According to the most recent Glassdoor data, it took 40.8 days for companies to hire a software developer. To add more, software developers were contacted by recruiters four times per week.

So if your company has managed to employ the right remote software engineers for your openings (You have done a great job!), please don’t let your guard down just yet. It’s time to focus on how to retain them in your team.

Here are the five ways that help companies to manage their remote software engineers effectively, as proven by research.

Work should be judged by the ability to meet goals, not hours

Companies have changed the way they measure their employees’ work performance. Considering a software engineer a hero because (s)he has pulled an all-nighter to work is all in the past. Rather than evaluating employees’ work based on their daily activities where work hours are typically used, organizations have switched to focusing on results.

More employers are allowing workers to set their work schedules as they have shown they are trusted to get the job done during their chosen hours. Firms adopting flexible working have experienced employee loyalty, engagement, and higher job satisfaction. “The effects for us have been overwhelmingly positive,” says the UK recruitment agency Austin Fraser.

• According to data from Owl Labs’ state of remote work report, companies that allow remote work have 25 per cent lower employee turnover than those that don’t.
• 76 per cent of workers would be more willing to stay with their current employer if they could work flexible hours.
• Fractl’s survey also found that after health insurance, employees attach the most to flexible hours and the work-from-home option, which are relatively low-cost for employers.

Structured daily check-in setups

Set up regular calls so your remote software engineers understand their questions and concerns will be heard. While one-on-one meetings suit folks that work more independently from each other, team catch-ups go well with highly collaborative employees.

Be emotionally supportive of your remote software engineers

Research on emotional intelligence emphasizes that emotional contagion significantly influences individual-level attitudes and group processes. A leader’s responses to sudden changes are likely to be adopted by his employees. So be aware of the way you react in such circumstances.

While feeling stressed and anxious is inevitable, leaders may provide support and affirmation for confidence to their teams. Assure the employees that you acknowledge the tough situation, yet you know your team can handle it. With this approach, your remote software engineers are more likely to have a sense of purpose in taking up the challenge.

Also Read: How remote work has changed the salary scale in Taiwan

Also, be sure you frequently catch up with your remote software engineers. We cannot stress enough how important it is for organizations to communicate, especially through uncertainty. People tend to open up to those they feel trusted and empathized.

Listen to employees’ stress and concerns. Let them know their opinions matter to the organisations. Data from Harvard Business Review, SHRM, Great Place to Work, Accenture, Gallup, and Trust Edge have demonstrated that when employees trust their employers, they are much more likely to work together towards achieving the same ultimate business goals.

• Video conferencing helps reduce the sense of isolation among teams and is also useful for complicating or sensitive conversations. So for weekly team meetings, one-on-one performance reviews, and frequent catch-ups, this option may do better than written or audio-only communication.
• Mobile-enabled individual messaging functionality tools are usually used where simpler, less formal conversations and time-sensitive collaboration are preferred.
• Fix the frequency, means, and timing of the team’s communication. For example, Zoom video call for daily check-in meetings and Telegram for instant messaging on urgent updates.

Get the help you need for your remote software engineers

Making sure your remote software engineers stay focused and happy requires great investment in the company’s money and effort.

You need people to be in charge of the remote software engineers’ instant support daily and their well-being. More importantly, those people need to know what they are doing: what aligns with the remote software engineers’ cultural preferences and what doesn’t.

Thus, more companies find it more optimal to partner with tech recruitment teams that possess local intelligence and solid experience in the field to attract and retain remote software engineers for them.

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