How's Your Remote Team Doing?

When baboons have babies, they spend a lot of time caring for them. They cut down on social interactions with other adult baboons to focus on the child. But when youngsters are weaned and mamas have more freedom, they spend more time in social activities (such as grooming other adult baboons) than they did before the baby arrived. Anthropologists see this as an attempt to repair lapsed social relationships.

It turns out humans behave the same way. A study of cell phone records showed we also invest more time when we sense the quality of important relationships is declining.

Many remote-working managers report they’re spending more time communicating and meeting with their teams than ever before, trying to keep group cohesion high. Some say learning more about their colleagues’ personal selves has brought team members closer together. Others simply report higher levels of Zoom fatigue.

How do you know if the time you’ve invested in building relationships with your remote team has paid off? Take a quick audit of your team’s behavior. Here’s a few questions to consider:

1-Does your team have a common goal?

Are they clear on what they’re working toward? Are they using the same metrics to define success? Restating collective goals and sharing progress can help a group find common ground.

2-Can they “have a good fight?”

A classic Harvard Business Review (HBR) article notes that the strongest teams establish good habits for debate. Are group members gathering as much data as possible before making a decision? Are they considering multiple options, rather than only two? Do they still have a sense of humor? If so, the group’s decision-making is likely on track.

3-Do they check in on one another personally?

Working from home means we likely know our group members’ kids and pets by name. Are you still making an effort to ask if everyone is OK? Have you incorporated a “mental wellness check in” to your meeting structure? It’s easy to slip back into efficient, “work only” conversations, but to keep your group engaged it’s a good idea to maintain those personal ties. An EY study reported in HBR found that almost 40% of workers felt a greater sense of belonging at work when colleagues “checked in” with them on both personal and professional matters. Simply asking, “How are you doing?” or “How can I support you?” makes a big impact. “Coffee chats” – or quick online conversations where talk about work is strictly prohibited – also help create stronger relationships.

4-Are shared tools and files being used well?

In many work environments, you can measure the trust between group members by the quantity and quality of information they share. Take a minute to look through any shared file systems your group has created. Are they up to date? Are files and data being shared? Failure to share information can be a sign of insufficient collaboration. This is a good time to make sure the systems work as you intended.

5-Are you still doing icebreakers?

Sure, sometimes they’re cheesy. But a quick, fun, personal question (“What cartoon character best represents you?” “When you were 5, what did you want to be when you grew up?”) keeps your team’s communication stronger. Much as an icebreaker ship clears an area of debris so other boats can pass freely, icebreaker exercises clear the psychological space so your team communicates better.

As I work with organizations during the pandemic, I’m struck by how many report their teams are stronger and more cohesive than ever before. Some of that is likely due to the tendency of humans (and baboons!) to invest time so that valuable relationships aren’t lost. But even with that natural tendency in play, you can help your team by purposefully keeping them connected.