Episode 689 | How to Keep Your Remote Team Motivated and Engaged
Nov 28, 2023
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Robert Cserti, co-founder of SessionLab, shares his expertise on keeping remote teams engaged. He discusses the importance of intentional workplace culture, highlighting structured communication and team bonding activities. Monthly calls and virtual happy hours are among the strategies he suggests for fostering connections. Cserti also emphasizes the balance between synchronous and asynchronous communication, and the value of utilizing reflection surveys to understand employee sentiments. Tune in for valuable insights into remote team dynamics!
Building a strong company culture in remote teams requires intentional effort to define mission, vision, and values clearly.
Regular check-ins and personal bonding activities significantly enhance team alignment and foster deeper connections among remote colleagues.
Deep dives
The Importance of Culture in Remote Teams
Building a strong company culture is essential for remote teams, as it requires intentional effort from founders and team members alike. Acknowledging that culture can evolve organically if not actively managed, organizations need to define their mission, vision, and values clearly. When founders establish a culture that promotes connection and support, it creates a work environment where team members feel valued and motivated. This cultural foundation ultimately leads to improved collaboration and minimizes conflicts by fostering better personal relationships among team members.
Effective Communication through Check-ins
Regular check-ins play a crucial role in keeping team members aligned and engaged in a remote work environment. Implementing asynchronous daily check-ins allows employees to share their status updates, feelings, and any potential obstacles they face. By utilizing tools like GeekBot, team members can respond to specific questions that encourage both professional transparency and social connection. This initiative creates a 'virtual water cooler' effect, helping individuals feel more connected and involved with their colleagues despite being geographically dispersed.
The Role of Team Retreats and Bonding Activities
Face-to-face interactions, even in a remote setup, significantly enhance team bonding and collaboration. Organizing regular team retreats and online bonding events allows team members to connect beyond work-related discussions. These activities can take the form of facilitated games or team-focused events that prioritize personal interactions, resulting in deeper interpersonal relationships. By reinforcing these connections, companies can cultivate a sense of community that translates into improved teamwork and productivity.
Monthly Reflections for Team Engagement
Implementing a monthly reflection survey provides insight into the well-being and satisfaction of team members, while also serving as a valuable tool for management. This survey encourages employees to reflect on their achievements, challenges, and overall happiness within the company. By allowing team members to share their thoughts directly with founders, it establishes a trust system and helps to identify issues early, enabling timely support. This proactive approach ensures an ongoing dialogue about team dynamics and individual satisfaction, which strengthens engagement within a remote workforce.
In episode 689, Rob Walling interviews Robert Cserti, co-founder of SessionLab. Robert and his team provide tools and resources for designing workshops and SessionLab operates fully remote. Rob and Robert discuss strategies for motivating remote teams, fostering team culture and communication, and being intentional about synchronous meetings and team bonding.
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Topics we cover:
2:01 – SessionLab, for creating workshops
3:42 – Keeping employee engagement high in remote teams, intentionally creating a workplace culture.
7:15 – Daily check-ins, synchronous vs. asynchronous communication
10:32 – Finding a cadence for synchronous calls and “all-hands”
13:20 – Planning in team retreats
15:18 – Meetings specifically for team bonding
18:42 – Regularly scheduled, random 1:1 social chats
21:05 – Experimenting with tools to facilitate communication and identify issues early
26:02 – Managing synchronous working overlap across time zones
If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!