Over the past decade or so, an increasing number of businesses have been choosing to launch and run virtually. This has meant that there has been a significant increase in the number of virtual office teams across the business industry.
The good news is that working remotely comes with a wide range of perks, both for the company and for its employees. Employers are able to save money by avoiding the expenses that come with traditional office setups and are able to choose the very best people for a role, regardless of their physical location. While remote workers benefit from increased working flexibility, no daily commute, and more time to spend at home with their families.
With such a wide range of positive benefits, it’s easy to see why so many businesses are choosing to run remotely. However, along with all of the fantastic benefits of remote working, there are a number of struggles to consider, the main issue being teams of remote workers not feeling as connected as teams of office-based workers.
That being said, there are plenty of steps that you can opt to take to help to build a stronger connection with your remote workers, as a crucial aspect of building a strong and sustainable business.
Actively integrate communication tools into the working process
You need to ensure that your remote team of workers are effectively connected to each other and can discuss projects quickly and easily, just like they would do in an office-based environment. Sending emails and awaiting a response, just isn’t going to cut it in today’s fast-paced business world. Instead, you – and your team – need access to instant messaging software that’s business based. One of the most popular tools for this is Slack, an instant messaging platform designed for business, that organizes chats into different channels and areas. You and your team will feel better connected if you’re able to communicate easily and instantly with each other throughout each working day, so tools like Slack are a crucial investment.
Hold weekly video calls
Another simple yet effective way to ensure that your remote-based team feels connected, is to organize weekly face-to-face video calls where everyone can see and speak to each other. Aim to have a team meeting once a week at a set time, and then allow for smaller meetings throughout the week as and when they are needed. The more you can communicate with your team via video call, the more successful your remote-based team is likely to be.
Establish fun, quirky company traditions
In a traditional office space, it’s easy to establish fun, quirky company traditions. However, in a remote-based office it may not seem as easy. Think outside of the box and come up with ways to keep your team connected, even though everyone is working miles apart. For instance, on your team members’ birthdays, you could send funny gift mugs by Panvola, or you could send each team member a cupcake to enjoy on the weekly team call to mark the birthday. You could also hold monthly pizza parties, where you send each team member a pizza of their choice via a takeaway service and you all eat together as a team while on a video call.
Get creative and remember that just because your team is positioned far away from each other, that doesn’t mean that close bonds can’t be built.