According to Forbes, there are four integral factors to building a successful remote team. They involve, enhancing communication, celebrating small victories, increasing socialization, and encouraging a sense of accomplishment in every team member. Let’s look closer at each.
1. Building Successful Remote Teams: Communicate Smarter, Not More
More communication is not always better. Leaders in many companies are over-scheduling Zoom meetings and other virtual meetings, attempting to increase cohesiveness in their teams.
However, when these meetings are unstructured and without real purpose, they can only decrease productivity and motivation.
Communication is indeed key to success in all types of endeavors. However, effective communication is key; but not communication just for the sake of it. Your team needs to be aligned with common goals, and clearly defined processes for achieving those goals.
So take the extra time you need to ensure that every virtual meeting has an agenda, a structure, specific action items, and a time limit.
Also, make it mandatory that every team member has their camera on during these meetings. Facial expressions, body movements, and other non-verbal gestures are imperative to proper and effective communication. Leave the cameras on.
Remember that if you communicate effectively and efficiently, you will need less communication overall. Don’t waste your or your teams’ precious time over-communicating with no real purpose.
2. Building Successful Remote Teams: Every Win Is a WIN!
People that work remotely can fall into deep holes of boredom, isolation, and loneliness. This can cause productivity to fall and inefficiency to develop. That’s why your team should use methods that facilitate effective communication across the entire company, not just within certain departments.
Consider making a weekly announcement about team member achievements as part of your company meeting. Make it a point to celebrate the latest achievements and productivity surpluses within each department. Your team doesn’t require a major production achievement to celebrate. Every small victory is an excellent reason to have a virtual party!
Making it a big deal when anybody goes the extra mile to reinforce company culture will help to solidify team cohesiveness and enhance long-term productivity.
3. Building Successful Remote Teams: Socialization Enhances Life
Inability to unplug and loneliness are the two most common complaints from home-based workers. They miss in-person happenings like holiday celebrations, office luncheons, and team-building exercises. In-house activities like those increase team morale by encouraging and developing friendships.
When we work in isolation, at home, online, by ourselves, we miss out on important socialization events. And though it may not seem like it all at once, cumulatively, it wears on us. Nobody wants to sit at home working alone all the time!
Forward-thinking leaders develop virtual social event schedules to keep their teams engaged. Fun online activities like cooking, escape rooms, icebreakers, scavenger hunts, and remote happy hours enhance the socialization of your team members, which adds to increased long-term happiness and contentment.
Our favorite team building company for cooking, happy hours and wine tasting is Rockoly.
For non-food team building Team Building Awards has a lot of good options.
4. Encourage Leadership
Even and especially in a remote work setting, it’s important to allow each team member the chance to lead. Encouraging leadership within the team is imperative for long-term success. You can implement new policies that strengthen your company culture and allow your employees to decide whether they fit in the future vision or not.
Develop surveys for your team, asking their opinions on the current state of the company and its future direction. Let them be a part of shaping your company for the future. Appreciate their valuable feedback and the one-on-one aspects of psychology that it enables you to be a part of.
Don’t take it for granted, because the core of every company lies in the hearts and souls of its team members.
To learn more about the benefits of team building please visit: https://teambuildingawards.com/blog/benefits-of-online-team-building/
