The nature of employee engagement is changing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Across companies, the rapid adoption of remote work practices has created unexpected challenges — and opportunities — for maintaining a connected workforce. Finding creative solutions to keep people engaged has never been more important.

Global virtual coordination is not easy. At WorldQuant, we think about how to bring top talent from disparate locations and cultures together to effectively operate as one organization — engaging across borders and time zones — through mostly virtual settings and electronic communication. Over the years, we have learned how to empower this talent and build an integrated global organization. We have utilized strategies and approaches to managing the firm that have become increasingly relevant as remote work has taken hold.

A culture of connectivity unlocks inspiration, collaboration and productivity — and enables employees to thrive. Here are some of the lessons we have learned that can be applied to the current environment.

Facilitate consistent knowledge sharing

Transparency and systematic information flow are critical. In an era of physical separation, employees can no longer rely on in-person interactions for essential information. It can be difficult to replicate these interactions remotely without centralized coordination.

Leaders should bridge the gap and find ways to regularly disseminate information firmwide. As a highly global organization, WorldQuant has held a standing all-employee video conference — called Keystone Forum — for several years. Keystone allows employees to get firm updates, think about the big picture and feel part of one community — wherever they may be. Keeping a biweekly cadence has helped maintain continuity during this period.

Shift existing traditions to virtual formats

Remote work at scale introduces new barriers to preserving company traditions. It is important to adapt in-person events to virtual formats — even at a smaller scale — to enable continued interaction, collaboration and idea flow.

We recently held our first virtual research conference, which brought together many employees to share innovative ideas and partner on specific projects. As WorldQuant has organized global conferences for years, this was an opportunity to preserve tradition but adopt a new format. While this is a tactical example, the larger point is that organizations must be adaptable and rapidly embrace change in order to grow.

Increase direct virtual communication

Creating a collaborative and engaged culture starts at the top. Our management team regularly visits with each office around the world, providing employees with opportunities to raise ideas that are top of mind. The pandemic has introduced the reality that formerly straightforward activities like this can no longer be conducted for some time. In lieu of physical visits, we have held a series of virtual meetings with each office — which allowed employees to share their updates and ask us questions directly.

We are also focused on simple acts such as direct engagement by leadership with individuals and small groups — weekly lunches, coffee chats and forums to discuss shared interests. Building dialogue and trust has to persist through the remote working era, leading to greater opportunities for partnership, accountability and high-quality output.

In many ways, the pandemic has fundamentally altered work as we know it. We are living through a live demonstration of how sudden mass shifts toward remote practices are disrupting corporate norms. As business undergoes exponential change, we should prioritize the needs of our employees, help them succeed and continue to maximize their potential — today and into the future.