30 Oct #1 Is your Remote Team Struggling with Engagement? Here’s What You Can Do

So, here we are talking about something that has become a bit of a ‘trending topic’ as the honeymoon period of hybrid and remote working seems to be coming to a slightly awkward end – employee engagement in hybrid and remote companies. It’s a serious and important topic but, like the accompanying video, I’ll try and keep it light and, of course, add some sarcasm and dry British humour for good measure!

The Serious Challenges: Why did McDonald’s Fly Everyone to Barcelona?!

Let’s start with the million-dollar solution: fly your entire workforce from all over the world to Barcelona, get Dua Lipa to put on a spectacular show, open the bar and…  Voilà—problem solved! Okay, okay, unless you have a super-sized budget (see what I did there?), it’s not exactly realistic for companies, is it? 

Before we move on, though, it’s worth taking a moment to consider “why?”. Why did McDonald’s make the effort to put on this 20+ million dollar show? For sure there were several well thought out reasons (I imagine the marketing department was particularly happy!) but ‘Employee Motivation and Engagement’ was the biggie. 

The reality for most hybrid and remote teams is a lot less glitzy but, arguably, a lot more crucial. Think loneliness. Isolation. Missing out on those “water cooler” chats and shared lunches. These might seem small and even trivial, but they build connections, deeper understanding and friendships—and without them, your remote team can feel like it’s drifting apart.

(I’m pretty sure that’s not water they’re drinking! 🤣)

A Gallup study confirms this. Employee engagement has taken a hit, especially in remote and hybrid settings. Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace” report shows that only 32% of U.S. employees were engaged in 2022, and those without flexibility report 44% lower engagement. That’s rough. Fewer face-to-face interactions = fewer meaningful connections. And without engagement? You’re more likely to see your employees jumping ship for new jobs.

Oh, and get your CFO to take a look at the second one—because disengaged employees don’t just hurt morale; they hurt your wallet.

The Solution (the one NOT Involving Dua Lipa)

Spoiler alert: no one solution can fix all of your employee engagement issues, but one thing’s for sure—language training could be part of the answer. And before you roll your eyes saying ¨this is just an elaborate pitch!¨, hear me out!

At Watch and Talk Method, we love using video as a training tool. Why? Because it works well in the digital format. You can’t exactly pass a physical workbook or PDF through a Zoom call, right? Videos engage people, and engagement is key to bridging the isolation gap in remote teams.

Could Language Training Be the Answer to Your Team’s Engagement Issues?

Developing Communication Skills

Let’s not kid ourselves: good communication is the backbone of any successful company. If you can help your employees sharpen those skills in a fun, relaxed setting, it’s a no-brainer. Plus, this translates to better communication across the team and with clients. It’s a win-win!

Critical Thinking

[Some forms of] Language training encourage you to think critically, make connections, and adapt quickly. How does this not benefit a company? Seriously—tell me! It improves decision-making and problem-solving skills, two essentials for every role.

Boosting Self-Confidence

When employees feel confident in their ability to communicate, especially in a foreign language, it reflects in their work. They’re more likely to speak up in meetings, share ideas, and contribute to discussions—making them feel more valued and engaged (there’s that word again!).

The Unexpected Power of Mental Breaks

Now here’s the part that is not so obvious: mental breaks. A fun*, interactive language session can act as a re-energizing break from long workdays, helping to refresh employees and avoid burnout. 

*And no, by ‘fun,’ I don’t mean clown noses and balloon animals. It’s more about keeping things interesting, engaging, and interactive with students expressing their own thoughts and opinions rather than being forced to regurgitate grammar rules and studying 1001 phrasal verbs. 

Taking these kinds of breaks can work wonders for productivity. It’s why companies like our mix of ‘edutainment’ (education and entertainment). Hell, if it can work for Netflix, it can work for us!

Intellectual Engagement & Team Bonding

Learning a new language [in the right way] can make you engage your brain in ways you might not expect. Employees often find themselves discussing topics they’ve never even thought about in their own language before and that moment of ‘Hey, I just talked about it in English’ is incredibly rewarding!

And don’t underestimate the power of shared experience. As people learn together, they share bits of personal life—’Oh, she’s moving house (that explains why she is so stressed!)’ or ‘I didn’t know he lived in Italy for more than ten years!’ These personal stories build stronger bonds, and suddenly you’ve got a team that knows each other beyond just work tasks and they have a real connection.

Real-World Example: Expert AI

I’ll give you a real-world example. One of Watch and Talk Method clients, Expert AI, has several offices around the world. They decided to not only use language training to boost language skills but also to foster communication between different offices in different countries. The aim was to get employees to communicate more and get to know each other better.

And guess what? It worked. Sure, it wasn’t a concert with Dua Lipa, but the employees got to practise language skills and bond as a team. And the cost? Way cheaper than flying everyone to a cool city (although, I admit, that would be fun, too).

Wrapping Up: Take Care of Your People!

So there you have it—employee engagement in a nutshell (or blog post). Hybrid and remote companies face unique challenges but solutions like language training can help bridge the gap. Your employees will communicate better, think critically, and, most importantly, feel connected to the team.

At the end of the day, it’s all about taking care of your people. And if you want to talk more about how to do that, you know where to find me.