Parent Post
As remote working becomes
As remote working becomes more accepted, we spend more time than ever on email, chat, and other communication tools.
However, we still feel isolated during the workday.
Meet upMake time to
Meet up
Make time to connect with your team in person.
There’s no better way to create an authentic connection than actually bringing people together in person.
- Pick a day.
Give everyone the same day off so it’s a shared experience. - Set a theme.
In Trello’s case, their theme was “Vitamin D Appreciation Day” to encourage people to get outside and enjoy nature. - Catch up.
Create a way for everyone on the team to share their adventures. Example – a photo library.
Building relationships with teammates I don’t casually bump into in the hallway is a bit challenging. It feels natural to ask about after work plans or swap movie reviews when you’re meeting face to face, but it takes more effort to form that bond when you’re mostly seeing each other on a video screen.
Special eventsPlan special events
Special events
Plan special events around holidays and festivals. Learn about your team and their interests to help you connect with the team on a deeper level.
For example, created by the team at Zapier, Conspiracy Santa is a remote working-friendly version of the classic Secret Santa.
Building a culture of
Building a culture of connection means trusting your team. Especially when you’re remote working, it’s easy to come across as micromanaging when you’re just trying to check in.
Here are 5 ways you can start to create a community with your team.
Video callsWeekly video ‘all
Video calls
Weekly video ‘all hands’ are a fantastic way to create a sense of community and belongingness. Here’s how you can structure the video calls.
- Start with a welcome and agenda.
- Celebrate accomplishments and let people know about exciting things that happened
- Get an update from the CEO.
- Take a quick physical activity break
- Make the rounds of team updates.
- Move into a Q&A session.
- Break out into smaller groups of people who might not normally connect and give them a chance to talk more personally.
Reaching out periodically to check in and catch up is a powerful way to build a sense of shared belonging without disrupting your workday too much.
Human beings need social
Human beings need social and face-to-face interaction to build trust and understanding. And we can do that even in the remote working mode.
Just remember that remote culture and community is built on trust.
CommunicationSet clear expectations and
Communication
Set clear expectations and give people the tools to know what you’re working on. Three guidelines to follow are:
- Set clear boundaries
A simple thing like asking people their preferred time for meetings, questions, or calls can help them feel respected and acknowledged. - Get to know each other as people
Instead of jumping right into an agenda, allow some time for an open-ended question, like ‘what did you do this weekend?’ It’s an easy way to establish a rapport. - Show people what you are working on
Regularly update your team on your work progress to ensure efficiency.
Shared experiencesThere are lots
Shared experiences
There are lots of ways to do this, such as creating specific Slack channels based on interests.
For example, at Zapier, they have a great virtual team-building activity RescueTime Book Club.
Here’s how it works:
- Employees add books to a shared reading list.
- The company buys a copy for anyone who wants it.
- Everyone uses a dedicated messaging channel to discuss.
