Remote work arrangements offer companies and employees many benefits. However, they come with distinct challenges, as well, including a feeling of being disconnected from other workers and company business at large. The good news is that these challenges can be managed. If your company uses remote work schedules or if you want to start using them, you can use specific methods to help create a cohesive remote work team.
Regularly Scheduled Check-Ins
Schedule regular virtual meetings. Consistent meeting times help foster a feeling of inclusiveness. They give employees a chance to see each other, participate in group discussions, and hear from you.
Regular meetings are beneficial for individuals, as well. Taking time to digitally meet with employees one-on-one gives you a chance to hear about their challenges and progress with their work and their lives and ask whether they need support.
For groups, weekly meetings offer the most benefit. Individual meetings can be less frequent, but employees need to know they can reach out to you between scheduled one-on-one conversations.
A branded virtual office background can help focus online meetings. It reinforces the company’s mission and can help employees feel they are part of the company, even in remote work arrangements. Virtual background specialists can help you create a background that strengthens your company’s digital presence for employees as well as clients.
Setting Proper Expectations
To help virtual gatherings and remote work situations overall go smoothly and operate efficiently, employees need to know what is expected of them. Take time to consider your employees and your business goals to set doable expectations for your remote team members. Ways to establish realistic remote team expectations include:
- Define responsibilities and roles – Remote employees need to know their specific tasks and how those tasks fit into the whole. They also need to know who they can consult if they have questions and how they should report in. Remote employees need to know if they will be colloborating with others. Finally, they need to know the final expectations for tasks and how products will be evaluated.
- Honor efforts and achievements – Remote team members need to know they are seen and appreciated. Team successes should also be celebrated. Offering incentives and rewards is a good way to show appreciation for excellent work. This positive reinforcement helps create a pleasant company culture that can inspire loyalty.
- Be flexible – Remote work may be pleasant for some employees but difficult for others. Honor the preferences and needs of team members as much as possible in order to encourage them to do their best work and feel good about it.
A good way to foster a sense of teamwork with remote employees is to use a virtual background with logo. By setting up a professional-looking background, you help remote employees feel more connected to the company.
Using a virtual office background for teams as well as using methods that respect remote workers can help foster a feeling of cohesion. Digital background specialists can help you find the best way to express your company’s corporate personality and help remote team members feel connected.
