Struggling to keep your remote team in sync? You're not alone. We've got tips from CEOs and HR experts that can help. They'll show you how to use metrics, meetings, and more to help your team actually feel like a team.
Why is it important for remote teams to have shared purpose?
A shared purpose is like the glue that holds a team together, especially when everyone's working remotely. It's more than just a mission statement; it's the common goal that everyone is striving for.
When a team has a shared purpose, a few key things happen:
Alignment: Everyone knows what they're working toward, so there's less confusion and wasted effort. You're all pulling in the same direction.
Motivation: Shared goals create a sense of community. When you're part of something bigger, it's easier to stay motivated, even during the tough times.
Accountability: When the team's objectives are clear, it's easier to hold people accountable for their contributions. No one wants to be the weak link in a chain that's pulling toward a common goal.
Better Communication: A shared purpose often means shared language and understanding. This makes it easier to communicate, collaborate, and solve problems together.
Employee Retention: People are more likely to stick around when they feel like they're part of something meaningful. A shared purpose can help create that sense of meaning.
- Emphasize Metrics and Team-Building Elements
It's crucial for every team member to understand how their work impacts the entire company. We can achieve this by introducing clear metrics that show each person's contribution to the bigger picture.
My team works completely online, so team-building elements are very important. Larger group meetings are essential, but we also focus on small details. For instance, we ensure everyone has a profile picture and a short bio set up on our communication tools. These small steps help in building a sense of shared purpose among the team.
Martin Potocki, CEO, Jobera
2. Foster Camaraderie Through Regular Meetings
This question is frequently encountered, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. It's crucial to foster a sense of camaraderie and community among remote team members.
Hosting weekly team meetings and encouraging regular communication in channels like Slack are effective ways to achieve this. As the leader of your organization, availability is also key, whether it's during certain set hours or throughout the day on Slack, similar to any open-door policy in a traditional office setting.
Azmaira Maker, Ph.D., Founding Director, Aspiring Families
3. Implement Remote Stand-Ups
Stand-ups are an excellent tool for keeping everyone on track and on target. They are meetings where everyone on a team individually states what they are working on, what they have achieved, and what they plan on doing next. This ensures that everyone knows what is happening within their team and can smoothly coordinate their efforts. Naturally, remote stand-ups are conducted virtually using Zoom, Teams, or your other chosen platform.
Stand-ups are essential for remote teams; otherwise, staff will feel disconnected and isolated. They also create a forum in which staff can feel comfortable sharing ideas, highlighting roadblocks, or otherwise raising concerns that are holding them back.
Ultimately, they keep everyone focused on the organization's key objectives and are essential for creating that sense of shared vision that remote teams often lack.
Oliver Savill, CEO and Founder, AssessmentDay
4. Adopt Virtual Team-Building Events
Many employees don't pursue a job because of a lack of inclusion in an organization. Team-building activities for workplace employees are easy to create and process. However, after the advent of work-from-home and hybrid work culture, HR leaders and managers have had to change their approach to team building.
Traditional team building is not one-size-fits-all. Start adopting virtual events rather than workplace activities for team building. Add some variety to your virtual team-building activities. Attendance should be optional so that employees don't feel forced.
Build a sense of community in your virtual events. Plan games that work-from-home employees can also play. In a nutshell, include remote employees in every event of the office. Changing team-building activities will help to create a sense of shared purpose and mission among office employees and remote employees.
Saikat Ghosh, Associate Director of HR and Business, Technource
5. Promote Transparency and Share Mission
Be transparent with your team and share your genuine mission, instead of keeping team members "in the dark."
The more your team knows about how their work contributes to the bigger picture, the more willing they'll be to assist with growth, and the better they'll understand how they fit into the mission of the business.
Tracey Beveridge, HR Director, Personnel Checks
If you're leading a remote team, make sure to clearly articulate the team's shared purpose and revisit it regularly. Use it as a touchstone in meetings, performance reviews, and when making decisions. It can be a powerful tool for keeping everyone on track.
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