How to create micro-interactions in your team while working remotely
Working from home can be isolating and challenging for many individuals. A December 2020 PEW Research Center article stated that 65% of remote workers who previously worked in office settings felt they were less connected to their co-workers.
We are missing those micro-interactions that we get from working with a group of people in person, but how can we create those interactions while working from home? We can’t just show up to people’s houses and say hello, but we can connect using our smartphones and computers!
These are 5 tips on how to feel more connected with your team, so you continue to work in unison.
Spontaneous Connection
Many teams have regular meetings where they talk about work while working remotely and that conversation can be a few minutes to about 15 minutes at a time, but it’s important to not forget those micro-interactions that we have while working in person.
When you’re working in person you can have a five-minute break and grab coffee. While doing so you might see a friend and just ask how their day is going. Another example is when you’re looking around the room for inspiration and catch a colleague making a funny face at you, so you both laugh. These micro-interactions are so important to our work life because it reminds us to still have fun.
So, while working remotely try having quick and spontaneous video calls instead! You can either schedule it in and call it ‘Coffee Break’, ‘Lunch Chit Chat’ or anything else that comes to your mind. Then take this call as an opportunity to talk about subjects other than work. Make those funny faces, put a new picture as your background or even just have a minute to vent. This is important because the best part about being in a team is having that connection with people.
Let’s Get to Know Each Other!
There are many new people that are joining teams remotely and it can be isolating and intimidating. Unlike when you join a team in person, you won’t be able to have a natural connection that usually happens when you see someone, so everyone needs to make an effort in order for the newest member to feel welcomed.
Now there are many online applications that allow you to generate random questions to ask, so conversations can continue to flow. Applications like Donut will pair up colleagues and provide questions. Also, there are many other alternatives like Water Cooler Trivia. My suggestion is to use these applications because they will help the newest member to join in on the conversation and the already existing members to make a connection. This will allow for the newest member to get to know everyone on a more personal level too.
Hype Up the Team
Now this tip can be used by all members of a team, but this is a really good one for people who are in a managerial role.
Some people feel like their hard work isn’t ‘seen’ when they’re working from home. People can’t see the hours you do or the effort you put in. A lot of the time people just see the final product and don’t realize how they got there. So, it’s important for your team members to ‘hype you up’!
For managers, sending a quick email out to the whole team congratulating members on their work goes a long way. It builds team pride and makes your staff feel seen and heard. It also encourages people to continue working hard because they can feel and see that you care and appreciate their work. Tell someone that their latest presentation was fantastic or that the latest spreadsheet layout is extremely useful for data collection. If you show your gratitude and appreciation then you will continue to have a happy workforce. This article provides additional ways to motivate your team.
Health & Wellness Challenge
Working from home means that we are staying more stagnant than usual. Individuals aren’t walking around as much or moving from place to place. A lot of times they see the same four walls every day and that’s not good for anyone!
Try creating a challenge as a team. Maybe once a week you have a ‘15 Minute Fitness Blast’ or you create a ‘Steps Challenge’. Get your team moving together because it’s important we continue to keep up our physical health because that’ll help with our overall wellness. You can even suggest a virtual ‘Yoga Class’, ‘Go for A Walk and Find Something In Nature Challenge’ or ‘Write Down 3 Positive Things That Happened To You Today’. There are so many options for you to choose from! For additional ideas, this article offers more fitness challenges for your team.
Pick Up That Phone!
I know it’s easy to send a quick email out to someone, but I still think hearing someone’s voice is better than an email. I’m not saying every time you need to speak to someone that you arrange for a video call, but sometimes just a quick phone call is nice and easy. Also, this allows you to check in on your teammates – see how they’re doing and ask them if they need anything! This interaction is quick and easy and will open up communications for you and your teams.
When you open up communications with your team through phone calls then it’s like how you could pop your head into the office when you were all working together in person. Take this opportunity and keep those bridges and connections because it’ll keep your team strong.
In Conclusion
Work should be fun, whether you’re in person or working remotely. Your team should always feel connected and feel like they’re working and supporting each other in everything that they do. This can be more challenging when working from home, but it’s definitely not impossible!
Call your colleagues, set up challenges and have a chat over a coffee break. Have those micro-interactions while working from home because then it won’t feel as lonely or isolating because that’s the most important part of your day because we want you to feel connected.
