As a leader, how, when and what you communicate is more important than ever before. As is your non-verbal communication, even when working remotely. Leaders also need to set expectations about how teams should communicate while working remotely.
As a general rule, frequent communication is a good thing for remote teams, especially those who are used to being co-located in the same office space. Think about how often your team would have informal conversations at work (ie unscheduled chats about challenges you’re facing and what’s coming up) which don’t necessarily happen organically while you’re working remotely.
Inform your team of your expected pattern of team, project and 1:1 meetings and their frequency. You may find that your team needs more collaboration during remote working, so consider implementing a daily morning meeting/huddle.
As a leader, it’s important to share with your team the flavour of each meeting, the role they’re expected to play and provide them with an outline of what the meeting will likely cover. Make sure you and each of your team members are aware of what will be covered in 1:1 meetings.
Will it be the same agenda as it used to be? If yes, that’s great – tell them that – your people are seeking sameness and stability wherever possible right now. While the frequency of communication is important, it’s also crucial to consider how frequent communication between team members could affect productivity.
While each team scenario might be unique, here are some things you’ll need to consider and cover:
We know that communication can be tricky at the best of times. Hopefully, these tips have helped you put some guidelines in place for you and your team to make your working process as smooth as possible.