One of the big struggles remote teams face is maintaining an “all-in-this-together mentality. As mentioned by SIOP, one of the most difficult new challenges that remote teams face is keeping employees engaged. When employees spend most of their dedicated working hours alone, it’s hard to remember that their individual efforts are contributing to a bigger mission. That’s why it is more important than ever to help team members feel connected to each other in work and non-work-related ways. Here are some top ways to promote team unity:
Focus on the Same Goals
Making big-picture goals front and center of everyone’s daily efforts keep the idea that there is in fact a united vision alive. When assigning tasks, tasks should be assigned in the context of what the ultimate goal is.
Start Day with a Morning Meeting
Starting the day with a team meeting helps people remember that their work ultimately contributes to the success of a united goal. Having everyone understand what needs to be done overall helps with productivity and ensures everyone knows how to support one another. It is also a great opportunity for questions to be asked and provide answers that the whole team may benefit from.
Team Shout-Outs
Giving a shout-out to a team member for a job well done in a group setting will make individual team members feel their individual work is respected and recognized. When individuals feel recognized for their work by the greater whole, the feeling of isolation becomes less of an issue. Also, people feel motivated and eager to continue doing good work when they feel appreciated.
Live Work Sessions
In-office work environments allow team members to collaborate on projects and ask questions in real-time. We Work Remotely suggests that a great way to recreate that dynamic is by hosting live remote sessions. Everyone has the opportunity to work through problems together and communicate directly and in a collaborative style.
Weekly Challenges / Prizes
Having a weekly challenge either work or non-work related makes things fun, breaks up the monotony of the week, and encourages healthy competition among coworkers. As a study by Cornell University mentions, avoiding burnout can be a big problem for remote teams, so interjecting fun into the day is essential. Weekly challenges maybe work or non-work related, but make them simple.
Virtual Social Events (Hello Team Bonding)
Nothing brings people together like making fun memories. Virtual social nights are the perfect way to help team members connect and bond on a more personal level. A great example is signing up for a virtual escape room. Other examples might include hosting a Zoom meeting trivia night, playing an in-home silly scavenger hunt, dressing up for a theme, and playing a movie are some fun examples of potential social events. These fun nights break up the monotony of the week and enable team members to have fun together.
A united team is a strong team. The more we can do to keep the team unified the better. Keeping people engaged and interacting with one another of the game when it comes to teamwork, so use some of the tips above and have fun coming up with your own!