The world has moved from brick-and-mortar shared workplaces to remote virtual offices in the past few years. Companies and businesses are rushing to build communications networks to communicate effectively with their teams. The challenge comes in for companies that have never set foundations for remote working before. With the office changes coming with new challenges, here are ways to improve remote team communication.

Offer Leeway

Companies must recognize that working from home is a new system, and someone is bound to make mistakes. The learning process will take time, especially for teams that generally don’t work with IT and are not tech-savvy. The process needs a mini-goal system with incentives to motivate employees to understand the system. Assurance during the transition period also helps employees feel comfortable enough to ask how the system works and might even offer ways to improve it.

Encourage Human Interaction

Working remotely for many organizations is mechanical, where the employees log in the morning, do their assigned tasks before logging off. The lack of human interaction can fester a spirit of competition since colleagues do not communicate to encourage each other. Help employees stay connected while apart by opening forums where they can talk to each other. Tensions during deadline projects can also lessen, creating a healthy working environment.

Video Meetings

Although various meetings are held efficiently through emails, a few video meetings help employees’ emotional and mental state. Physically apart, they feel more than a number for the company when human interaction is encouraged. Their mental health is also protected as they connect a face to the email and voice, improving the team’s communication networks.

Encourage Non-work Communication

Office communication during work hours should not be just about work; sometimes there’s a need to have personal level communication. Encourage remote team communication on everyday matters touching on their lives. If possible, develop safe places in specifically built apps where they can talk without any consequences.

Invest in Messaging Tools

Emails, no matter how informal the message sent is, always seem formal and professional. Asking questions becomes burdensome to everyone as they have to appear professional even on minor issues, wasting time and energy. Messaging tools help the team communicate better and easier, especially on urgent matters. The addition of other communication channels ensures that the team feels they have more freedom to speak.