Introduction

Can you be as productive at home as you’re in the office?
The short answer is yes. The future of work is now and it’s digital - teams stretch across different time zones, and Zoom calls are the new office meetings. While working from home offers flexibility and better work-life balance, it also introduces unique challenges for productivity, engagement, and professional culture.

HR professionals, recruiters, and team leaders, this article is for you. Join us as we go through tips and strategies to foster a high-performing remote team culture, no matter when and where people log in from.

Why team culture matters more in remote jobs

Building a productive culture is essential for retention and success, even more so in remote teams. Here’s why:

• Fosters a sense of community
  Loneliness in remote workers is a huge issue. According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report, 25% of remote employees feel lonely every day, compared to 16% of fully onsite employees. Another survey, Ringover’s 2024 Loneliness at Work, delves deeper, stating that remote workers feel lonely 98% more often than their fully onsite counterparts and a crazy 179% more often than those in hybrid roles. However, a strong team culture fosters a sense of connection beyond the geographical boundaries and reduces feelings of isolation.
• Improves retention rates
  A supportive environment helps people stay engaged and satisfied, and employees who feel connected to company culture are less likely to quit. 
• Enhances motivation and collaboration
  When working from home, people are more likely to feel disengaged. A positive team culture can turn things around and keep employees motivated and committed.
• Builds trust
  Without face-to-face interactions, trust becomes essential for collaboration. Team culture promotes transparency and helps members hold themselves and others accountable.
• Strengthens company identity and helps improve employer branding
  When people work from literally everywhere in the world, a unified culture reinforces the company’s mission and values. It helps remote teams feel connected to the bigger picture.

How to build a strong team culture in a remote team - nPloy’s tips and tools

1. Improve communication

Effective communication is always important, but it’s the backbone when it comes to remote teams. Here’s what to do and what tools to use to achieve it.

• Tools to use: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Discord
• Tips and best practices:some text
  • Set daily check-ins or weekly team meetings.
  • Adopt the asynchronous work method: it means that people can work without having to engage with each other in real time, which allows for more flexibility.
  • Document decisions and store important files in shared cloud spaces like Notion or Google Drive.

2. Keep teams on track

Make sure your team is equipped with tools that ease collaboration and improve efficiency. These tools keep everything organized, allow for monitoring progress and promote transparency.

• Task management tools to use: Trello, ClickUp, Asana, Monday.com
• Time management tools to use: Toggl, Clockify
• Document sharing: Google Workspace, Dropbox, WeTransfer

3. Encourage work-life balance

Burnout is a real risk in remote jobs - a study on "The State of Employee Mental Health in 2024", conducted among 1,405 employees, shows that 44% feel burned out from their work, and 30% often feel stressed. Adopt these strategies (and see more here) to promote balance:

• Flexible hours: Spotify has recently made headlines by stating their employees are not children and they trust them enough to keep on working remotely. Believe in your employees and trust employees to manage their time.
• Defined boundaries: Encourage employees to log off after work hours so they can relax and recharge. You can also expand the social benefits your company offers by adding fitness memberships or wellness apps like Headspace.

How to improve engagement in a remote workplace

Let’s take a look at a few more things you can do to improve engagement within a remote team.

Foster real and meaningful connection

People are your most valuable resource, so make sure to keep the connection between employees alive..

• Host virtual team building activities
  Online games or trivia nights are a great place to start. Once you get them going, why not try to meet in the real world?
• Celebration milestones and personal achievements
  Spread the good news about team wins and don’t forget to acknowledge birthdays and work anniversaries.

Upskill your team

Upskilling means helping employees acquire new skills that allow them to advance in their current roles or prepare for future responsibilities. According to the World Economic Forum, The Fourth Industrial Revolution is creating demand for millions of new jobs, with vast opportunities for fulfilling people’s aspirations and potential. They predict that by 2030, 1 billion people will be equipped with the skills of the future.

Companies that invest in upskilling experience higher employee retention, increased innovation, and greater adaptability and satisfaction. Plus, employees are more engaged when they feel their employers are committed to their professional development. By providing opportunities for continuous learning, HR leaders can bridge critical skill gaps and foster a culture of growth. And while you can do the work and develop learning paths within the organization, you can also provide access to learning platforms such as Coursera, Skillshare and Udemy.

Gather feedback

An open dialogue within the team sets the stage for a healthy work environment. It keeps everyone aligned and fosters a culture of growth. You can gather feedback during one-on-one meetings or regular anonymous surveys - use tools like SurveyMonkey or Typeform for these.

Conclusion

Building a productive culture is especially important in remote jobs as it fights the unique challenges working from home hides and creates an environment where employees feel supported, connected, and empowered. If you put all of this knowledge to work and implement the strategies outlined here, you can transform your remote team into a cohesive and high-performing unit.

If you’re currently looking at expanding your remote team, jump on a quick call with the team to learn how nPloy can help you find the best talent from all around the world.

FAQs

How do you build a strong remote work culture?

Focus on improving communication, encouraging work-life balance, and fostering inclusivity to build a strong remote team culture. Use Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams to keep employees connected and maintain transparency. Encourage flexibility in work hours and trust employees to manage their schedules while setting boundaries to avoid burnout.

How do you develop good teamwork when working remotely?

Good teamwork in remote settings relies on clear communication, task organization, and accountability. Use Trello, Asana, or ClickUp to assign and track tasks, schedule regular check-ins or team meetings to ensure alignment, promote asynchronous work to accommodate different time zones, and make team decisions transparent.

How do you build social connection in a remote team?

Create opportunities for meaningful interaction to build social connections in a remote team. Host virtual team-building activities and celebrate milestones such as birthdays and work anniversaries. Encourage real-world meetups when feasible and foster a supportive atmosphere by recognizing achievements.

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