How to Maintain a Close-Knit Team With Remote Employees

As communications technologies continue to improve, it is becoming increasingly common for companies around the world to work with remote employees – employees who do not regularly work on-site. A recent Gallup poll reported that 43% of employed Americans spend at least some time working remotely (compared to 39% in 2012). While there are certain indisputable benefits to the growing trend of Americans working remotely, working with a decentralized team can also leave both you and your employees feeling alienated from one another, detached from a common goal.

If you’re seeking to allow employees the freedom to work remotely while maintaining a sense of cohesion within your team, follow these simple guidelines:

  1. Make time for face time. This rule is as important for remote employees as it is for on-site employees. When discussing an important subject, make it a point to connect with remote employees via a video chat, as opposed to email or a phone call.
  2. Maintain steady communication and provide regular feedback. Be sure the communication is flowing both ways. If they don’t receive regular communication and feedback, remote employees can quickly start feeling alienated or unimportant.
  3. Connect them with other employees in their area. This is especially useful if you’re managing multiple time zones. By taking the time to connect remote workers with other remote employees in their area, you’ll ensure they feel acknowledged and the communication network for your remote employees is strengthened.
  4. Leverage technology. You can maximize communication and minimize frustrations by using multiple tech platforms – such as Slack, Skype, Google Hangouts, etc. – to keep in touch with your remote employees and ensure that they know that their concerns will be heard in real time.
  5. Acknowledge their achievements. While it’s easy to congratulate an on-site employee for an accomplishment in front of their peers, things can get a bit tricky when you want to publicly acknowledge the accomplishment of a remote employee. Tricky, but not impossible. If you’re impressed with a remote worker, make it a point to congratulate them in front of their colleagues once everyone is online for a video conference.

Create a Happy Team

Giving your employees the option to work remotely can have huge benefits for you, your team and your company. However, ignoring or not publicly recognizing remote workers can quickly produce resentment. If you take the time to carefully facilitate communication with your remote employees, you’ll be able to maintain a harmonious and happy team, both on-site and remotely. If you’re looking to add top talent to your team, check us out here.

 

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