Changes in the Workplace

It’s no secret that the workplace has changed in dramatic ways over the last few years. Companies have had to endure significant adjustments and shifts in how they operate and relate to their work force. Tighter labor markets put a lot of power back into the hands of employees, creating an environment where companies often have to adopt employees working preferences at the risk of being unable to retain their workers or hire new applicants. It’s more apparent than ever before that a company is only as strong as the team and people that make up the organization.

I had the privilege of attending the “Future of the Workplace” panel in Grand Rapids a few weeks ago. The question on everyone’s mind was “how do we attract talent and retain our top performers.” Some companies are offering a wellness stipend gift so that their team members can pay for a gym membership or spa treatment. Others are changing their policies to a remote-first culture, opening their talent pool to more regions and candidates.

How should we go about building a strong remote team in this environment? I have a few ideas, and hope that we can all incorporate them to improve our companies!

How to build a Strong Remote Team

Building a strong remote team has a few key ingredients. The most important element, and best place to start is with a strategy and outline for what remote working will look like for your company.

Strategy

It is important for each team member to have a clear understanding of their role and tasks. There are a number of ways to divide up work and responsibilities, at Rubico we have chosen to follow an outline from the Entrepreneur’s Operating System.

We have split our company’s primary functions into Sales/Marketing, Operations, and Finance. Each sub-group will have it’s own culture and team dynamics. It is important to have a strong leader at the helm of each primary function. Each department head will be held responsible for all activities and functions of their team. The department heads will report on their key metrics and challenges to the leadership team each week.

Team Dynamics

The health of an organization will depend on the team dynamics in each department. Let’s start with the department leadership. Above all else, a leader needs to have a high level of emotional intelligence and strong understanding of the overall business objectives. Look for somebody who is able to motivate, encourage, and come alongside their team members to help them succeed. The department head needs to be able to communicate the team’s challenges to leadership while also defending their work and progress when needed.

Team members need to be able to prioritize their work effectively. They need to build a working relationship with their team leader and be able to share their challenges openly. It is important to foster trust between each department team. The best way to build trust as a team member is to complete your tasks on time and share your challenges as soon as possible with your department head so that challenges can be solved as soon as possible. A well oiled team is built on trust and mutual respect.

Relationships

Finally, positive work cultures are built on relationships. There is no quick fix, or virtual team building exercise that will bring a remote team together. Relationships are built on care and a genuine desire to get to know somebody else. Get to know your team members. Learn about what they love and what their struggles are. Respect and trust will follow.

Conclusion

It’s going to take work to build a strong remote team. The labor market is tighter than ever before, and the workplace has undergone significant changes. What should our response be? More empathy, more care, focus on respect and trust. Create a clear strategy, and focus on team dynamics. Build relationships with your team members and you will be well on your way to having a strong team that is ready to work hard and deliver results.

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With offices in the United States and India, Rubico is passionate about building websites, web applications, and mobile apps. With over 200 professionals and decades of experience, Rubico is dedicated to providing high-quality custom programming software development within the latest technologies. Want to start a conversation? Message us now!