How to Build Relationships Working Remotely

There’s no question that building relationships are essential in the workplace. After all, strong relationships with colleagues can lead to better communication, increased collaboration, and a generally more positive work environment. But what about when you’re working remotely? Does the importance of building relationships change at all?

In this article, we will provide tips on how to build relationships working remotely, so keep reading!

What makes a good work relationship?

Communication is the foundation of any healthy relationship, but it is of paramount importance in the business world. To ensure that everyone at work is on the same page and contributes to the same objective, you must communicate effectively with your coworkers. 

Likewise, valuing each other’s time and personal space is crucial. Do your best to be mindful of others’ time and respect their wishes if you must engage in a dispute or conversation. If you need to have a discussion or debate, do so in a way that is respectful and considerate of everyone’s time. 

Finally, it’s essential to be flexible. Things change, and people make mistakes – be flexible and understanding when it comes to your work relationships, and you’ll find that things run much more smoothly.

If you want to learn about Work from home burnout including the signs of burnout and how to avoid it, read our article Work From Home Burnout: Causes And Preventions!

Tips on how to build relationships remotely

It’s no secret that building relationships are essential to success in any field. But when you’re working remotely, it can be challenging to build those relationships. You might not have the opportunity to bond with your coworkers over lunch, and you might not run into people in the hallways or the break room.

But there are still ways to build strong relationships with coworkers, even if you’re not in the same physical space.

1. Use video communication instead of email

In a world where we are increasingly connected through technology, building strong work relationships remotely is more important than ever. So, video communication is one of the best ways to do this. You may stay in touch with coworkers thanks to video conferencing while still enjoying the benefits of face-to-face conversations. 

It’s much more efficient to have a single chat where you can get all the information you need than to exchange numerous emails back and forth over the course of a day. Video chatting is a terrific tool for problem-solving, brainstorming, and answering queries. It’s as effective for those spur-of-the-moment chats.

2. Make an effort to connect on a personal level

Building personal connections with remote employees is a great way to strengthen working relationships. Getting to know your remote employees on a more personal level can do wonders for your working relationship. 

Showing genuine interest in the employee as a person by inquiring about their day, family, and interests demonstrates that you value them beyond their professional contributions. To put it another way, this will help you connect with them on a deeper level and make them feel at ease in your company.

3. Schedule regular check-ins

In order to effectively manage a remote team, it is essential to schedule regular check-ins, even if they are only 10 minutes long. Before the meeting, make a list of everything you want to cover so that you can make the most of your time together. 

One-on-one meetings are great for getting some human interaction and asking questions without interruption. This will give you a chance to touch base on work projects and also to catch up on a personal level.

4. Provide feedback

All relationships benefit from two-way communication, and that includes the one you have with your staff. Giving people constructive feedback demonstrates that you care about their growth as individuals and employees. Ensure that your comments are direct, concise, and to the point. If you must criticize, be specific rather than general. 

Think about the good things that came out of their work, too. Don’t forget to leave things on a high note. It’s important to wrap things up on a high note. Don’t dwell on the fact that the project was finished late if it was done well.

5. Hold a team-building event

Group bonding events are highly effective in fostering harmonious interactions within a group. In addition to facilitating friendship and cooperation, they are great for breaking the ice and opening lines of dialogue between strangers. You can do something as simple as having a “virtual happy hour” or playing online games.

In addition, if you want everyone to have a good time, your choice must be something everyone likes. Whatever you decide to do, the essential thing is that everyone can take part and enjoy themselves. Activities that foster teamwork and strong relationships might be a fantastic approach to getting your team working together.

You can read more about virtual team building activities on our blog Top 20 Virtual Team Building Activities!

Tips to maintain relationships

Working remotely can be a great way to get ahead in your career while also enjoying the freedom and flexibility that comes with working from home. But it can also be difficult to maintain work relationships when you’re not face-to-face with your colleagues on a daily basis.

Here are a few tips for maintaining work relationships when you’re working remotely:

1. Celebrate successes and failures together

A team should recognize and honor both its achievements and its setbacks. This demonstrates your shared commitment to the outcome. In addition, when a group comes together to celebrate, it improves their sense of teamwork and camaraderie.

It takes time to develop trust and respect among your staff. Patience, perseverance, and hard work are required. Work is necessary to build a cohesive and effective team, but the effort is worth it.

2. Send a follow-up message after a conversation

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t always follow up after a conversation. You might think that it’s unnecessary, that the other person will do it, or that you’ll remember to do it later. But the truth is, following up is essential to building strong relationships. 

After a conversation ends, it is polite to follow up immediately to express gratitude for the other person’s time. Make sure the contact has access to any promised materials or feedback from the call. Then, get in touch with them and tell them how you put their suggestions into practice.

3. Take an active interest in their work

One method to demonstrate to remote workers you care is to take an active interest in what they’re doing. One way to do this is to ask them questions about their work progress, provide constructive criticism, and listen to their ideas. 

Allow them to contribute their thoughts and opinions by providing a forum. It will strengthen your bond with them and show them how much you care. Showing respect through active listening is paramount. However, this may be the missing piece to having productive remote work communities.

4. Respect boundaries

Working at a distance requires you to be aware of and respectful of your coworkers’ privacy and personal space. The fact that you are not physically close to someone does not give you permission to pry into their personal space.

It’s not always necessary to contact someone immediately via email or phone, despite the fact that you can. Watch when you call and how often you call. Just because you’re working from home doesn’t give you a license to make calls or send emails at 3 a.m.

5. Be flexible

Being adaptable is essential when working remotely. Having this attitude means you can put aside your differences and work together to solve problems. For instance, if they request time off due to a family emergency, you should try to accommodate their needs as best you can.

In addition, being adaptable will demonstrate that you care about them and are willing to work with them despite their circumstances. The effect on any relationship could be profound.

The importance of building and maintaining relationships

In any profession, maintaining working relationships is essential. Strong working relationships can lead to a more positive work environment, better results and increased productivity

When people feel supported by their colleagues and feel like they are part of a team, they are more likely to be creative and come up with innovative solutions. 

Additionally, when people feel good about their colleagues and the work environment, they are more likely to go above and beyond what is expected of them.

To wrap up

There’s no question that building relationships are essential in any work setting. But when you work remotely, it’s even more important to put in the effort to build strong relationships with your colleagues. Although it can be more challenging for remote workers to bond outside of the office, this is by no means an insurmountable obstacle. Overall, it takes time and energy to cultivate better relationships with your remote staff. But if you’re willing to work hard, it’ll be worthwhile in the end!