“Think small and act small, and we’ll get bigger. Think big and act big, and we’ll get smaller.”
Herb Kelleher
Working remotely is often hailed for its many perks and benefits – but it comes with its own unique challenges. Building a sense of community remotely can be challenging. Some people compare remote working to “being alone on an island.” It can be tough to replicate the feelings of camaraderie that naturally develop during in-person office events. Here are three tips that we’ve learned help combat island-dwelling and maintain high morale in an online team setting.
Ask Questions
We’ve talked about asking better questions during sales conversations – but the same is true for building relationships! Getting to know new team members starts with learning about their interests.
When new team members join Bandalier, we ask them to share two truths and one lie at our weekly wrap-up meeting. Once we know the lie, we tend to ask more about their truths. It’s a great way to kickstart the meeting, and drive natural conversations and connections for new team members!
Mentorship
We are all in this together! So, we support all our new associates by pairing them with an established team member who has been with the company for at least a few months. This way, the new hires have someone to answer simple questions. Opening lines of communication early helps our team feel satisfied and fulfilled in the workplace.
Company-wide engagements
Getting your team involved in activities or games is a great way to form and keep a sense of community. The smallest activity can have the biggest impact on attitude. Our team’s favorites include five-minute yoga exercises and debating the answers to trivia in Slack!
Daily Team Check-Ins
Zooms don’t have to be for business meetings. Taking the time to enjoy one another’s presence for a few minutes is time well spent. Opening the floor to updates from your team or dedicating time to your associates asking meaningful questions can have a huge impact. Just showing people that they’re cared for and valued by giving them the capacity to freely voice their opinions!
By working to take steps like these, we can build bridges for our remote “islands” together.
