Remote work is becoming more and more popular, but it can be tough connecting with co-workers without the benefits of in-person socialization. When working remotely, you are often left feeling disconnected from the work culture and your colleagues. Here are five ways you can build relationships with your remote colleagues to make working remotely easier.
1. Schedule Regular Conference Calling
Effective communication plays a significant role when it comes to operating remotely and connecting with co-workers. With no physical meetings, it is essential to consider an operator-assisted conference calling to get a solution to hold your meetings. This tool allows you to connect with anyone regardless of their location using any device.
Operator-assisted conference calling is a tool that will not take a lot of time for you to understand. This tool allows you to collaborate with your clients as if you are in the same room. Conference calling helps to minimize or eliminate movements to attend simple meetings.
2. Create a Shared Workspace
Create a shared workspace for everyone to share their screens or projects as a way of connecting co-workers when working remotely. The workspace can be available for people in the office and also those who are working remotely—making the office space interactive allows people to communicate at any given moment in time.
Creating a shared workspace will encourage team-building skills while still allowing every person to have their workstation when they need it. The idea is to create a collaborative environment without having everyone in the same room.
3. Send Weekly Updates
Most people like to work remotely because it gives them the flexibility to manage their time without having to stick around a specific office. However, this might not be as great of an idea as you think. When you’re working from home, and there isn’t anyone else in your vicinity, the chances are that you will feel more isolated than ever.
If you want to avoid this situation and still enjoy the benefits of remote work, consider sending weekly updates with pictures or short videos about what is going on in your life every week so co-workers can stay connected. This way, they will know what is happening even if they aren’t nearby and don’t have any other way to communicate besides sending emails. In addition, sending weekly updates can help co-workers know who is working from home and what is going on in their personal life, which can help them understand that they are a person just like everyone else.
4. Share Stories on Social Media
It is common for people to work from home today because they are self-employed or because their employer allows it. Working remotely can have drawbacks, but there are also advantages. One of the essential benefits is maintaining relationships with your co-workers when working at home.
In the past, people’s working relationships got limited to face-to-face interactions and notes left on a desk or passed around by email. Today, there are more ways to communicate with co-workers. Social media is one of them that can help you stay connected even when you are not in the office. You can use sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to share information with other employees.
5. Hold Quarterly Retreats
Without regular co-worker interactions to maintain relationships, it’s easy to start feeling like a social outcast. This is why some companies hold quarterly retreats, where employees get together in person for a day of team-building activities and fun. This is a great way to maintain meaningful relationships and avoid burnout.
A quarterly retreat would allow employees who work from home to take time out of their schedule to have some fun with their co-workers while helping to keep friendships alive. You can hold the retreat at any seasonal location that’s interesting, such as the beach in summer or an amusement park in winter, or at a resort. You should also schedule a retreat at least quarterly to ensure that everyone takes advantage of these opportunities to spend time together.
If you are working remotely, it can be hard to build relationships with your colleagues. Communication is vital for any business, so make sure you have the right tools to succeed. You also need to use the above five ways you can connect with co-workers while still working remotely.
