A Guide on How to Build Team Culture With Remote Employees

Team culture is extremely important in any workplace. When your team has an identity and feels connected to each other, they will be happier and more dedicated to their work. Building a strong team culture with a remote team might seem challenging, but there are a few ways to do it. Here is a handy guide to help you build your remote team's culture.

Define Your Values

You can't build team culture if you don't know what your team culture is. The first step is to consider what you value. Do you want to focus on inclusivity? What about work-life balance? When you decide what is important to your team culture, put it down in a document that can be shared with new hires and current employees. This document will go a long way toward clearing up any gray areas when it comes to team culture. When everyone knows what's valued, everyone will be on the same page.

Hire Accordingly

Now that you know what you value in a team culture, hire people with that in mind. When you hire someone, they will either add or detract from your team culture. Do your best to hire with your values in mind, so that they boost your team culture. Remember to make hires across a wide spectrum — race, ethnicity, age, gender, experience, etc. — so that your team has many different viewpoints.

Communicate Often

When your team is remote, communication is vital. A lot can be lost in translation when you only know people through chats, emails and video calls. One way to increase communication is to regularly schedule one-on-one video calls with your team members. When you have a one-on-one with a remote employee, you're giving them a chance to express themselves freely, without feedback from other employees. It might seem cliche, but an "open door policy" — in this case, an open Zoom policy — is a huge part of building a remote team culture.

Build Connections

Team culture is not a stagnant thing, it is constantly changing. There will be ebbs and flows; peaks and valleys. You can nurture your remote team culture by engaging in team-building activities. Offsyte has a variety of team building classes and events that will engage and bond your team. We have something for everyone — from cooking classes to painting and everything in between. Use these activities as a way to forge your team's bond. Relax, have fun and get to know each other better. The connections you build during non-work moments will strengthen the connections during work.

Evaluate and Evolve

Because team culture is always changing, it's important to evaluate it in regular intervals. This is especially true with remote teams. The more time you think about your team culture, the stronger it will be. Make sure that whatever has shifted, it has shifted in a way that boosts team morale and adheres to your values. If nothing has shifted, perhaps it's time to give it a nudge in the right direction. As you note changes, you can also alter your values and team culture where you see fit.

More to Know About How to Build Team Culture with Remote Employees

Some common questions people have about how to build remote team culture.

How do you promote team culture in remote work?

The key to promoting team culture in a remote environment is to be clear and consistent, yet able to evolve. Team culture can be hard to define, so make sure you know your values and stick to them. At the same time, be ready to adapt over time.

What creates a good team culture?

A good team culture is created through team-building activities and clear communication. The more connected everyone feels, the better your team culture will be.

How do you maintain a team culture with remote work?

The best way to maintain culture with remote work is to bond with your team and listen to them. Their feedback will let you know if your team culture is being maintained or needs some help.

Get Started!

Ready to build your remote team culture? Sign up for one of our team-building activities today. The bonds you create will boost team morale and help define your team culture.