Increasingly more people work in a hybrid system or completely remotely. This gives a lot of independence and favors individualists, but it does not allow you to develop competences that are useful for working in a group. Is it possible to achieve a good team at work also when working remotely?
 
From this text you will find out if it is possible to integrate a team working remotely.

Remote work does not affect as many employees as you might think. In September, almost 6 percent worked like this. people, although in Warsaw it was even twice as much, and in some industries half of the employees switched to home office. However, there is no denying that where at least one person stops coming to the company on a daily basis, it is no longer possible in the same way as a previously well-coordinated team at work.

Remote ways to integrate

Ways quickly emerged that allow you to create a team playing to one goal from people who work from home. This is largely due to the recently popular Zoom, Skype or Google Hangouts, where you can see the person you are talking to. Some types of software allow thousands of people to connect at the same time, and they can write to and see each other at the same time. Games and puzzles go even further, allowing you to play trademark charades or Scrabble online. Finally, online escape rooms have also appeared. There, company teams can solve puzzles together or track down a murderer. It is not the same as similar live games in a castle or manor outside the city, but in pandemic times it can be a substitute for real crime solving.

A joint trip will ensure a well-coordinated team at work

When part of the crew works remotely, the sense of community that previously connected the entire team disappears. In such realities integration trips they become the basis and the only place where everyone can see each other at the same time. More and more companies are offering a completely remote working system on a daily basis, but they organize regular face-to-face meetings to maintain the spirit of community. There are companies where this takes place once a week, and in others such meetings take place once a month or even once a year. In the latter case, it is usually a longer trip, e.g. to the mountains or to the seaside, which allows you to get to know each other better and have at least a substitute for the moments spent together behind the desk. Then take a look at ours event configurator and plan several different activities for one trip.

It can be something simple, such as a joint dinner and karaoke, or more spectacular activities, such as a guided walk in the mountains or a hot air balloon ride. In the event of a larger number of guests, they can be offered several attractions to choose from. In this way, it will be possible to reconcile the needs of those who want to make natural cosmetics and those who would prefer to visit at that time. It is important that such a day of attractions ends with a joint feast, which will ensure a well-coordinated team at work after returning.

In a corporate environment, workshops on mindfullness and relaxation techniques are particularly useful. Initiatives such as company games or culinary tournaments will be remembered for a long time. If trips are rare, it is worth focusing on the most original, memorable idea - if the second one party won't happen again soon, it's important to remember it. Exercises on teambuilding such as survival or Goldberg machine they ensure a well-coordinated team at work also after returning.

Is a good team in remote work possible?

Finally, you need to ask the question, is it possible to maintain a well-coordinated team in remote work in the long run? Much depends on the atmosphere introduced by the boss. Let us remember that on the web, the timbre of voice or gestures are not very legible, and the text on the screen remains the main message.

Making him feel warm is sometimes a difficult task, but without it, the team can start to drift apart over time. The morale of the team can also be influenced by small gifts, e.g. sending a Happy Hour kit home or making remote Fridays with pizza.

It is worth remembering, however, that these are all solutions that will work only for a while. Later, it is easy to lose current contact with employees in the remote work system, and the team starts to become less and less efficient. This is why many companies, after the initial euphoria with this system, now use a mixed system, in which 1-3 days of remote work a week is possible, but on the condition that otherwise the employee will come to the company's headquarters. A good team at work is created every day. It is not worth depriving employees of contact with other people.

Dispersed team - how to handle it?

Dispersed teams work on similar principles as traditional project/task teams with one difference - their only contact is the virtual one. The popularity of remote work and the phenomenon of distributed teams is related to, among others, with the globalization of the areas of operation of companies, as well as with the emergence of new, specialized startups.

One of the greatest advantages of working as a distributed team is undoubtedly the possibility of recruiting employees from different parts of the country, and thus - a chance to attract the best specialists. The advantage is also a more flexible approach to everyday work duties. What about the downsides? The main disadvantages are the risk of problems with communication or motivation in a distributed team. How to prevent it? First of all, you should take care of good team management!

Managing a distributed team consists in organizing work, planning and controlling activities, and motivating employees. The key is to choose the right work tools and precisely define the goals. Employees, despite the distance that separates them, should know what they are striving for, what they are supposed to do, how they are supposed to work, what is the importance of their work. What is important is a logical and clear division of roles in the team and establishing a detailed work plan - what, when and by whom is to be performed.

In the work of a distributed team, the following elements are also of great importance:

• team integration,
• communication,
• building relationships based on trust and support.

Communication in a distributed team

Is it possible to create a well-coordinated team working on the principles of a home office? Of course! However, it requires the right strategy, commitment and time.

First of all, you need to take care of communication. Distance can cause communication disorders consisting in poor flow of information and sending incorrect messages. Unfortunately, without communication, it is impossible to achieve goals efficiently and effectively. Effective group communication should be a strong foundation for the functioning of any company. A team that communicates can achieve more than one that fails to communicate. However, building a complex communication network that will enable employees to exchange information quickly and effectively is the biggest challenge of remote work. How to do it right? First of all, you need to choose the right communication tools.

Worth considering:

• a project management tool that will provide all employees with access to project plans, calendar or other elements, and will also allow you to comment on progress, etc. - you can use simple tools such as Asana or Producteev or more complex ones, e.g. Wrike,
• a tool for everyday communication - chats and other simple messengers (e.g. Google Talk or Slack) instead of e-mails,
• videoconferences - they will give a substitute for working in a stationary team.

Managers should establish the rules of mutual communication - when, how and with whom to contact in specific matters. The rules must be clear and understandable to every employee. It is important to maintain a constant dialogue with colleagues. Constant communication is one of the best ways to create a good team in remote work.

How to motivate a distributed team?

Motivation is an important element of the functioning of every company - not only groups working stationary, but also distributed teams. Motivation helps to achieve the set goals and leads to success. How to motivate a distributed team? What motivators at work will they work? First of all, it is necessary to clearly define the goals that the company strives for. Employees need to feel that their actions make sense. That they contribute in some way to the development of the company. They are important to her. Employees who are strongly attached to their company are more motivated than those who do not identify with their employer.

Other ways to motivate a distributed team include:

• using elements of gamification, i.e. introducing fun where there was no fun originally - driving motivation by completing tasks, completing missions and winning prizes thanks to this,
• offering good employment conditions - good employer branding that takes into account the needs of employees,
• ensuring the integration of employees - a well-coordinated team at work can motivate each other to act.