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What is Remote Collaboration? 4 Ways to Improve Teamwork 2024

remote team collaboration

This hybrid approach provides that team members feel valued and motivated, contributing to overall success and stability in a remote setting. When your team understands what’s expected of them to support clear communication, it can boost productivity, help remote team collaboration avoid misunderstandings, and strengthen teamwork. As much as possible, create documentation on how work should be completed and have your team members do the same for their roles.

Managers of remote teams should lead by example and participate to improve personal connections and productivity, rather than as a top-down mandate. Team members may suffer from feelings of isolation, and communication may be stilted due to lack of face-to-face interaction. Additionally, the reliance on software or other collaboration tools puts teams at risk when there’s a malfunction or connection issue. However, you can take steps to combat all of these challenges and create a productive remote team.

  1. To create that sense of safety, the team needs to be able to empathize with one another.
  2. Without clearly defined meeting and communication requirements, you and your team members might struggle to decide what warrants a virtual meeting or even a direct message.
  3. Drive clarity and impact at scale by connecting work and workflows to company-wide goals.

A complete guide to running hybrid meetings

You can start by reframing how your team thinks about collaboration and teamwork with virtual team-building activities. To learn more about wellbeing and mental health in remote teams, check out our in-depth, expert-led guide. If you’re asking people to follow certain processes, but you’re not following them yourself, this will be reflected in how your team members operate. Embrace the benefits of remote work, navigate the challenges, and ensure that you always set — and follow — the standard.

Don’t sacrifice 1:1 meetings

We’ve included key insights from Remote’s founders, Marcelo and Job, who have first-hand experience of building a global, remote-first company from the ground up. And we’ll also share some tips from some of the world’s top communication and team-building experts. Instead, place your focus on building trust, committing to systems put in place, and creating a culture where teammates support each other.

Collaboration is important, as it fosters communication among team members and enables them to achieve a common goal. When you can’t book a conference room with a whiteboard, tap someone on the shoulder for a quick chat, or brainstorm together over lunch, how can you effectively collaborate with your team? Remote work can be challenging—especially as some folks do it for the first time under already stressful circumstances.

According to behavioral change expert Adam Grant, leaders are “culture carriers,” which means it’s crucial for you to lead by example. This is especially true in remote work, where studies suggest that managers are less enthusiastic about the arrangement than lower and mid-level employees. In terms of how you manage people remotely day to day, there are numerous best practices and approaches you can adopt. You need to provide your new hires with all the necessary information to get them started, and make sure they feel supported, welcome, and good about their decision — all without meeting in person. Without clearly defined meeting and communication requirements, you and your team members might struggle to decide what warrants a virtual meeting or even a direct message. After all, if you’re not in the same workspace, the chances of drawing someone away from deep work are much higher.

Asynchronous communication can help connect team members by protecting flow state and encouraging clear communication. But, switching between apps is a leading cause of time spent on work about work. Instead of using different tools for messaging, calendars, videos, and audio, use an all-in-one digital collaboration tool. It allows teams to create tasks, timelines, and custom workflows in one place, all while tracking progress.

remote team collaboration

project management (PM) tools that help you get the job done

Standardize how individual team members should document their job duties and workflows, so the information can be passed on if they switch roles or leave the company. Everywhere you look, there’s a new tool to help you communicate with remote workers and collaborate across geographies. These questions can help identify what processes are needed for a sustainable remote work environment. Workforce Lab research shows desk workers are worried they will be judged for using AI tools.

They let you plan projects and sprints, assign tasks, and provide all the context someone needs to complete their work. Project management tools usually have a broad range of features, which means they also vary widely. Some analog tools are so helpful that companies have found ways to revamp them for the digital age. Teams that once enjoyed brainstorming on physical whiteboards can now use online versions.