Here's the biggest lesson I've learned from 5+ years of working remotely: Team-building is not optional.
Working remotely has more benefits than downsides, in my opinion. But when people work remotely for a long time, they can start to feel disengaged and unmotivated. This is not only true for people who work remotely in an organization where most people go to the office. You run the same risk in a fully remote organization: teams with low levels of chemistry and engagement.
I remember when I worked at an office.
Team building was not automatic, but bonding was because we saw each other all day, had lunch together, chatted about our lives, some people carpooled together, and many shared common interests during breaks. Even when we had to work super late, we bonded. Often, we would go out for a beer after a long night of work.
But not everything is gossip and pats on the back; when you share the same space with people for 8+ hours a day, friction between people is inevitable. You get annoyed by your coworkers more often (and you annoy them too, let's face it). Someone might insist on using your coffee mug when they know you are an irredeemable neurotic who doesn't like to share dinnerware (not a personal anecdote, I swear).
Remote work is liberating and productive as long as your team doesn't start to feel cold and disengaged. That's why I wrote down a list of actions you can start implementing today to improve your remote team's engagement.
1. Schedule video calls just to hang out.
I know, I know; many of you hate meetings, to begin with. And yes, I know Zoom calls are not our favorite either. But bear with me. The point of these chunks of time is to hang out. That's it. To talk about movies, TV shows, introducing your kids to the team, and whatnot. It should be 100% free and unstructured (the only constraint should be the duration, and you should consider being flexible with it as well). Don't force it; let the shy guy observe in silence if he wants. Let the chatterbox go at it. This is a moment for everybody to just be themselves, kick back, and blow off some steam. There's one rule, though: cameras on and have fun.
Note: Pleaaaaaaase don't include team-building activities here; we'll cover those later.
2. Overcommunicate the cool parts.
This one is huge. One thing I learned the hard way is that creatives don't like to feel as though they work alone in a company that's not interesting or exciting. That's one of the reasons we ended up working in ad agencies and design studios, right? We want to be part of something cool and exciting, but working alone at home can detract from that experience.
In contrast, when you work at an office, you have full visibility of the other teams; you know if someone got a big promotion or won an award. You have to be aware that remote workers will not pick up this info from thin air; that's why you need to over-communicate whatever you have that may excite them or make them feel proud of the company that they work for.
If you have a larger organization, you could implement internal newsletters, monthly keynotes, or some type of digital bulletin board. You could go with short 10-minute update video calls if you run a small team or firm.
3. Mix it up
The first time I was a remote worker (in 2013, what a hipster), I was a copywriter with the team that worked on the largest client's account. So, out of a 50-employee agency, I was in contact with 5 or 6 of them. It was cool, and I enjoyed working with my team, but when my creative director decided to involve me in other projects, a whole new world opened up in front of my eyes. That little change of pace injected a lot of energy and fresh motivation into my work; I got to know more people from the agency and took my mind off the usual work for a bit.
You may find this a bit exaggerated if you haven't worked remotely. But you have to remember that the experience of working remotely is way different than in an office. That's why you need to be very intentional with the activities that will help remote workers feel more integrated with the rest of the organization.
4. Play time!
Remember I told you not to do team-building activities in "hangout" calls? It's not because I dislike them (I do, secretly, but that's not the point), but because they must have their own time. These activities can range from super structured and professional to informal things like a couple rounds of Fortnite (or whatever the cool kids are playing now.)
There are tons of resources online that you can use for team-building exercises. Kahoot is the one that comes to mind, but I promise I'll compile some other options and link them here. Most games you'll find online are customizable quizzes, which can be very entertaining if you ask the right questions.
There are also tons of "lo-fi" activities that you can do within a Zoom call. For example, what if you did a thematic status meeting where everyone must wear a costume?
Now, let me stop right here with a word of caution. Only use quizzes as a team-building exercise, not to lecture your team about politics (your politics) or to see if they memorized the company's mission. Best case scenario, they turn off their cameras and roll their eyes. Worst case scenario, you make a big dent in the team's morale and start losing them.
5. Check-in constantly
Not to be confused with "micromanage over iMessage/Slack/Whatever." Checking in with your team should sit permanently on your calendar. When you work remotely and don't hear from your team for hours or even days, things start to get weird. Some people may begin to think they will be fired; others may feel they must not be important to the team if you don't need them for two days.
The line between letting your people work in peace and making them feel abandoned is thinner than you'd think. So it's essential to gauge how much communication your team needs on a daily basis.
The good news is that you don't need to schedule video calls every 15 minutes for this. A simple message works. Ok, maybe not as simple as "hi, there." The point of this exercise is to let your team know that they are remote but not alone.
Here are some examples of little messages that you can shoot during the day to remind your team that not only you are there, but you are there for them: "Hi, I'm here if you need something"; "How is everything going? Do you need help with something?"; "Is there something I can do today to make your work easier?".
You don't need to reinvent the wheel or do some crazy stunts. The only thing that your remote team needs is a little bit of extra communication, some fun, and feeling like an important part of an exciting company.
I hope this helps, and let me know if you are already implementing similar ideas with your remote teams.
See you!
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