Managing team cohesion and morale in a remote Enterprise Software team: Feeling disconnected?

I organize video calls that go beyond work discussions, hosting casual chats, personal updates, and celebrations to replicate the watercooler vibe. This helps create bonds and ensures everyone feels connected despite physical distance.

I've worked mostly remotely since 1998 - so I do have a lot of experience with it. Back then I bought a building a block away from rented space that housed my business previously, and it was much smaller. I upgraded everyone's furniture, computers, headsets, etc. and realized that I could either have a private office - OR I could have a meeting room/demo room/training room. Not long after that, I sold my business and had 7 desks in 7 cities - so I started doing sales presentations remotely. At that point, I was "the boss" - but regardless, in my opinion, it is the responsibility of the remote worker to engage and make it work. I did when I was a people leader, and I continued doing so when I became an individual contributor.

Virtual meetups can become run of the mill. To keep things fresh, try a "Team Movie Script" where each person contributes a line to an ongoing fictional story during meetings. Over time, you’ll have a collaborative creation that reflects everyone's unique personalities. Alternatively, set up a "Digital Escape Room" that team members must solve together, blending work-related puzzles with fun challenges. You can even establish a “Culture Roulette” where one team member shares something from their culture each week—be it music, recipes, or traditions. By blending creativity with connection, you make team-building more of an experience than a task.

As a project lead, I learned that clear goals are key to team success. I made sure each team member knew their role and how it fit into our goals. This avoided confusion and boosted morale. For example, I helped a struggling team member see how their task affected the project. This led to more engagement, motivation, and better work quality. This experience shows how clear goals drive team success.

Try implementing a "Mission Map" where each team member's role is represented as part of a visual, evolving map of the project. Think of it like an adventure game: everyone’s task is a key quest that advances the team's progress toward the ultimate goal. Regularly update this map to show milestones reached and new challenges ahead. Another creative approach is to have each member record a quick video explaining their role and how it ties into the larger project. Share these as a fun “team showcase” that emphasizes interconnectedness, helping everyone grasp the big picture in a dynamic, engaging way.

I still remember when my manager gave me a shoutout in front of the team for a project I'd been grinding on. It was a small thing, but it meant everything to me. Boosted my confidence and motivated me to keep killing it. Now, I make sure to recognize individual wins and celebrate team achievements, no matter how small. Public recognition during meetings or online can work wonders. A simple kudos or great job can lift spirits and make people feel seen. It's especially key in remote environments. By doing so, I keep my team connected, motivated, and inspired to crush their goals.

In a traditional office environment, recognition often happens naturally. However, as remote work becomes increasingly common, these organic moments of recognition are more difficult to replicate. When employees are dispersed across various locations, the opportunity for spontaneous appreciation diminishes, leaving a gap that can negatively impact morale and productivity. Therefore, fostering a culture of recognition in a remote setting is vital. Acknowledging individual achievements and celebrating team wins helps maintain a sense of connection, purpose, and motivation within a geographically dispersed workforce. Recognition is a powerful tool that drives employee engagement, satisfaction, retention and encourages an unified community.

Create a "Kudos Quest Board," where team members can give each other recognition in the form of virtual badges or tokens. Each badge corresponds to different qualities—like problem-solving, teamwork, or creativity—and they’re displayed on a shared board. As the team collects these over time, they unlock fun rewards, like virtual game nights or team-building experiences. To make it more engaging, allow custom badges, so the recognition is personalized. You could even gamify it further by introducing “levels,” where hitting a certain number of kudos unlocks special team roles like “Project Guru” or “Team Mentor” for the week.

To combat feelings of disconnection, focus on building a strong recognition and celebration culture. Implement a peer-to-peer recognition system using tools like Bonusly, where team members can publicly acknowledge each other's contributions. This promotes a culture of appreciation and boosts morale. Celebrate achievements, both big and small, through virtual ceremonies or by sending personalized gifts. This reinforces the team's sense of accomplishment and unity. Create dedicated Slack channels for non-work discussions, allowing team members to share personal interests and build connections beyond work. This has to be consistent, and you need a team member who will become responsible for making sure this is not a one-time thing.

Addressing disconnection through continuous learning can significantly boost team cohesion and morale. Implement a culture of continuous learning by: - Establishing a virtual learning hub where team members can share knowledge, resources, and skills. Confluence from Atlassian is great for this - Organizing regular "Lunch and Learn" sessions where team members present on topics they're passionate about or have expertise in. - Creating cross-functional project teams to promote skill-sharing and diverse perspectives. - Implement a mentorship program that pairs team members across different locations and levels of experience. - Hosting virtual hackathons or innovation challenges to stimulate creativity and collaborative problem-solving.

The buck starts and stops with open communication. Successful solution sales teams maintain high/ deep levels of 1:1 and group comms. Sharing experience, Ideas, success and failures- inter-team and across the regional - not only keeps everyone informed it generates cohesion, and improves opportunity discovery and close rates.