Here's how you can nurture professional relationships in a virtual work setting.

I love virtual coffee! It really keeps me in touch with the people I work with, and my professional contacts. Touching base on the personal level is critical to building good relationships. People want to know who they're working with, and so do I! I've had difficult working relationships turn into really good ones once I took the time to get to know them on a personal level. It really makes a difference at work and in life. Highly recommend!

While remote work allows organisations to offer their employees flexibility and harness global talent and markets for business growth, inability to rely on physical interactions between employees imposes challenges specific to operations in highly virtual work environments.

The paper contributes to the literature on socialisation and organisational culture by demonstrating one approach to designing a surrogate for socialisation that acts as a conduit between the symbolic aspects of organisational culture.

Being mindful of non-verbal cues is equally important in virtual settings, even though they are less apparent than in face-to-face interactions. Using visual signals such as nodding, smiling, and maintaining appropriate facial expressions can convey your engagement and understanding. While these gestures may seem subtle, they are powerful indicators of your attentiveness and interest. Additionally, maintaining eye contact is crucial. Although it may feel different in a virtual setting, looking at the camera instead of your screen can simulate eye contact, showing that you are focused on the conversation. This non-verbal communication can significantly enhance the speaker's sense of being heard and valued.

Because organisations employing more extreme forms of VWE cannot rely on physical interactions between employees, one of the key challenges of co-ordinating work in virtual organisations rears its head: navigating organisational culture.

Collaboration tools are definitely fantastic. Don't forget that even these tools can be used to just check up on someone. Notice they seem down in a meeting? Do a quick behind the scenes check with them. Offer to have virtual coffee, or just catch up. It can make a difference at work.

The frequent absence of face-to-face socialisation in virtual organisations could undermine some of these processes and weaken the connection between the symbolic and pragmatic side of organisational culture.

Challenges emerge when expectations enshrined in the symbolic side of organisational culture do not materialise in the actions performed by members of the organisation.

Empathy is a skill that can be developed, and this simple tip can be quite effective. To convey attentiveness and understanding, use verbal cues thoughtfully. Paraphrasing and reflecting back on what the speaker has said helps confirm your comprehension of their message. It can be especially beneficial to use the exact words the person is using because words carry emotions and multiple meanings. By avoiding unnecessary adjectives and mirroring their exact language, you enhance the sense of being not only heard but also understood. This approach demonstrates that you are attuned to their unique perspective and helps clarify any potential misunderstandings early in the conversation.