Does this scenario sound familiar to you?

I've run a remote team for the last 24 months in the branding and marketing of a global chocolate brand. I'm based out of Los Angeles. I handle the strategic direction for the brand. In contrast, each of the regional teams across Singapore, Australia, Mexico, London, Dubai, and Switzerland handle the brand strategy's on-ground execution in their respective regions.

Are you also doing something like this at work? Well, if not, then you might be living and working on another planet. These days, there is hardly a corporate leader or manager who hasn't come face-to-face with the challenge of making remote teamwork. As remote teams become the norm, most managers and HR leaders seek ways to make them work effectively.

In this article, Kraftylab brings the top 5 ways to build better remote teams:

1. Regular Communication

According to Rollo May, an American Psychologist, "Communication leads to community, that is to understanding and mutual valuing. We are social animals, and Communication is vital for our psychological survival.

Remember when you were working in a physical office, sometimes you would get updated about an announcement as part of a hallway or water cooler conversation? Remote team members are at a significant disadvantage when keeping abreast of the latest happenings, mainly if they are not proactive and extrovert. This breeds confusion, distrust, and hostility.

As a manager, keep everyone in the loop. Make it a habit to regularly hold one-on-one dialogs with every team member, apart from the regular team meetings. Cut through the periods of lengthy silences by proactively sharing information about the team goals, unexpected obstacles, and new solutions. Doesn't it feel good to have a face to talk to rather than staring at a wall or blank screen? Sometimes, turn on the video to add a human element to your daily calls. Always maintain a positive and supportive tone in Communication. Build a structure to the remote teamwork by having regular meetings the same day and time each week, sharing the meeting agenda in advance, establishing clear communication protocols, and starting and finishing on time.

2. Create opportunities for making social connections

We all have an intrinsic need to affiliate with others, and when this need is unfulfilled, we experience negative feelings like loneliness. Our psychological survival depends on trusting and supportive relationships. Fundamentally, it doesn't matter how technologically sophisticated we become; emotional connectivity remains a core part of being human.

When people share a space, the sense of camaraderie comes naturally — going for lunch together, playing a game of table tennis/snooker, or taking a coffee break. All these present opportunities for people to connect socially. That isn't the case when a physical distance separates them. Most of the time, when a remote team comes together for a virtual call, the conversation is all about work. It becomes even more challenging for those working from the office but has recently transitioned into remote working.

A great idea to show that you care is 'instead of jumping straight to the agenda, carve out some time before the meeting to have a personal conversation". Ask about a recent Netflix movie they've watched, wave boarding or guitar lessons their kids are taking, weekend camping or hiking trips, or any new baking recipes.

It would help if you created opportunities for remote teams to socialize to discuss matters outside work. Recreate watercooler chats by setting up a daily virtual time where anyone can drop in and out for a quick non-work-related chat. A virtual coffee time or open meetings with no agenda is refreshing for even as short as 20 minutes. You can even make these virtual gatherings cross-departmental.

3. Celebrate achievements together

Celebrating achievements has never been more critical. Now is the time to get creative and show you are proud of your remote teams. It boosts their morale and shows you care about them. So, what's the best way to recognize the efforts and achievements of remote teams?

We all appreciate the recognition that's simple yet personal and thoughtful. A trophy, a thank you card, or a free spa coupon are all mundane. People love something that relaxes and revitalizes their mind as well as broaden their horizons. Crafting is beneficial to us in many ways. A great way to increase happiness and protect the brain. Do you know, for over a century, art and craft-based activities are a part of occupational therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder?

Some ideas to celebrate with your remote workforce:

Ship DIY kits to employees' homes. Our Soap Making Kit is a perfect way to add a creative spin to raising a toast with your remote team. Employees enjoy customizing the color, design, and fragrance of their soaps. In the end, they either use themselves or give as a gift to their friends or loved ones.
Send a hand-written thank you note to the employees' home to tell their specific contributions that are appreciated.

Creating – whether through music, drawing, photography, baking, painting, or craft – offers mental health benefits similar to Zen meditation and mindfulness. According to psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, crafting creates a state of flow when an activity completely absorbs people that nothing else seems to matter. This 'state of flow' is the secret to happiness.

4. Bring back the fun

"Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away."

– Benjamin Franklin

Don't you agree that people who laugh together grow closer together? That's why don't forget to infuse a little fun into your remote teams' day. When we say 'fun', we mean 'active fun' where we get to do something together, rather than being a passive audience to a video playing on their screen. Doing an activity together helps people foster new friendships, share their passion, collaborate on new ideas, and a vibrant way to connect.

Some ways you can inject fun and laughter into your remote teams' working:

Create online space for non-work chats
A virtual game night
Hold a trivia night and online bingo
Run a virtual "match the baby photo to the employee" contest
Get everyone to share a fun fact about their home town
Celebrate a virtual holiday party
Invite a performance artist to give a virtual performance
Virtual coffee tasting, virtual mixology

5. Draw them out of their comfort zone

It's a bit obvious when we are physically away from the action space; some slack may creep in. Remote teams ride the curve from exciting to boring as the workday becomes monotonous. Letting complacency continue is dangerous. It eats into the enthusiasm, motivation, and productivity of your remote teams.

An exciting way to draw your remote team members out of their comfort zone is by putting them in a new experience.

When every day holds the same series of events, the workday becomes entirely predictable. Yoga and meditation push us outside our comfort zone while improving our mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing at the same time. A participant in our virtual yoga session said, "this one hour is the best I have felt all day." Yoga challenges us to focus, breathe properly, and quieten our minds, challenging us to get better by exploring different capacities of our bodies, minds, and souls. The only way to get through is by pushing oneself to adapt while enjoying yourself.

Building better remote teams are all about strengthening connections, nurturing a sense of trust and belongingness. Whether you're doing a virtual team building event or adding fun to routine virtual meetings, we hope you find these suggestions helpful. We'd love to hear your experiences of building better remote teams. Do tag us @THEKRAFTYLAB on Instagram.

If you have any questions about our soap-making classes, group mediation and yoga or other virtual team building workshops, please don't hesitate to reach us schedule a call.

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