How to Build Amazing Remote Culture
Culture happens no matter what. If you put 2 or more people together, a culture will inevitably form. And your culture has an ENORMOUS impact on every single aspect of your business. So why wouldn’t you be intentional about it? Spoiler alert: you should ABSOLUTELY be intentional about it! Great remote cultures don’t happen by default, they happen by design.
Strong organizational cultures are built on a foundation of trust, communication, & alignment. Without these three key elements, your culture is going to suffer. Look inward on them individually & ask yourself these questions:
Trust : Do we trust each other?
Communication : Do we communicate clearly & effectively as a team?
Alignment : Are we all working towards the same goal in the same direction?
Chances are, if you are having cultural issues within your organization - it's most likely because of one of these key elements!
So how do we build an amazing remote team culture? We have to focus on our remote trust, communication & alignment. Here are my top tips to help you take your remote culture from good to ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!
Psst...I also shared these tips at Culture Community! Here’s the video if you’d prefer to watch!
TRUST: Build Trust through Connection
Do you feel connected to someone you don’t trust? Of Course not! That is why it is SO important to first & foremost gain that trust & then the connection will surely follow.
At its core, trust is about relationships & relationships are built through genuine, meaningful connections. We trust leaders & teammates who demonstrate that they care about us on a personal & professional level. When I feel seen, heard, & valued – I trust you.
Remote connection is - different ; you have to work harder for it to be meaningful. What can you do specifically to make this easier? Try these!
Remote Connection Tip #1: Get Curious!
• Before jumping into work-mode, start your meeting by connecting via curiosity.
• Focus on asking powerful questions that help you get to know your teammate, their unique perspectives, values, goals, & aspirations.
• Ask about their background!
Remote Connection Tip #2: Genuinely listen
• Don’t just nod your head & smile, take it IN & ask follow up questions!
Remote Connection Tip #3: Have 1:1’s
• 60% of workers say that 1:1’s build trust faster than any other action.
• Shake it up – do some 1:1’s via Zoom & others on the phone while walking.
Remote Connection Tip #4: Curate your Remote Environment for Connection
• Eliminate Distractions!
This allows you to be present/focus your attention. You can’t close your laptop, but you can; put down your phone, turn off notifications & make eye contact. Eye Contact is KEY! When the only part of your body they can see is your face, body language becomes less important & eye contact becomes CRUCIAL. Become aware of the message you might be sending; are you looking up, down, to the side? Maybe you should turn your screen off completely! The most important aspect of this is to simply communicate in order to eliminate confusion & drive connection.
What are some more remote connection tips you ask? Let's get into it.
Remote Connection Tip #5: ENGAGE on Slack & Teams.
I can’t tell you how many organizations I’ve seen that have these amazing communication tools but don’t utilize them because their team simply does not engage! Your culture is not what you say it is, it's what you DO. Use it as a way to connect, I’d rather have too much noise than not enough. Here are a few easy things you can do :
• Post fun memes, cheer each other on, share funny things that happen to you
• Celebrate client, team, & personal wins!
• Create channels specifically for connection & engagement (#confetti; #welovepets; #alwaysbelearning)
Remote Connection Tip #6: Company Retreats that ROCK
There is nothing quite like in-person connection! There are so many ways to take your company retreats to the next level. Learn more about this here. Do it on a cadence that works best for YOUR team.
Remote Connection Tip #7: “If one person's remote, everyone's remote”
Whether there is one person that is at home & remote & six others are together in the office it is a good cadence to then make the whole team meeting remote so as to make the remote team member feel included & equally connected. If you want to have a hybrid team or remote first team this is HIGHLY encouraged.
COMMUNICATION: Level up your Communication, Level up your Remote Culture
Remote Communication Tip #1: Use Video
My best & most favorite tip for communication in a remote team environment is to use video ALWAYS. Human connection, even via video, is crucial when working remotely! Send videos back & forth instead of email & Slack/Teams. You can hear tone, energy, & it feels more like a connection.
Send videos back & forth in Slack to move work forward. You can use Zoom to record or there is a video recorder in Slack too! Videos help strengthen team connection, understanding, & also helps with tone. Yes, even though it is a video, it is like you are having a convo! Your internal videos DO NOT need to be perfect! We have sneezed, Betty has come on screen, dogs are barking, we space out…it happens! You can have your screen on or not for internal videos. Videos are also a BIG part of how we communicate with our external clients – it’s definitely a cultural element of The Perk!
Remote Communication Tip #2: Create a “How we Communicate Here” Policy
When it comes to having a high-performing team, getting the right things done, & not wasting time or money, internal communication is EVERYTHING.
Strong organizational cultures are built on a foundation of trust, alignment, & communication. & clear, consistent, effective communication is the ultimate driver of both trust & alignment. So, in other words, communication is EVERYTHING.
In our experience, 90% of the time when there is conflict on a team, or lack of progress, it comes down to being either a communication issue or a trust issue (or both).
We want our communication at The Perk to be AMAZING in order to maximize productivity, impact, & team connection.
Use Slack for example! Set an expectation of what, why & how.
What it is : “Where work flows. It's where the people you need, the information you share, & the tools you use come together to get things done.” Our one-stop shop for sharing & receiving information. This is our default over email.
Why we use it : CONSISTENT, CLEAR communication & CONNECTION! Communicate information company-wide, or in small groups. Houses information (don’t have to dig through e-mails). Work & non-work related information sharing. Generous use of emoji’s & gifs are encouraged!
How we use it : Don’t expect an immediate response (if you need this, call!) Pop in to communicate at least 3x/working day. Turn on “do not disturb” when you want to do deep work. YOU have to own your use of Slack. Use ‘Do Not Disturb’ & other settings. There is no reward for being ‘present’ on Slack. There is no reward for immediate responses.
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SIGN UPALIGNMENT: Gain Remote Alignment by Designing a Group Alliance
This is your “Remote Rules of Engagement”. Sets expectations so everyone knows what to do. People want to be successful! There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to Remote Work & Remote Culture. Default to screens on or off? Raise h&s or just talk? Determine what works best for YOUR unique team!
Why should we design a group alliance? To intentionally create a safe & courageous space. To establish trust in each other. To help us know how to work with you in a way that empowers you. To set the foundational platform upon which all future work will occur.
Take a step back & ask yourself :
• What are the ground rules to ensure everyone stays safe & is able to thrive?
• What is needed so everyone has the best experience?
• What is needed so everyone has the most fun & is able to learn to swim?
For example! The Perk has the following Group Alliance. Be present & minimize distractions by using the default to screen on & unmuted. We communicate if you’re going to be late to a meeting. Direct message to one person who is in the meeting. If you’re driving, don’t worry about it. Safety first! Permission to jump in! No need to “raise hand” on Zoom, just say “hey I have a question” or jump in!
It’s never too late to DGA!
Now is a great time to take a step back, assess, & work together as a team to Design your Alliance. What’s working really well that we should keep doing? To make our experiences better, what should we start doing? What should we stop doing?
Remember my friends: Culture is not a check-the-box thing, so when it comes to your remote culture - your work is NEVER finished. How fun is that!? You get to work on this project forever!
Also remember: perfect remote culture does not exist, it's constantly evolving. Acknowledge it will never be perfect, but that it will remain a focal point, & always be worked on.
And last, but certainly not least, you don’t have to lead alone. I am here, in your corner, supporting you & cheering you on, always. Culture work is not always the fun or easy thing to do, but it’s absolutely the RIGHT thing to do. Reach out if you need any help at all!
As always, leader, YOU’RE AMAZING!
Pssst...I LOVE connecting with & growing my community! Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn - see you there! 🤗
