In the post-COVID-19 scenes, many companies and agencies are switching to remote work. However, ensuring productivity and efficiency is a major roadblock. If your agency wants to go remote but is uncertain, this blog will share how to establish a strong remote work culture and make it work!

1. Build Clear Communication Channels

Good communication is one of the most important factors when collaborating with remote teams. In fact, 90% of business leaders have cited the need for better communication in remote work situations.

Ensure effective communication in your team using communication tools, such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Slack, or others, for live updates through messaging and video conferences. Integrate the platform into your workflow to ensure easy access.

Promote open communication, regular conversation, and transparency to prevent miscommunication. Create guidelines regarding availability and response time to ensure swift communication,

Make sure the team uses emails only for formal communication. Encourage everyone to overshare updates as much as possible to keep everyone updated.

2. Hire Only the Most People

A strong remote work culture primarily depends on the people. So, make sure you build your team with the help of a reliable remote hiring platform that connects you with the best candidates worldwide. Go for a company that’s trusted by several organizations.

They will help you pick the best possible candidates based on the skills you prioritize. This way, you will be able to build the most reliable team and take your business to new levels.

Some platforms also help you navigate international payments, legal aspects, and HR for your global team. You can also seek their help to make maintaining the team easier.

3. Offer Work-Life Balance

The greatest struggle of remote work is the blurred lines between personal and work life. Your agency must prioritize all employees’ satisfaction by supporting a good work-life balance.

For instance, ask all team members to share their respective working hours, and they must be fixed. They must communicate their availability to each other clearly.

However, there can be emergencies and personal obligations. So, employees may not always work on a fixed schedule. During such rare cases, they must choose another working window if they’ll work on that day at all. And if there’s any change in their schedule, everyone else must be notified.

Respect everyone’s personal life by discouraging after-hour calls and messages. If required, tell active working employees to leave the other one an email. Make sure nobody forces anyone to answer or get work done after hours.

4. Build an Environment of Trust and Accountability

In remote work, trust plays a huge role. So, make your agency leaders build such an environment so every team member feels trusted for their respective work,

For instance, don’t micromanage how many hours they work to judge the results. Instead, focus on the quality of the results. Have set goals and expectations for everyone and give them some autonomy to focus comfortably.

Promote transparency about all tasks with project management tools. With them, everyone will be able to track and stay updated with each other’s tasks.

Lastly, make sure every leader is transparent and takes accountability for their work. When you lead by example, you will build a more effective team.

5. Foster a Culture of Feedback

Regular feedback helps the growth of both your agency and the remote workers. So, conduct regular performance reviews to discuss how far employees have progressed.

If you notice any shortcomings, share them and suggest ideas to overcome them. If they share any issue or challenge, be receptive and try to find solutions.

You can also conduct anonymous surveys to understand whether they have any hardship at work. This can shed some light on leadership and company policies so you can make adjustments wherever required.

Make sure you work on the feedback and let the employees know so they understand that they’re valued and heard.

6. Practice Team Building Activities

Hold virtual team-building activities like game nights, quizzes, and even coffee breaks to make everyone feel connected despite working remotely. It’ll build a sense of unity and connection and reduce loneliness.

Managers must check in with team members one-on-one regularly to ensure everyone can cope with their workload. Build a safe space so everyone can share their concerns without feeling judged.

Conclusion

A strong remote work culture is the secret to higher morale, seamless collaboration, and higher retention rates in your agency. Besides these, build comprehensive remote onboarding and training plans, recognize your employees’ hard work, and strive to succeed!