How To Communicate Effectively With Your Remote Team

If 2020 taught us anything, it was to pivot, expand our minds, and find creative ways to communicate. As we move forward from life under the pandemic’s thumb, we are unsure if measures put in place during lockdown will stick. Working remotely and virtual teamwork are a couple of these measures. If you find yourself navigating the challenging waters of working from home, keep reading for how to communicate effectively with your remote team.

Video Calls All The Way

Video calls have replaced most phone conference calls and (arguably should) replace e-mail threads when working remotely. They have become the only truly effective method of being able to read someone’s facial expressions and body language when unable to be in person; sometimes emojis, which just don’t quite cut it. Video calls can prevent miscommunication and maintain connectedness between team members when they cannot be in the same room.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “dress for success”.

Although spending the day working from home in pajamas has a certain appeal, but studies have shown that remote workers are more productive and confident when they dress the part. Being expected to put on a work-appropriate outfit (or shirt at least), brushing your hair, and maybe even taking a shower can affect your mood and productivity. Video calls can provide that accountability.

Being in a meeting that could have been an e-mail (you know the ones!) has always been an ineffective use of time, but when a team is forced to communicate largely by e-mail or chat applications, remote workers can feel bogged down by all the loosely connected information.

Another problem with e-mail as an effective form of communication for remote teams is its ease to be ignored, missed, or deleted. For important or complicated information, make it an agenda item for a meeting. It will ensure that the information cannot be easily ignored, it allows opportunities to ask questions, and adds to the substance of a team meeting.

Use A Chat App

Chat applications are a useful tool for quick communication, they help to maintain a flow for a project or meeting, and allows for chatting and camaraderie as a substitute water cooler. A group text will work in a pinch, but the beauty of the chat app is that different teams can have their own chats, while still communicating with other individuals or groups.

Some members of a team may not be as comfortable speaking up in a group but may feel less reluctant to send a chat message question during a meeting. Even a moderately small team can divide into multiple sub-teams, depending on the project. Therefore, those that don’t need to be involved in the conversation aren’t stuck listening to it during a larger meeting. The best part is being able to joke with teammates or chat with them, as normally would have occurred in person.

Getting the team to actually use the app may be a bit more difficult. Be deliberate about using it and make it a part of your communication. Encourage others to use it to communicate with you. Even if there is some resistance, it will soon become second nature.

Check out some chat apps here.

Detailed Communication is Key

Email, with all of its pitfalls, is still the dominant communication tool in the workplace. Truthfully, it will probably still be around after the pandemic. When using email, ensure you communicate using as much detail as possible. Over-communicate if necessary. The more detailed your communication, the more effective it will be.

To further avoid confusion, be sure to use terms and language that everyone can understand. Every professional niche has its own specific language and lingo. Immerse yourself in it and encourage your team to do the same. This will ensure consistent and effective communication between all remote team members.

Provide Resources

Having access to resources is imperative for remote staff. Working at home with a laptop is often a far cry from a physical office setting that contains written resources, office supplies, and easy access to teammates for collaboration. To remedy this, get those written resources into a digital format. Having a well-organized set of tools and resources can prevent needless questions about policies, processes, or wasting time emailing or faxing templates back and forth.

Resources for your remote team go beyond the paperwork. Help your team manage their remote professional life by providing them resources for mental health, as well. Set aside time to meet with teammates one-on-one to check in with them.

Giving opportunities to hear team members’ concerns and address any issues before they arise will help maintain job satisfaction, increase morale and decrease turnover. Even a simple email with a link to resources, especially if they are offered by the company or agency at no expense to the employee, can improve team spirit, decrease sick days, and make for a more effective team.

Acknowledge Participation

Communication can become ineffective during a virtual meeting when the internet connection is bad or if there is a delay between video and audio. When this happens, it can be hard to catch body language and people often unintentionally interrupt each other. This can discourage those who don’t speak up much or maybe already feeling distant from the team. A major part of effective communication hinges on each member of the remote team participating in the communication.

Directly ask questions, specifically address members, and give your input as well so others will feel more comfortable doing the same.

Have Fun and Celebrate Success Together

Just because a meeting is virtual, doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. If team members are working from home, consider opening the meeting with “show-and-tell”. Let the team brag about a kid’s report card, introducing their pet, or showing pictures from a vacation. We are social creatures, after all. Try to find new and creative ways to engage your team and have a bit of fun.

The team may not be as aware of individual successes, since they are no longer in close proximity with each other. Be sure to recognize others’ success, ask for others to share new achievements, and be comfortable bragging about your successes. Cheer on your teammates and let them cheer you on. Increased camaraderie among your remote teammates, the more effective the communication will be between them.

While these suggestions are specific to how to communicate effectively with a remote team, they are useful in all professional settings. Working on a team remotely can be tough, especially for communication and productivity, but it does not have to be. Be intentional with all your communication and it is more likely to be received effectively.