaneous conversations, informal chats, and the shared camaraderie that naturally occur in a physical office. This can lead to feelings of loneliness, social disconnection, and a decreased sense of belonging.
Blurred Work-Life Boundaries and Burnout
When the office is in the home, it becomes harder to separate work from personal life. Employees often struggle to “switch off” and may feel pressured to keep messaging apps open and active to remain available. This can lead to overworking, which can lead to exhaustion and burnout.
Reduced Visibility and Promotion Opportunities
A significant concern is “proximity bias,” where in-office employees may receive better assignments, raises, and promotions simply because they are physically present and have more face-to-face interactions with leaders. Remote employees might also miss out on spontaneous learning opportunities, like overhearing crucial conversations.
Communication and Collaboration Challenges
Bad connection, or device failures at home can be highly disruptive and frustrating, especially without immediate IT support. Remote workers can tire of the digital landscape, and feel less motivated without the non-verbal cues (body language, tone of voice) that make up face-to-face interaction. Communication plays a major role in employee engagement.
We analyzed the research: Here are 10 ways to engage remote employees
After diving deep into the pros and cons of remote work, we’ve learned that quick fixes and treats are not what today’s remote workers need to stay engaged. Company culture and workplace norms need to adjust at a deeper level to accommodate out-of-office professionals.
Here are our top suggestions for keeping remote employees engaged and happy:
1. Give remote employees control over their work environment
Less is more when it comes to getting involved in employee workspaces. Let them take the lead! Today’s employees want purpose-driven, adaptable workplaces that cater to a variety of work styles, according to CareerCompassCanada.
2. Focus on outcomes over “seat time”
Define goals clearly, then trust employees to deliver results. Never mind where they are working or how many hours they are logging.
3. Provide maximum flexibility
Flexibility is a number one priority for today’s remote workforce. Employers who embrace employees’ need for personalized, custom work schedules and styles will better be able to attract and retain the best talent, according to Forbes Advisor.
Set a good example: leaders can make a big difference by modelling healthy work-life boundaries themselves.
4. Customize your level of involvement with remote employees
Some remote employees thrive on the extra autonomy, but others miss office structure. The solution? Know your employees and adjust accordingly.
Professional performance management software includes an employee survey module that allows managers or HR teams to identify the individual needs of specific employees, and monitor their level of satisfaction. With direct feedback like this, it is easier than ever to adjust to each employee’s needs and take a step back – or get more involved – as needed.
5. Consider the hybrid approach, where appropriate
Many sources, including Gallup, indicate that hybrid work models remain the most popular work arrangement in 2025. While it won’t be a good option for employees who clearly prefer remote work, those who are struggling to stay engaged might benefit. Remember that engaging employees in a hybrid work environment comes with its own challenges.
6. Help your leaders manage remote teams
Managers can’t be expected to intuitively understand the remote work environment. It’s important to help them learn to lead remote teams effectively. Key skills include:
- Empathy
- Active listening
- Delegation
- The ability to provide constructive feedback virtually
- Ability to identify signs of burnout.
7. Keep the social connection alive
If engagement lags, HR teams can create informal digital spaces like hobby channels or virtual coffee chats for casual connection.
It might also help if you organize optional online team-building activities. Here are a few ideas:
- Virtual escape rooms
- Trivia contests
- Game nights
- Guided virtual cooking, craft or dance classes.
Make extra activities optional, and always be mindful of employees who may feel excluded due to personal circumstances. Do your best to make activities inclusive and pressure-free.
8. Address proximity bias
Leaders need to actively fight proximity bias. Everyone who does their job deserves equal chances for growth and recognition.
Also, celebrate milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries for remote employees, and offer equal access to courses and career development paths to avoid stagnation.
9. Keep employees up to date on remote work trends and technology
Make sure everyone has what they need to do remote work – nothing dampens the enthusiasm like struggling with apps or feeling left out of the loop when new tools are put into place.
10. Get continuous feedback
Getting remote employee feedback is easier than you think! Anyone can send out short employee engagement surveys from time to time to test the water and see if engagement levels are holding. Choose your survey questions wisely to get the most relevant feedback possible.
Remember, two-way communication is key! Create channels for employees to provide anonymous feedback, such as by using a professional performance management platform, and show that you’re listening by following up with constructive adjustments.
Primalogik performance management software can help you keep your remote teams engaged!
Employee engagement can be hard to measure, and is in constant evolution due to evolving workplace trends and societal norms. Some employee engagement ideas work every time, and some may only work until the next big change; you’ll need to keep an open mind and do what you can to stay up to date with how your employees are feeling.
Professional performance management software can make it easier to analyse employee engagement, thanks to built-in survey tools and employee feedback functions. It can also help you measure performance and make informed decisions about training, promotions and other factors that impact engagement.Primalogik’s suite includes both an award-winning 360 degree feedback function, and other, smaller survey tools for instant feedback. You can use it to combine all relevant employee feedback in one place for easy access and fast, efficient, performance-based decision-making processes. Book a demo today!