5 Data-Backed Strategies for Engaging Remote Employees

Many organizations feel that engaging remote employees is challenging, so you might be surprised to learn that a 2025 Gallup report found that fully remote employees are the most likely type of employees to be engaged, where engagement is defined as “the enthusiasm workers feel for their work and their attachment to their team and organization.”

Employee Engagement Levels

• Fully remote: 31%
• Hybrid: 23%
• On-site remote capable: 23%
• On-site non-remote capable: 19%

That’s great news for the 80% of companies that allow employees to work remotely, but Gallup’s report also uncovered a disturbing trend: fully remote employees are also more likely to experience anger, sadness, loneliness, and stress. In fact, they’re more likely (45%) to report a lot of stress on the previous day than on-site employees (38-39%).

Moreover, 57% of fully remote workers are looking for new jobs. That drops to 47% for engaged remote workers, and it drops to just 38% of remote workers who say they are engaged AND thriving.

The takeaway? Engaging remote employees isn’t just about their enthusiasm for the work. It’s also about providing tools and resources that support remote employee wellness.

When remote employees thrive, they’re not only more engaged, they’re more loyal, reducing turnover and the costs associated with it, and ultimately creating ROI for companies that invest in engaging remote employees. To that end, here are five proven, data-backed ways to engage remote employees.

1. Recognize Remote Employees

Studies have found that implementing a recognition system can increase remote worker engagement by 20%. This is especially important when you consider that remote employees get 31% fewer promotions than their in-office coworkers.

But recognition doesn’t necessarily need to be for work-related tasks. If you have a wellness program, for example, corporate and peer-to-peer recognition for employees who reach individual milestones can fill that void.

RELATED: 6 Strategies for Successful Wellness with Remote Workers

2. Offer Opportunities for Social Interaction

As the Gallup statistics illustrate, loneliness is a major struggle for remote workers. In fact, 23% of remote workers say it’s one of their top struggles, per Buffer’s State of Remote Work report.

Create opportunities for remote employees to interact with one another as well as on-site employees, thus increasing engagement between coworkers and with company culture. In our own WellSteps offices, we have implemented initiatives like monthly regional lunches, 5^th Tuesday “fun” meetings, periodic retreats, and regular check-in calls from all leadership levels to ensure our remote staff have opportunities to interact with their coworkers.

Other examples include virtual happy hours and coffee chats, as well as team games and challenges. For example, the WellSteps wellness platform offers peer challenges that can be completed remotely and other fun ways to engage remote employees. Fitness challenges, book clubs, recipe swaps, and volunteer days can all create connection opportunities while playing a major role in social, physical, occupational, and mental wellness for remote employees.

RELATED: How to Make Remote Employees Feel Connected with Wellness

3. Be Flexible

Work-life balance is a significant concern for all employees, not just remote workers, and offering flexibility is key to remote work success. Per a Stanford University study, when Trip.com switched from mandatory five days in-office to a two-day at-home hybrid work schedule, the company reduced turnover by 33% without any loss in productivity or promotions.

In addition, a FlexJobs survey found that 56% of remote employees say flexibility is the best way for companies to support them. By now, a recurring theme should be emerging from these ideas: remote employees value occupational wellness. Flexibility is one way to foster it.

RELATED: Remote Employee Wellness Programs That Actually Work

4. Offer Mental Health Support

As Gallup found, remote workers experience greater daily stress than their in-office counterparts. We can speculate as to why that is; perhaps the stress of juggling work and being a parent or spouse, worrying about doing enough to continue being allowed to work from home, or concern that their careers will stagnate if they’re not getting enough promotions.

No matter the reasons, it’s a good idea for companies to provide mental health support for remote employees. In fact, studies have shown that employee mental health support, such as counseling, stress management programs, and fostering a supportive culture, significantly enhances employee wellbeing and reduces burnout.

Thus, a dedicated mental wellness effort – perhaps as part of a comprehensive wellness program – can provide the mental health support remote workers need to thrive.

RELATED: 10 Data-Backed Mental Wellness Activities for Employees

5. Foster a Culture of Cooperation

Even if they’re not in the office, a healthy culture of cooperation is critical to remote worker engagement. In fact, a Great Place to Work study found that employees who feel they can count on others to cooperate are 8.2 times more likely to give extra effort.

And consider these statistics about the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For:

• 97% support remote or hybrid work
• 84% of their employees say they can count on their coworkers to cooperate – 19% higher than typical workplaces (65%)
• Their productivity rates 42% higher than other workplaces

How do you foster a culture of cooperation? A wellness program can help with activities to engage remote employees, including online workshops, team challenges, peer recognition, and other initiatives.

RELATED: 15 Wellness Program Engagement Ideas to Build Culture

As the data shows, many remote employees are highly engaged, but they also struggle with stress, loneliness, and other issues. It’s one thing to be engaged. It’s quite another to be thriving, and remote employees who are both engaged and thriving drive ROI. Savvy companies recognize this and provide the flexibility, recognition, social interaction, mental health support, and cooperation remote employees need to thrive.