Little can replace water cooler banter or discussing weekend plans with cubicle-mates. Humans are social creatures after all, and remote work makes it more important than ever to keep your team connected. This applies even more for companies with a strong work-culture like GoFasti. We know that staying connected makes team engagement and morale soar, so we’ve rounded up some of our most fun and effective ways to stay connected from anywhere in the world.

1. Daily huddles

Daily huddles are a great way to check in with everyone at once. Have at least one rep from each department but try to invite everyone. It’s crucial for everyone to be included and heard, especially in a remote environment. Maintain a camera-on policy to boost engagement and keep things interesting throughout the call. Huddles are the perfect time for everyone to report their progress and speak up if they need help. But keep them brief, to 30-minutes max, and hold them first thing in the morning and at the end of the day. There’s no one-size-fits-all for meetings, so do what works best for your team.

2. Coffee talks

Try hosting “coffee talks” or “biscuit breaks”, the social version of huddles. They can be shorter, 10-15 minutes, but also hold them consistently and, of course, keep cameras on. This is the time your team will spend connecting and creating relationships with one another. It’s the perfect laid-back environment to share what you did over the weekend, host a pet show-and-tell, and have a laugh. Have everyone use their favorite mug and share why it’s their favorite. After all, who doesn’t love “sharing” a good cup of coffee with even better company?

3. Say cheese!

Schedule your meetings through video platforms like Zoom and Google Hangouts. Turning your camera on may feel awkward at first, but it makes things much less awkward in the long-run. Putting a face to a name deepens your relationships and allows for more dynamic interactions like compliments, questions, and even humor if someone’s cat happens to walk across their keyboard – plus laughter always lightens the mood. You can host ugly holiday sweater competitions or change your Zoom backgrounds to something funny or scary. Just because the commute has come to an end doesn’t mean the camaraderie has to!

4. Use Discord

Discord can be used for work but also for casual chats where everyone can get involved. This virtual IM platform is where your team can “hangout” and share things their remote colleagues wouldn’t otherwise know. Make channels for #gardeningtips or #foodies where people with similar interests can bond, and ones like #funnystories and #songoftheday where everyone can participate. Having more casual conversations throughout the day makes it feel more like an in-office environment – in a good way!

5. Mentorships

Going remote with a team you’re familiar with is one thing, but welcoming a new hire can have its own set of challenges. A great way to bring on new team members and create connections is by assigning them a mentor. This gives them a point-person to go to with questions and to help them get comfortable within the company. They will have already undergone training and orientation, so it’s more about support than anything else and shouldn’t weigh heavily on the mentor.

‍

Relationships are a required part of the workplace on upper management, departmental, and individual levels – but connections are where the magic happens. The more connected we are with our teams the more comfortable they’ll feel in the workplace. This means they’ll be more likely to offer feedback, ask for things they need, and use their creative-thinking skills. This rounds out your company in a unique way nothing else can. It helps foster a genuine and healthy work culture, strengthening your company from within.

‍

Do you prioritize keeping your team connected? We at GoFasti do, and all of our top-tier developers and designers do too. If you’re looking for newly-tapped remote talent with experience fitting into remote teams, then look no further. Contact us here and our talent acquisitions team will reach out shortly.