Perhaps you’re in the mid to early stages of transitioning from office life to working in a very different way. Or maybe you’re a bit of a veteran, and for years now, you’ve been working remotely.

Either way, the thought of structuring and fostering connection in a work environment can be challenging and even daunting for anyone. 

Wherever you are in your relationship with remote work, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few essential tips that will help you enhance relationships with your team.

1 | Streamline Communication Across Remote Teams
What’s your communication platform of choice? This is a foundational decision. An organized digital space can have a positive effect on your state of mind. Here are a few suggestions that are used by some of the most prominent organizations out there:

Microsoft Teams

Developed by Microsoft as part of the Microsoft 365 family of products, you can find channels to belong to or create your own. There are two types of channels in Teams — standard (available and visible to everyone) and private (focused, private conversations with a specific audience). Within channels, you can hold on-the-spot meetings, have conversations, and share files. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and other Microsoft programs are all built into Microsoft Teams. 

WeCom

WeCom is part of the WeChat ecosystem, China’s super go-to messaging application, and there is a high level of interoperability between them. Since the WeCom user experience is similar to WeChat, it takes less time for the users to get familiar with the tool.

The Tencent team had discovered drawbacks of using WeChat in a professional setting and developed WeCom to create a clean ecosystem for more effective communication and exclusive services. WeCom now serves more than 5.5 million companies and 130 million monthly active users.

Slack

Developed by the software company Slack Technologies, Slack has gained popularity over time and is now one of the most talked-about proprietary business communication platforms.

It is a single place for messaging, tools, and files so that you can toggle between client workspace and professional network. It helps companies connect internally and externally with partners and consumers, solving critical communication challenges in the workplace.

2 | Choose Your Words in Text Communication Wisely 

Unlike in-person, where your body language and facial expressions can compensate for certain misuse of words. When we get excited or nervous about a conversation, we can all slip up ever so often. However, as you may have noticed, reading people’s reactions through masks is hard enough, not to mention through text. 

This is where it’s of utmost importance to be clear and concise when communicating through text. Take screenshots if need be. Refrain from blowing up workspaces by adding one-word meaningless contributions. And when what you want to say gets too wordy, don’t be afraid to make a call. While texting and messaging can be convenient, they can also sometimes be missed. 

3 | Icebreaker Moments in Meetings

As people gather in the boardroom, there’s often a murmur that happens. Coworkers catching up with each other for a brief moment before the meeting starts, and this should be no different online.

Begin meetings with a positive personal note and make it into a weekly ritual i.e. “This weekend I...” “I just ate…” to remind us we’re all humans first and remote workers second. 

Another way to keep our digital worlds more human is to share and celebrate personal milestones. May it be a birthday, or personal achievements, sharing and announcing it builds rapport. 

You should also pay attention to your tone of voice in virtual meetings. There is a time and place for everything. So try to be concise and on time to avoid any misunderstandings. 

Finally, a word on meetings - active listening is just as crucial as being the speaker. If your camera is on, show that you are engaged and not looking around into the abyss.

4 | Proactively Facilitate Communication

Dedicate time to facilitate communication, or said another way: over-communicate.

Don't expect others to reach out if they have questions. Instead, check in frequently and take ownership of your tasks and responsibilities. Encouraging peer-to-peer feedback while collaborating on projects in real-time, meaning shared screens, is fun and can increase engagement.

5 | Periodic Hangouts

Non-work activities can strengthen relationships between coworkers. While we can all get tied up or are still working towards managing our time outside of a physical office, you still want to work towards scheduling quick catch-up sessions. 

After you’re familiar and comfortable with the small catch-ups, then you may want to graduate to virtual-happy-hours, virtual-lunch-dates, or even group workout sessions online. 

Start a “water-cooler” group and think of it as a place, just like in person, where one can virtually drop into and have a little chat with colleagues during your break. 

The past year and a half have transformed many people’s relationships with work, with millions making a transition from office life to remote life. While many may be getting used to working from home, others come across obstacles. Check-in with your teammates as you would with friends and family since you spend so much time with them. Let’s get through these uncertain times together and come out stronger and more connected than before.