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Empowering young professionals in remote work

Written by The PurelyHR Team | May 1, 2024 2:37:43 PM

The way we work has changed a lot. Many people now work remotely or in a hybrid setting. This has created new opportunities for young people starting their careers. They can learn new skills and use new technologies. But it also has challenges. Young people may feel alone and not have someone to help them. This makes it important to find ways to support them. 

There are many challenges for HR managers who are responsible for helping remote or hybrid teams. They need to make sure that everyone has what they need to do their job and to grow.

Common remote work challenges 

Some of the most common challenges faced by today's ever-growing pool of remote employees include: 

Limited networking opportunities: 

When working remotely, it can be difficult for young professionals to network outside of the digital space. This means they may miss out on chance conversations, events where they can meet people in person, and the valuable mentorship that can come from these opportunities. 

Delayed feedback: 

When working remotely, it can be difficult to receive feedback regularly and in a timely manner. This can cause problems for employees' professional development. Without continuous feedback, employees may struggle to learn and grow as quickly as they would like. It can also impede their ability to develop new skills and solve problems effectively.

Lack of professional development experience:

Professional career development requires immersive and organic learning experiences. These experiences are traditionally found in office settings. Without them, advancement can be hindered. It's crucial to have these experiences for holistic career growth.

Communication barriers 

Remote work can be convenient, but it can also result in misunderstandings or miscommunications due to digital communication tools, time zone differences, or lack of face-to-face interaction. This can lead to less effective teamwork and collaboration. 

Work-life balance issues 

With clear boundaries between work and personal life, remote employees may be able to connect with work, leading to burnout, decreased productivity, and difficulty maintaining a healthy work-life balance, which can lead to high turnover rates. 


HR strategies for professional development 

HR professionals, employers, and talent management can enhance the development of early career employees in a remote workspace by implementing any or all of the following HR best practices: 

Proper onboarding 

A successful onboarding strategy is critical to empowering young employees working remotely. How? 

By facilitating a smooth transition, clarifying expectations early on, and fostering a sense of belonging within the team, that's how. Make no mistake: none of these steps can be skipped. 

Bonus: When you do onboarding right, you enhance engagement and productivity. 

Mentorship programs 

Consider initiating a mentorship initiative within your organization. This invaluable HR strategy fosters professional growth while alleviating feelings of isolation. By pairing less experienced team members with seasoned professionals, this program facilitates regular virtual interactions and ongoing communication.

Mentors play a pivotal role in offering tailored guidance, unwavering support, and avenues for honing professional skills. The mutually beneficial relationship between mentor and mentee ensures mutual benefit and growth opportunities.

Open communication spaces 

Establishing open communication spaces by utilizing digital tools like instant messaging platforms, video conferencing software, and virtual team channels facilitates transparent dialogue, promotes collaboration, and creates an overall sense of connection.
This is a great way to
 keep employees engaged, keep morale high, and foster team unity. 

Shadowing opportunities  

Shadowing opportunities are a great way for young professionals to learn about your company. They can learn from experienced employees by watching them work and seeing how they make decisions. This helps them learn new skills and get a better understanding of your company culture and workflows. Virtual shadowing sessions or screen-sharing can be used to make this happen.

Performance tracking 

By implementing a strong performance-tracking solution, you can help young professionals in your organization grow and succeed. This involves setting clear expectations, offering constructive feedback, and establishing measurable goals. By taking a proactive approach, you can promote accountability and professional development. This will help nurture their growth and ensure their success within your organization.

This ultimately means implementing effective performance management systems while encouraging a healthy approach to work-life integration , so your people don't burn out. 

Feedback 

The rather crucial ability to offer your early-career remote employees constructive insights and helpful guidance relies on your ability to provide timely and continuous feedback. This is also a fantastic way of recognizing achievements, giving advice, and contributing to skill refinement, confidence, and overall professional growth. 

 

Hot tip: for holistic company insight, solicit employee feedback about management, too—feedback should always be multi-directional. 

Goal-setting spaces or strategies  

Creating goal-setting spaces or strategies is a great way to provide a clear path for individual growth, which employees can use as a reference point. This helps to motivate your team and ensures that their objectives align with the company's goals, which contributes to a sense of purpose and achievement. By providing a structured framework, your employees will feel more confident in their ability to succeed and grow within the company.

 

PurelyHR as a team management tool 

PurelyHR offers a range of brilliant modules expertly designed to make remote team management more accessible for HR professionals of all stripes.  

Time-clock 

PurelyHR's Time-clock module helps manage remote teams by accurately tracking their time. It promotes accountability and productivity, even in virtual settings. It also provides insights into work patterns and attendance, making performance monitoring and resource allocation easier.

Performance 

Our Performance module makes it easier for managers to handle their teams by having a central platform to set, track, and evaluate individual and team goals. It also facilitates regular feedback exchanges and transparent communication. With this, managers can provide targeted support, mentorship, and skill development for each employee, regardless of where they are located.

Talent  

The PurelyHR Talent module offers comprehensive tools for recruitment, onboarding, and talent development. It enables seamless remote hiring and personalized training programs. This module makes employee engagement and the retention of top talent look easy. It also generates invaluable insights for strategic HR decision-making and resource planning. 

 

Ensuring that you have effective strategies to empower and engage young employees in remote teams is crucial for the growth and success of your business. PurelyHR provides various innovative solutions for HR professionals and employers looking to effectively manage and nurture remote, young talent in today's modern work environment.

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