Employee engagement is tricky business. We all know what it is conceptually but fostering higher levels of engagement in the workforce is easier said than done. Sometimes to understand what you should do, though, it helps to look at what you shouldn’t do. First, don’t make office events mandatory. Although socialization can help prevent burnout, forcing folks to fraternize might do more harm than good. “In a remote setting, employees should not feel like they are being forced to participate in mandatory activities that distract them from things they would rather be doing,” Ryan Chartrand, CEO at X-Team, said. “Instead, they should be free to engage on their schedules—and they should always be willful participants.” Additionally, it’s important to keep sight of the company’s mission and values in your day-to-day work. Team members are looking up to you, and their engagement hinges on a shared sense of purpose. Micromanaging is also an engagement killer. Trust is important in any healthy relationship, and employees need to know that management believes they are capable and competent. Finally, engagement efforts quickly lose steam when employees aren’t recognized for their work.