We now live in a world where technology takes center stage. Technology has paved the way for innovations to bring more convenience, streamline processes, and, most importantly, allow for remote work.
There are plenty of remote employees all over the world today. If you manage a team composed of them, getting work done is your utmost priority, but it’s equally vital to build strong relationships with your employees in order to achieve success. However, how do you go about doing that?
Set A Regular Schedule To Connect Online
Set aside time to catch up with your team members. You can conduct weekly meetings and individual check-ins to address concerns timely and to keep your team members in the loop. Use this chance to get to know them better as well. Working remotely requires a lot of communication since you’re not running into each other at the office. Create a schedule so everybody is on the same page and you are up to date with everything that’s going on.
Opt For Video Calls
There’s nothing wrong with communicating via chat, SMS, voice call, and emails. However, if you want to connect on a more personal level with your team members, it’s better to talk to them on video call. Video calls are an excellent way to mimic in-person interaction.
Moreover, video calls help keep your team members focused while you’re in a meeting. When the camera is on, they have no choice but to listen and focus on the speaker. On the other hand, if it’s only a voice call, it’s easier for people to get distracted—chances are that some employees will attend to something else during the meeting.
Another great thing about video calls is that unlike in text messages or chats, issues don’t get misconstrued. The speaker’s facial expressions and tone of voice will help you understand what they really want to express right away.
Get To Know Them Personally
If you want to build strong relationships with remote employees, you need to show some interest in their lives outside of work. You can do this by checking in with everyone at the start of your video calls—ask them about their weekend, their pets, or their hobbies. Make that extra effort to remember details about their personal lives, and this will make your team members feel more valued and cared for.
You can also create a group chat on your chosen platform where team members can talk about non-work-related things. The more you encourage your team members to share their lives outside of your virtual office, the better you’ll get to know each other and build trust. However, make sure that the non-work spaces that you create are inoffensive and appropriate.
Try To Meet In Person As Much As Possible
If you and your team members live in the same city, you can conduct monthly in-person meetings. You can also invite them to office holiday parties and events. On the other hand, if team members live in various parts of the country or in a different country altogether, you can meet up with them should you happen to be in the area when you’re traveling for work. It would also be a good idea to set aside a budget for a team building activity wherein everybody can meet in one place during the weekend.
Define The Working Hours
It may be challenging to distinguish working and non-working hours when working from home. Technology has made it easy to work 24/7, but of course, that is impractical and may induce burnout among your employees. You don’t want that to happen; therefore, to strengthen relationships with your remote employees, set core hours during which your team can expect you to be online and reachable.
When you have well-defined office hours, communication will be more efficient. Moreover, you and your employees get to avoid burnout and negative stress.
Conduct A Survey
Another effective way to build stronger relationships with your remote employees is to conduct surveys. Doing so will allow you to collect feedback about your management style and identify roadblocks that your employees may feel hesitant to bring up in meetings or conference calls. Surveys will also let you know how well you’re communicating and identify ways you can improve.
Relax And Spend Time With Yourself
Working remotely can be more stressful than working in a shared physical office. That’s why it’s vital that you aim for relaxation and spend some time with yourself. At the end of each workday, make sure to dedicate at least an hour for self-care. You can have a soothing bath using the Detox Bath Salt to take away the stress of the day.
It would also be a good idea to work out, go for a run, or read a book—basically, do the things you enjoy most. You need to have time for yourself after working remotely as this can help recharge you.
When you’re stressed out, it will be difficult to build stronger relationships with your employees because you may find yourself in a bad mood or too busy working. By taking a break every now and then, you can improve your well-being and have enough energy to address the needs of your employees.
These are some of the things you need to remember when connecting with your remote employees. If you create and maintain a strong remote team, you can grow your brand more quickly and efficiently.
