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How to Build a Strong Culture for Remote Teams

BUSINESS TIPS  |  January 10, 2023

As the godfather of management consultancy, Peter Drucker, once said, “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” 

Careful planning and expertise are indispensable when you’re leading a team or building a company from scratch. But if people don’t feel connected with one another or disagree on how the story of your organization should be told, friction arises. That can make it increasingly difficult to work together. 

It’s especially a concern in the remote workplace, where coworkers are dispersed across the globe or seldom interact with each other in-person. 

For organizations to succeed, it’s essential to build a strong foundation for culture to thrive in this scenario. Here’s where to start:

  • Find the Right People

The best time to start building company culture is when you’re hiring. While skills are important, it shouldn’t be the only main focus. Find people who can help contribute to organizational identity and culture in both small and big ways.

Think about the values you want to see in a potential hire. What are they passionate about? What kinds of projects or ideas excite them? What do they see in your team or company that attracted them to the position?

Many hiring mistakes aren’t apparent at the start. They usually rear their ugly heads later on, when it’s time to make pivotal decisions or worse — when the wrong people begin to influence team culture and encourage toxic behavior. 

  • Set Clear Expectations and Instill Trust

Each team member must have a clear idea of what’s expected of them. While this is true for any organization, it’s especially important in a remote workplace. It falls on leaders to make it clear to every hire what makes up a productive work day, which can vary depending on the role. 

Performance should be tied to objective metrics instead of arbitrary judgements based on assumed busyness or how close they are to the leadership team. Strong feedback loops will help workers identify strengths and weaknesses and seek out relevant training. 

There should also be a high degree of trust in all facets of the organization. Managers should refrain from micromanaging and focus on equipping people with the tools they need to thrive in their respective roles. 

  • Keep Meetings Concise

Meetings over Skype, Zoom and Google Meet are now the norm since the onset of COVID-19. But for many remote teams, this has not been an entirely positive development. It’s not uncommon for these online meetings to extend well beyond the agreed time constraints, forcing some people to work even longer.

In the remote workplace, not everyone is going to be up and working at the same time. So it’s essential to be hyper-aware of people’s schedules. Meeting organizers should set an agenda and inform participants ahead of time or at the start of each session. More importantly, it’s crucial to know whether a particular matter warrants a meeting in the first place or is best relayed simply via email. 

  • Get Together IRL (in real life) for Fun

Weekly check-ins and brainstorming sessions are key to ensuring remote workers are aligned with expectations and strategy.  But it’s equally important for people to connect beyond work and, in some cases, see the people they work with in-person for the first time.

Getting together for fun, whether it’s once a month or once a year, can build camaraderie and help people get used to each other’s communication styles. 

Take stock of everyone’s interests and plan a teambuilding activity around those points. Budget is irrelevant. It can be as simple as eating out in a nice restaurant or a bit more complex like planning a multi-day hike.  

  • Hear Ideas from Everyone

After some time, everyone working in a team or company will have a few ideas on how to improve processes or ways of working around a specific problem. Leaders should make it a point to cast a wide net when it comes to sourcing ideas. 

Listen to everyone in the team. Some employees may be more experienced or well-versed in certain topics and skills; their voices can shed more light on the issue at hand.

By democratizing the process of contributing ideas, you allow everyone to be an active participant in shaping the organization. Ultimately, it gives people a stake in what you’re trying to create and helps them become more invested in long-term company success.


Contact Dojo to start working with the right people

Here at Dojo, we take pride in providing companies with top-tier talent that takes growth to the next level. Whether it’s web design, software development, or legal and accounting support, we got you covered. 

Send us a message at [email protected] to learn more about what we can offer you.