What do you do if your remote colleagues are difficult to connect with?

While timing is crucial, consider re organising the teams to better handle time zone differences. Today the world has become global however there is an added difficulty to handle teams and keeping morale when the time overlap between team members is less than 25% of the people's schedule. This is even more important when the line manager is the one with the difficult time zone adjustment.

When facing difficulties connecting with remote colleagues, proactive communication and strategic use of technology are key. Schedule regular check-ins or video calls to establish and maintain rapport, ensuring these interactions have a clear agenda to maximize productivity. Utilize collaborative tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Asana to enhance real-time communication and project tracking. Foster a team culture that encourages openness and regular sharing of both professional updates and personal anecdotes to build stronger connections. If time zones are a barrier, rotate meeting times to accommodate different schedules, showing flexibility and consideration for everyone's circumstances.

Timings can be an issue, but the bigger issue maybe that you've not developed rapport or a sense of team camaraderie with your colleagues. There maybe a level of formality between you. The best thing is to work on spending time in informal discussions with them to get to know them better. Also if you're their manager, be more involved with their work and stay in touch as to how they are doing. Once this happens, the distance will feel lesser and both of you will be flexible and more available to each other.

Check-ins are great, but group fun activities like games can also be a great ice-breaker that helps people open up to the group and each other

I would say go old school, instead of using meets and zooms, call them up on the phone and talk to them directly. While zoom and other channels like slack may seem more formal - a phone call can be more personalised

Foster inclusion with remote colleagues by involving them in the planning and execution process of team meetings. Ask for their input on the agenda. Ask about topics of strategic importance to them. Ask for ideal meetings days and times in their time zone. Make an effort to incorporate as much of their input as you can. During team meetings, assign a portion of the agenda to them to lead the discussion and decision-making process. Ask for their point of view on key topics. Consider these strategies for including all team members, whether remote, hybrid, or in-office.

Don't forget to always add an agenda to the meeting and the expected outcome! Also, give members the ability to reject a meeting if the expectations are not set. With the "always connected" attitude we have the tendency to forget that a meeting is an invitation.

When things don't work even after you've done your best, setting some kind of cadence or regular slots where the availability of both parties can be ensured can be worked on together. You could even try doing fixed virtual coworking hours where people could join a link for certain hours and the team works together. This should not be forced but it could be a open friendly invitation for anyone to join during these pre-decided fixed slots

Being personable is a superpower. People are all very different and bring their own backgrounds, interests, passions and beliefs to a workplace, but the one thing we all have in common is a desire to belong. Taking a few minutes to send a note, comment on their LinkedIn posts, or even schedule a quick chat builds rapport. It makes people feel seen and gives them an opportunity to connect in our mostly digital interactions. I've seen people acknowledge the extra effort it takes to do this, and for me, it's a skill that can transcend your education and give you access to opportunities you wouldn't have received otherwise.

Sometimes you can't read people's vibes through a Teams or Slack chat. Don't be afraid to reach out and just ask how someone's day is going, irrespective of work. Something that you wouldn't think twice about in the office can have a huge positive impact even if your colleague is hundreds of miles away.

When presented with the opportunity to meet your remote colleagues, make the most of it by investing on personal rapport. Take the initiative to break the ice whenever possible, and be ready to offer support during challenging times. Openly discussing strategies and techniques you've implemented to streamline projects or overcome challenges demonstrates transparency and builds trust. Be approachable, empathtic and kind. This builds stronger connections, even in virtual settings. By investing in these personal interactions, you can cultivate a supportive and reliable relationship with your colleagues, ultimately enhancing teamwork, networking, and overall bonding. Cheers!!

In this century, it is not a problem of distance or means of communication. This is caused by a lack of interest. I communicate easily with colleagues in distant countries. Curiously, I have difficulty communicating with colleagues who, for various reasons, do not want to be contacted or have a relationship with me. They don't answer my calls, emails and messages, they simply ignore me and they and I live in the same country and city. A good listener few words. A colleague went into a jungle where there is no Internet signal. I thought: “I will have to wait several days.” My surprise, he was able to communicate with me. He got a satellite phone, looked for a high area and climbed a tree to get a signal. Wanting is power. Write me for more.