How Can Distributed Teams Improve Their Workplace Communication?

Effective communication can become difficult when organising a distributed team, regardless of its exact format. Some businesses may operate entirely virtually, while others may have some employees on-site and others remote. As this is completely new for many of us, various setups may affect workplace communication in various ways.

To begin, you'll go through a trial-and-error phase to determine the best communication styles for your team. Fortunately, there are some practices you can begin to prepare for success.

 

Obtain the necessary equipment

To connect directly with employees in various locations, you must provide them with simple tech tools that support collaboration and communication. The excellent news is that most of us are already comfortable with at least some of these operating systems because we've been using them in the organisation office for years. As an example:

• Gmail, 
• Outlook
• Slack
• Microsoft Team
• Google Hangouts, 
• Zoom
• Google Workspace, Office 365
• Google Drive, Dropbox
• Trello
• Jira

Before selecting the most suitable tools for your team, analyse both business and employee needs and consider how employees could share information with the lowest potential disruption. Whether it's through written notes or a quick video call, please give them the option to connect as they see fit using a comprehensive set of collaboration tools. Consider purchasing simple-to-use - and learn - alternatives that preferably integrate with other tech platforms.

 

Establish the tone

Having the right tools to accomplish optimal communication in remote teams is not enough. It's critical to share some best practices and get everyone on the exact page about what efficient communication looks like in your company. You could, for example, prepare them to use each tool accurately, including whether to send an email or a meeting invitation and what knowledge to keep in each platform.

These guidelines will come in handy, especially when onboarding new employees. A survey conducted by Workable survey, virtual recruitment and selection process and training are major pain points for employers, and communication breakdowns can exacerbate the situation.

You can structure the necessary training for new hires and successfully onboard them using technology such as learning software (e.g. TalentLMS).

Another example is developing a checklist for providing effective comments and feedback on current projects. If they follow the instructions but are still confused, they can arrange a video call to inspect the problem thoroughly.

 

Experiment with asynchronous collaboration

An asynchronous communication style is ideal if you have distributed teams in several time zones. Employees in asynchronous collaboration environments are not expected to respond directly to requests unless they are deemed urgent. They are free to investigate requests and initiatives within their own time as they stick to deadlines and serve business objectives. Employees typically organise their tasks so that they can be reviewed flexibly.

So, how do you ensure excellent communication in an asynchronous setting? Most importantly, you communicate your availability to your coworkers. It is easier to coordinate if everyone knows each other's official working hours. Use note-taking and editing software.

Because their teammates might only sometimes be capable of reaching out to them for clarification, remote workers should be as specific as possible when providing feedback. The more specific they are, the better the result.

 

Make the most of synchronous meetings

Of course, live chats and meetings will continue to play an important role in the game. Managers and employees should "fully synchronise" regularly to advance ideas or solve complex problems. Establish a clear agenda for these meetings. Remember to schedule regular 1:1 group meetings with your teammates; this is when you can get to know them and identify potential blockers.

Furthermore, 1:1 meetings allow you to truly check-in along with your teammate or direct report. You can not only get up to speed on that person's work processes, but you can also gain a better sense of how they're doing. This is their - and your - chance to remove the "game face" and communicate on a more personal level.

 

Managers should be trained

Top-down communication transformation is required: Employees will follow managers, supervisors, and C-suite leaders if they set a good example. Encourage leaders to discuss how they recommend exchanging feedback with their teams and how to perform tactical and non-intrusive check-ins. They will avoid micromanaging if they pursue this process and demonstrate trust in their employees.

Implementing an inclusive style of leadership also promotes effective workplace communication. Inclusive leaders foster psychologically safe environments where employees are not afraid to share their ideas and concerns openly. This is a major barrier to effective communication. It implies that people have no second thoughts and are united in a culture of trust.

 

Keep in mind to have fun

It's not all work; there's also entertainment and games. And it's essential for distributed teams, where everyone is siloed, and a sense of unity is more difficult to build behind a screen. Work should only sometimes be at the centre of those gatherings; instead, organise virtual quizzes or casual chit-chats.

Every year, it's also worth organising a company retreat: employees unwind, teams bond outside of "virtual borders," and morale and engagement improve. SmartBug Media's Ryan Malone explains why these annual gatherings are important:

Those social gatherings will assist you in understanding how employees behave in a "live setting," and you'll be able to decode their reactions and connect with them more effectively in the future.

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