Build Strong Relationships with your Remote Team
Remote employees are mentally and physically happier, which is part of the new normal. It gives employers more hiring options, and a company will have productive and satisfied staff if done correctly. For example, research from Owl Labs found that remote and hybrid employees were 22% happier than workers in an onsite office environment and stayed in their jobs longer.
However, there are still challenges when it comes to remote workers, and it can be challenging to maintain consistent communication with your team to combat the increased feelings of loneliness and isolation. Therefore, staying productive and boosting morale is essential to building strong work relationships.
Whether your team is entirely virtual or hybrid, and you want to build strong relationships with your team, staying connected is critical. These strategies will help.
Schedule virtual breaks
Employees working remotely still need breaks during the day. Let people know when you take your coffee break, and invite them to join you. Keep your virtual coffee break between 10 and 15 minutes and use small-group features like breakout rooms to encourage more discussion.
Create moments of connection
Before each work meeting, take a moment to check in with each employee. This practice became a routine during the pandemic and continuing to ask personal questions such as “How are you doing ?” can help build the healthy connections needed to combat feelings of isolation.
Leverage visual collaboration software
Encouraging collaboration in the workplace is shown to increase productivity. According to a Stanford study, people who are encouraged to collaborate stick to a given task 64% longer than people who work alone. In addition, those same workers report higher engagement levels, less fatigue, and higher success rates. Visual collaboration software offers features that can imitate those used when working together in person. Collaboration can be achieved with technology, and every employee can contribute regardless of location.
Be proactive with status updates
You don’t want to be out of sight, out of mind when working remotely. Instead, take a proactive approach to schedule time with your manager—even if it’s just a 15- or 30-minute weekly call to check in.
Adapting to the new world of work can be challenging in many ways. But you can build strong relationships within your organization with a bit of ingenuity.