Working from home
Long talked of by companies and dreamed of by employees, working from home has suddenly become the only option for many.
But while the positives are many, the reality of feeling isolated from colleagues can quickly set in.
A
2017 study by Harvard Business Review found that remote employees generally feel more left out and shunned by their office colleagues.
When every employee is
working from home, those feelings of isolation can slow everyone down, so it's important to foster strong personal connections remotely.
Here's five great ways to build some virtual team spirit as quickly as possible.
1. The digital water cooler
The most fundamental sense of connection comes from sharing casual discussions about more than just task lists and action items.
Through whatever digital tools your team is using to collaborate remotely, make sure there are channels for idle discussions.
Whether it's a deep dive into Ozark season 3 or sharing pics of your now pet co-workers, giving team members a sanctioned release valve helps a team stay friendly and warm without needing to exit the digital office environment to do so.
2. The shared office playlist
In many shared office spaces you'll find a stereo or, these days, a smart speaker playing background music for the team to listen to, with a playlist curated by some members of the team.
This doesn't have to stop for remote workers. Spotify and other music services offer collaborative playlist options that let everyone add songs everyone can listen to.
You can even have some fun guessing who might have dropped that retro classic into the mix. The best part is, you can finally skip that song you hate when you're at home.
3. The virtual happy hour
Whether it's via a virtual bar session to end the day, a digital coffee run to start it, or a video lunch to share a chat over food, creating regular moments to get together is important.
Just make sure the video cameras are on to get the full sense of connection with each other in the moment.
In recent research into virtual teams, Associate Professor Will Felps and Virginia Kane from UNSW argue that video technology should be used whenever possible.
"Video technology allows leaders and teammates to pick up on non-verbal cues such as when a [team] member is trying to have input or agree/disagree with what is being said."
4. The special occasion
Don't forget to celebrate team birthdays and cultural events as part of your virtual office routine.
Order cake for the birthday person to enjoy - with the requirement that they must share pictures with the team. Have hat days or find other excuses for people to dress up a little and share photos.
Give people an excuse to celebrate and add a little flair to the daily routine.
5. The proactive check-in
There are many ways to keep a team engaged in a fun and casual fashion, but it's also important to ensure that everyone keeps an eye out for team members who don't speak up or join in.
Gallup research points to two potential problems - loneliness and isolation. Lonely team members are feeling emotionally distant, while isolated staff feel more structurally out of the loop.
Proactive check-ins on mental wellbeing and professional development by team leaders can help to overcome these problems and keep the team strong.