28 Oct Thought Leadership: Building Connections and Cultivating Success in Remote Teams

How, when and where people work has been a hot topic for the last few years.  Until joining BEMA in April, I don’t know that I’d given it a lot of thought, especially the nuances of being a completely remote team member. According to Stanford economist Nick Bloom, about 30% of workers are in a hybrid role while 12% are fully remote. The BEMA team is in that hybrid percentage, and I’ve discovered over the last several months that making that mix work for everyone takes intention and creativity. Whether your team works from home part-time or full-time, it’s important to understand the challenges and opportunities that can come with a hybrid workforce.

While there is no “welcome to the baking industry” quite like a BEMA Convention welcome, I have experienced some share-worthy ideas of ways to build working relationships with the team, BEMA members, and the industry as a whole.

Great expectations

When I joined the team, clear expectations made all the difference.  A few game-changers are listed below:

• Identify preferred channels of communication
• Be specific regarding expected work hours
• Share any virtual meeting guidelines
• Explain how performance is evaluated
• Encourage open and regular communication regardless of location – chat, texts and emails can work wonders! A good old-fashioned phone call can also be remarkably effective.

Provide flexibility and encourage ownership

One of the great benefits of remote work is the flexibility. Allowing team members to manage their schedule (within reason) creates ownership and a work/life balance that suits their particular life situation. That ownership often results in better productivity and quality of work.

Tips for joining a remote team

Whether you are a leader, manager or emerging professional team member, getting off to a good start can make the transition easier for everyone. Use these tips to make the transition to a new remote team as smooth as possible.

1. Send a brief introduction prior to your first team meeting. Share a bit about your background, role, and any personal interests to make you more relatable. If your team has a communication channel with an option to create a profile, use that!
2. Schedule one-on-one meetings to not only talk shop but to also have casual “water cooler” conversation.
3. Respond promptly to messages and emails to build your reputation as reliable and approachable. Keep your availability status updated so colleagues know when they can reach you.
4. Whenever possible, opt for video over audio-only calls. Seeing each other’s faces helps to build familiarity and trust.
5. Show appreciation for your colleagues’ help or contributions. A simple thank-you message or a shout-out in a meeting goes a long way toward building goodwill.

While the working world has changed immensely in the last five years, some things are true whether you work remotely or in the office.

Good communication, knowing the value you bring to a job, and building relationships are keys to success in any position and can create a positive team environment that pays dividends for both the company and its remote employees.