1Maintaining a Unified Company Culture in the Remote-Worker Era
2Focus on Face-to-Face Communication
It might seem easier to make a phone call, but face-to-face communication pays off. Ditch the phone and schedule a video conferencing call on a reliable device, such as Highfive. Make sure you can share your screen for maximum collaborative capabilities and ensure the audio quality is exceptional so remote attendees feel like they’re in the room. Maintaining visual contact is important in building trust with customers and remote teammates, and the right tools can ensure productive collaboration wherever you are.
3Schedule Regular Check-Ins and Sync-Ups
4Over-Communicate
Taking time to talk about more than work is crucial when developing bonds with your colleagues. Rather than jumping straight into a deck presentation or diving head-first into a business development plan, set aside five minutes at the beginning of a call or meeting to talk about something other than business. It could be a new restaurant you tried over the weekend or a sports game, for example. Taking a little time for something seemingly small can go a long way.
5Create a Mentorship Program
6Schedule Quarterly In-Person Visits
7Celebrate Talent
Acknowledge the efforts of employees to promote a companywide community of support. Whether it’s thanking someone for taking initiative on a difficult project or recognizing a colleague for learning a new skill, making time for weekly acknowledgments teaches employees to share success stories and value their co-workers.
8Seamlessly Connect Teams
Messaging apps are key to connecting remote workers, but what if everyone uses a different preferred chat app? Regardless of whether it be Hipchat, Google Hangouts or Zinc, services such as SameRoom can connect different messaging services through portals, so everyone is happy. When employees are connected seamlessly, important information won’t get lost and communications will be less messy.
9Emphasize Personality
It can be easy to go from 9 to 5 focusing on solely emails and spreadsheets, but when you’re working remotely you might crave those little distractions from your deskmate. Slack helps with that. It’s a messaging tool that helps promote company culture that is open, personable and friendly. Even a small gesture, such as adding a funny, relevant gif to a conversation, lightens the mood and showcases personality.
10Be Willing to Adapt
It’s easy to get stuck going about the same routine, using the same old tools on a daily basis. Take your teammates’ advice into consideration and don’t be afraid to try something new. New tools can improve productivity and as an added bonus, they can bring teams closer together.