Diversifying communications channels and mediums is a great way to increase engagement and cater to different people’s preferences. Emails and newsletters are a useful method, but could you instead try to recreate ‘water-cooler moments’ virtually, or encourage skill-sharing sessions?

The best communicators do not take a unilateral approach; effective employee engagement is a two-way street.

Checking in with employees should be more regular and focus on obtaining actionable feedback. Employees need to see actions taken as a result. It doesn’t need to be a formal survey, just inviting and acting on feedback through continued ‘you said, we did’ communication shows that employees are being listened to.

Employees also need to feel valued and connected. That’s why it’s vital to show you care about both the big and the small things. At ISS all employees are encouraged to join regular virtual coffee and chat sessions. Hosted by senior leaders, these informal meet-ups provide a safe space for conversations about the things that matter most to colleagues – be that work or home related. Leaders can then identify where colleagues need more support and act to provide it.

Wellbeing and performance are closely linked. In fact, 50% of working days lost are due to stress and Deloitte estimate a return of £5 for every £1 spent on wellness and activities designed to improve mental health (see note 3 below). Because people have diverse experiences of virtual working and every organisational culture is unique, it’s important to offer a variety of support systems.

At ISS, Workplace Managers across global contracts shared ideas and experiences of delivering ‘Curated@home’ experiences to support wellbeing for diverse ISS and client teams, and even their children. Recognising that juggling home schooling with home working is a huge pressure for many, the team provided links to resources such as virtual zoos and museums and learning tools to support parents. Combined with a programme of meditation sessions, home workouts, online cooking classes and a virtual charity fundraising team step challenge, investment in wellness activities to suit diverse needs has a positive impact on employee wellbeing and company culture.