What do you do if your remote team is struggling with communication and collaboration?

1 Establish clear goals and expectations

One of the first steps to improve communication and collaboration is to make sure everyone on your remote team has a clear understanding of the team's goals, roles, and expectations. This will help align your team's vision, avoid confusion and conflicts, and foster accountability and trust. You can use tools like SMART goals, RACI charts, or OKRs to define and communicate your team's objectives, responsibilities, and indicators of success. You can also review and update these regularly to track your team's progress and adjust as needed.

2 Choose the right tools and platforms

Another key factor for effective communication and collaboration is to choose the right tools and platforms that suit your team's needs and preferences. There are many options available for remote teams, such as video conferencing, instant messaging, project management, file sharing, and brainstorming tools. However, not all tools are created equal, and using too many or too few can cause frustration and inefficiency. You should evaluate your team's communication and collaboration styles, challenges, and goals, and select the tools that best support them. You should also provide training and feedback on how to use the tools properly and consistently.

3 Create a communication plan and protocol

Once you have the right tools and platforms, you need to craft a communication plan and protocol that outlines how, when, and why your remote team will communicate. This plan and protocol can help your team dodge information overload, communication gaps, and miscommunication. Additionally, it can ensure that your team respects each other's time, availability, and preferences. When creating your communication plan and protocol, consider aspects such as the purpose and frequency of different types of communication (e.g. daily check-ins), the preferred mode and channel of communication (e.g. email or phone), the response time and etiquette for communication (e.g. acknowledging receipt), and the communication norms and expectations for your team (e.g. taking notes).

4 Build rapport and trust

Communication and collaboration are not only about exchanging information and working on tasks, but also about building rapport and trust among your remote team members. To create a successful team, it is essential to foster engagement, motivation, and performance through rapport and trust. You can show genuine interest in your team members by inquiring about their personal lives, hobbies, or challenges. Additionally, you can promote informal and social interactions through virtual coffee breaks, happy hours, or games. Celebrating achievements and milestones by sending congratulatory messages, giving recognition, or rewarding efforts is also a great way to build rapport and trust. Lastly, providing support and feedback such as offering help, guidance, or appreciation is crucial for fostering a strong relationship with your remote team.

5 Encourage creativity and innovation

Communication and collaboration are essential for generating and implementing ideas that add value to your team and organization. Creativity and innovation are especially important for remote teams, as they help them adjust to changing needs, tackle challenges, and achieve goals. To foster creativity and innovation among your remote team members, you should cultivate a safe and open environment where they can freely share their ideas without fear of judgement. Involve them in decision making, problem solving, and brainstorming, and recognize their input. Additionally, challenge your team members to learn new skills, explore new possibilities, and experiment with new approaches. Lastly, reward creative and innovative ideas and actions, and share best practices and lessons learned .

6 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?