What do you do if remote work is hindering collaboration among team members?

As a leader it's your job to maximize your team and support those around you. This can be difficult in a fully remote situation when there are varying time zones, communication styles, and variety of business needs. By assessing what's currently happening with your team, you can best plot the path forward

To enhance collaboration in a remote setting, we must ask: What specific needs and challenges does our team face? Understand the tasks, communication styles, and tools in play. Is the issue with processes, technology, or team dynamics? Identifying these areas allows us to tailor solutions directly addressing the root causes, leading to improved collaboration.

If you have switched from office to remote, or even to a hybrid model, there might be some issues. Because habits die hard and if collaboration relies a lot on informal and unscheduled chats around the office, suddenly strategy execution might be impacted. That being said, if teams/colleagues are not working together, the issue might run deeper. You might have a problem of strategy alignment or even operating model. If you want to work with someone, move a project forward, you always find a way - that's never the core issue.

Remote work can only hinder collaboration when there is not enough support and motivation. So that is fully on the managers to ensure employees voices are heard and their needs being met. Just because employees are working doesn't mean you can let them do whatever. You need to know that they will still need the time for learning and guidance. As a manager if you cannot meet those needs to keep their work challenging then it is your fault. You needs to be able to assess their needs and understand what are the issues that they face on the daily. Assess and understand are there any loops in the processes, is work being communicated effectively and efficiently. There must be a gap somewhere if work is taking a back seat.

When remote work hampers collaboration, setting clear, unconventional expectations can bridge the gap. Encourage team members to define their preferred communication methods and share their schedules to foster a culture of transparency. Introduce ‘collaboration hours’ where the team is online simultaneously for real-time brainstorming, mirroring the immediacy of office interactions. Utilize project management tools not just for task tracking but as spaces for spontaneous idea sharing, akin to water cooler chats. Assign ‘collaboration buddies’ to pair team members for weekly check-ins, ensuring diverse connections within the team. These strategies promote a structured yet flexible environment.

Be open in communicating and have a medium for communicating effectively other than emails. Use slack, have a whatsapp group or something that people can also voice out their opinions. It is essential to also understand how they feel regardless of whether they have said something or not. You as a manager need to understand them for the words they say and the unsaid words. So set clear expectations on what work needs to be done and with timelines on tasks, as well as checkpoints where you can stop to ensure work is done appropriately.

There is a variety of tools available - chats, virtual meet ups and collaboration tools. I would also ensure that you at leats have one meeting per week where everyone contributes.

Set up your remote collaboration for success, and be sure you are not hindering or excluding team members. Digital tools can be challenging for all team members to benefit from. Extroverts can be distracting to other members. Introverts can be absent. Older workers can be intimidated. People who get easily distracted can be derailed. Try having a weekly time when everyone is present, and do so in a way that is easy to participate in and time-boxed. Important information needs its own channel or a different way of communicating so it doesn't get lost, and so team members don't have to check in repeatedly throughout the day. An experienced moderator helps. It's an investment, but when your team is virtual, it's worth it.

Using #chat features makes remote work seem less isolating. When teams can collaborate in real time-not neverending meetings, but constructive banter, Q&A's, feedback- everyone can feel engaged in projects. Keeping communication going in critical for helping all the players stay in the loop.

One philosophy for making a hybrid working model work is that your team comes together regularly for personal interaction. We for instance have a team week where we change our weekly routine as a business: we do a joint brown bag breakfast where we focus on peer to peer learning about different aspects of our business. We also do a team event on that week in order to allow for personal connections above and beyond the work projects. And we simply foster a presence culture in the office for that team week. This way we ensure that people stay connected to people while the following hybrid work period.

I have found that a predictable cadence of meeting in-person dramatically increases productivity of remote teams. These are functions that have existed long before the hybrid/remote work trend - Especially where multiple offices exist, people are always remote to colleagues. Predictability in-person connections increase communication effectiveness, collaboration, and work well outside of the window of time when colleagues are in physical proximity of one another. Depending on the team and culture, every-other month might be perfect, and for others 2-3 times a year may suffice.

In my experience managing remote teams, establishing clear communication channels and regular check-ins has been key to fostering collaboration. Using project management tools to visualize tasks and progress helps keep everyone aligned. An initiative I introduced was virtual brainstorming whiteboards using online resources, which not only enhanced team collaboration but also sparked creativity, leading to innovative ideas and solutions.

In remote settings, fostering an atmosphere of openness and sharing is crucial for collaboration. Create a space where team members feel emotionally safe and valued, encouraging them to share insights and feedback openly. This approach not only enhances teamwork but also ensures continuous improvement in collaborative practices, making every member an integral part of the solution.

Let's spark team spirit and connection! -> Start by scheduling regular follow-up meetings to keep everyone on track. Then, enhance team spirit with one-on-one coffee chats where team members can share their thoughts, ideas, and aspirations in a relaxed setting. These conversations deepen connections and foster a sense of belonging, but they're just the beginning! -> Imagine the excitement of meeting face-to-face once or twice a year. Offline gatherings provide the perfect opportunity to strengthen bonds, exchange stories, and create lasting memories. While online meetings serve their purpose, nothing compares to the energy and connections of being together in person.