Are you an employer who has embraced the remote workforce trend? Does a big portion of your team work remotely so you want to be sure things operate as smoothly as possible? While some people may have assumed that remote work was nothing but a passing trend, this is not only untrue, but if anything, it is becoming a bigger movement as time passes by. The COVID-19 pandemic required many businesses to shift to an online workforce, only for employers to realize the benefits it offers and make the choice to embrace it permanently.
For all the advantages it offers, one common complaint that employers can have is the struggle to ensure remote teams feel connected and engaged with one another and have open lines of communication. If that sounds familiar, here are four effective ways to help your remote teams bond.
Check-In with Your Team More Often Than You May Think Necessary
For your team to bond and feel at ease with one another, they need to be comfortable in their job and their role. It’s your job as a manager or boss to check in with them often, more often than you may think necessary. If you were all in the same place, you could easily see when things aren’t running smoothly, they are feeling overwhelmed or they just don’t feel comfortable. When you’re communicating via instant messaging or emails, it’s just not the same.
Checking in often means your employees know you are there for them, you want to support them, you care about whether or not they succeed, and they should feel comfortable coming to you. Check-ins can also be via a video meeting for a more personal touch. You can hold staff meetings via a Zoom call – giving employees a chance to see each other and take part in a joint meeting.
Bring Teams Together That May Not Necessarily Work Together
The next tip is to make an effort to bring teams or individuals together that may not usually chat with each other. Setting up tasks or projects that require joint effort means they will start to open up the lines of communication.
Host an Employee Appreciation Day or Luncheon
Because your employees are hard workers, you can also show thanks with an employee appreciation day or luncheon that requires them to come in. This will be a casual event, which means their walls will be down. It’s the perfect opportunity for them to socialize and get to know one another.
Plan a Games Day or Afternoon
Sometimes it can be hard to shut off work mode, but giving employees a bit of a break and setting up team-building exercises should be seen as an investment in the health of the business. Planning a games day or afternoon is a great way to get everyone engaged, have a great time, let down their guards and start to bond.
But what games should you play? Word-based games can be extremely fun, and highly addictive. Games such as Scrabble, Words with Friends and more will have them putting on their thinking hat and sharing some laughs. Unscramble.me is a great tool for word games, as it will help employees who find themselves stuck in a match.Â
If your remote workforce lives close enough to come into the office, you can also set up a games afternoon at work. Use these coupons and discount codes to save on all types of games at some of the most well-known retailers.
What may come as a surprise to you is the fact a remote team can feel just as connected as one that works in the same office space together. Using these tips will help ensure that.
Also Read: How To Communicate With Staff Without An Employee Communication App
