The Top 10 Things Affecting Your Remote Team Culture
Culture is what a team is all about. It brings individuals together to work towards the same goal and has its own work principles and expectations. If a team doesn’t have rules to follow and expectations to fulfill, it won’t be successful. Remote teams need to have a strong culture. Unlike “regular” (office or on-site) teams, remote team workers don’t have someone near them that can always remind them of their responsibilities and the company’s goals. As a result, all the goals, rules, and expectations must be known beforehand. Here’s an overview of the top ten factors affecting your remote team culture.
1. The right number and type of remote meetings
If you want to maximize the work you do during meeting time, it is best to have department meetings as well as meetings with every team member individually or in small specialized teams. The catch is not to have too many meetings. Too much meeting time can put additional stress on your team members, which can affect their performance in a bad way. On the other hand, you need to have meetings to run your business successfully. That’s why top management and team leaders should organize small team (individual) meetings and so-called “all-hands” meetings when all remote team members are present.
2. A reward and acknowledgment system
Team leaders need to acknowledge and reward their remote staff’s good and outstanding work. Speaking highly of someone at the start of the meeting isn’t the only way to reward your remote team members. A team can have a virtual board where different members can thank each other for a job well done. How about a subscription to a popular streaming service your remote team member will be immensely grateful for?
3. Maintaining long-distance communication
Like any long-distance relationship, communication is key to success. Everyone should feel free to bring up any dilemma they have during the meetings. Not to mention five minutes of small talk before or after these meetings that can be priceless for your remote team culture. Video conferences aren’t the only way to communicate with remote team members. You are also free to organize one-on-one calls with your remote team members, including instant messages or emails, when required. Plain and simple, strengthening the bonds between your remote team members is surprisingly similar to maintaining a long-distance relationship.
4. The right tools
Without technology, remote teams wouldn’t be able to do their jobs. Thankfully, there are a ton of apps and software to help them. For instance, the Trello app keeps you organized with your work projects, tasks, and deadlines. A popular remote team option is using Slack as a virtual office. Having a virtual office means people can get immediate feedback about their work. As well as connect with their coworkers.
5. Dealing with time zone problems
The biggest challenge in managing a remote team is that you have to deal with different time zones. Luckily for remote workers, technology makes it easier to overcome this obstacle. Use tools to help schedule your remote team members’ most convenient meeting time. There will always be somebody who will have to go to bed late or wake up early, so you should do your best to find the time that will be acceptable for most of your remote team members. If it’s awful, take turns to share the pain.
6. Team design and brand placement
Here’s a simple idea of how you can strengthen and promote both your brand and remote culture. Your remote team members can wear t-shirts with your company’s logo during your meetings. Or, they can decorate the walls behind their workspace with company posters. This is one kind of “product placement” that can be very beneficial for your remote team culture. How about having a coffee mug with your company’s logo in front of the camera at the meetings?
7. Corporate retreats and team-building
Unlike regular workplaces, remote team members don’t have the chance to bond with their coworkers over mealtime. Lack of face-to-face contact makes corporate retreats even more critical for remote teams. Usually, corporate retreats are once-a-year events. This is an opportunity for the remote team members to meet their employer and coworkers in person, do some work and go through team building. Needless to say, nothing bonds people more than hiking, sports, or karaoke. Even though someone won’t be able to make it, you should try and gather as many remote team members as possible and even consider holding them more often.
8. The first among equals management principle
A great team leader delegates the workload according to the capabilities of his or her teammates. While they report to the team leader, team members have a certain amount of freedom to complete their jobs, and more freedom equals more creativity. With better work conditions and appreciation, team members respect the team leader’s authority more. Remote team members need to be comfortable with their team leader in order to discuss any problems they may face. That’s why the first among equals management principle is the best approach to a productive and transparent remote team culture.
9. Occasional personal visits
Traveling around the world isn’t the cheapest option. However, it is necessary at some point. Especially if you manage a remote team. Visiting your team member’s city and meeting face-to-face makes them feel appreciated. You may be able to meet their family as well as see what drives them as individuals. Personal visits are proven to be a sure way to boost the morale and confidence of your remote team members, which will improve their work performance in return.
10. Write your own book of remote team culture rules
To put it simply, every remote team culture needs its own rules because every team is different. What works for one remote team doesn’t have to work for another. For the remote team to work effortlessly, the team leader needs to write their own team culture rules that all remote team workers will abide by. Find the rules and culture that work for your team, even if it differs from what others advise.
This article was written by Ghost of HackerNoon for HackerNoon and was edited and published with permission.