How do you keep your global team engaged and connected?

1 Define your team culture

One of the first steps to keep your global team engaged and connected is to define and communicate your team culture. This means clarifying your team vision, values, goals, and expectations, and how they align with the organizational culture and strategy. You can also create a team charter or manifesto that summarizes your team culture and serves as a reference point for your team members. By defining your team culture, you can help your global team members understand their role, purpose, and contribution to the team and the organization, and foster a sense of identity and belonging.

2 Use the right tools and platforms

Another key factor to keep your global team engaged and connected is to use the right tools and platforms that facilitate communication, collaboration, and feedback. Depending on your team needs and preferences, you can choose from a variety of tools and platforms that enable you to share information, documents, ideas, and updates, as well as to chat, call, videoconference, and co-create. Some examples are Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Workspace, and Trello. However, using the right tools and platforms is not enough; you also need to establish some norms and guidelines on how to use them effectively and respectfully, such as when to send an email, when to call, when to use emojis, and how to handle different time zones and languages.

3 Celebrate diversity and inclusion

One of the benefits of having a global team is that you can leverage the diversity and inclusion of your team members, who bring different perspectives, experiences, skills, and backgrounds to the table. However, diversity and inclusion also require awareness, respect, and appreciation of the differences and similarities among your team members, and how they can enrich your team culture and performance. To celebrate diversity and inclusion, you can create opportunities for your team members to learn from each other, to share their stories, cultures, and interests, and to recognize and appreciate their achievements and contributions. You can also encourage your team members to seek feedback, support, and mentorship from each other, and to celebrate milestones and successes as a team.

4 Encourage engagement and participation

Another way to keep your global team engaged and connected is to encourage engagement and participation in your team activities and processes. This means creating a safe and supportive environment where your team members feel comfortable to express their opinions, ideas, questions, and concerns, and where they are listened to and valued. You can also involve your team members in decision making, problem solving, and innovation, and empower them to take ownership and initiative in their projects and tasks. Additionally, you can create some fun and informal activities that foster engagement and participation, such as virtual coffee breaks, trivia games, icebreakers, and team-building exercises.

5 Provide feedback and recognition

One of the most important aspects of keeping your global team engaged and connected is to provide feedback and recognition to your team members. Feedback and recognition are essential for your team members to know how they are doing, what they are doing well, what they can improve, and how they can grow and develop. Feedback and recognition are also important for building trust, rapport, and motivation among your team members. To provide feedback and recognition, you can use different methods and channels, such as one-on-one meetings, team meetings, surveys, polls, peer reviews, badges, awards, and shout-outs. You can also tailor your feedback and recognition to the individual needs and preferences of your team members, taking into account their personality, culture, and communication style.

6 Support well-being and balance

Finally, one of the best ways to keep your global team engaged and connected is to support their well-being and balance. Working in a global team can be exciting and rewarding, but also stressful and demanding, especially in times of change and uncertainty. Therefore, it is crucial to support your team members in managing their stress, health, energy, and emotions, and in finding a balance between their work and personal life. You can do this by offering flexible work arrangements, setting realistic expectations and deadlines, providing resources and tools for well-being and balance, and checking in regularly with your team members on how they are feeling and coping. You can also model well-being and balance yourself, by taking care of your own needs and boundaries, and by showing empathy and compassion to your team members.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?