Depending on when you read this, Valentine’s Day 2021 is almost upon us or has come and gone. One thing you can count on: with COVID-19 hanging around, celebrating this special day will be different than other years.

In the past, most of us typically spent part of the day with our loved ones with about a third of the day sleeping and another third at work. Now, with many working from home or following travel restrictions, time allocation is different. Some argue it’s better; others take the opposing view.

But we can agree that the challenge has shifted. According to previous Gallup Organization studies, 74% of people do not find happiness and fulfillment at work. Today, there’s an unknown percentage who struggle with their work-life integration.

Leaders have always felt a tremendous pressure to get and keep their employees engaged. Today, due to remote working during the pandemic, that pressure has intensified.

Leadership Tip
Find a way to measure (formally or informally) the happiness, fulfillment, and engagement of your remote team.

If your team isn’t happy, fulfilled, or engaged at work, remotely or not, you are headed for productivity low points, disruption, and possible turmoil. Your culture remains at risk. Full engagement is where you want to be.

What can you do as a leader to achieve full engagement? Here are three viable suggestions:

1. Find a way to show a genuine interest in everyone’s challenges during this unprecedented time. Actively seek solutions to known problems and anticipate potential ones. You may think you’ve seen it all by now, but likely you have not.
2. Elevate your level of awareness and give sincere recognition/appreciation for employees’ efforts and accomplishments. Working remotely can hinder the visibility of great things happening around you. However, if you actively look for them, you’ll find them.
3. Greatly improve the frequency and quality of communication. Don’t buy the argument that “less is more.” In these times, “more is more.”

Everyone wants to love what they do, even if it must be remotely. Especially in today’s world, a strong leader must create the environment in which this can happen. Let me know if you need a few more ideas.