Tips on improving poor communication in remote work

Poor communication may negatively impact employee satisfaction in the long run, whitepaper warns

BY Dexter Tilo 15 Jan 2025

Despite its benefits, remote work can bring about a string of challenges to businesses that can be detrimental to employee satisfaction in the long run.

Poor communication is one of these challenges, according to a whitepaper from Randstad, which noted that virtual channels used for remote work can put many non-verbal cues lost in translation.

"Teams may often find themselves working overtime to compensate for ineffective communication," the paper read.

It also noted that digital channels may also result in teams being bombarded with constant work communication after working hours.

"Digital channels make it convenient for employers to reach their teams at any time - but this always-on approach will tire employees very easily and result in burnout," the paper said.

Addressing communication challenges

To overcome the challenges of remote communications, Randstad outlined the following tips:

Be flexible with communication channels. Narrow channels down to a few that work best for your team and empower them to select the right tools based on their needs.
Fix core hours. Find a window of time when everyone can be online and available for meetings if teams are spread across different time zones.
Limit overcommunication. Set strategic limits on communication such as scheduling weekly progress meetings, as too many calls and emails can be seen as a waste of time.
Stay transparent and be available. Leaders should be more accessible through an "open-door policy" for instances when employees need more communication and support.
Listen with your heart. Encourage team members to be open about their personal challenges and practice empathetic listening to their needs in order to come up with actionable solutions.

Flexible work arrangements such as remote work remain popular across Asia despite major employers, including Amazon and Grab, introducing full office-return policies.

In Singapore, the government mandated employers starting December last year to consider formal requests for flexible work arrangements from employees, which could see more employees working remotely.

Learn more on how to navigate across the evolving workplace in this whitepaper from Randstad.