How I’m staying connected to my team, virtually

While my team was no stranger to remote working, I did find myself feeling a bit out of the loop during the first few weeks since the virus hit. And dare I say, I missed my co-workers?

Quarantine has turned life upside down to say the least. Plans have been canceled, only essential businesses remain, and of course, work from home has been instituted for many companies.

Recently, I’ve felt a bit disconnected. Not from the work, but from the people. And I’m an introvert! I knew I had to switch up my approach and start doing things to stay connected to my team on a more personal level. Here’s some things you can do to stay connected to your team.

Bring back small talk

First, I started having some video-coffee chats (turn the camera on) with my managers and co-workers. Just 15-30 minutes of non-work related talk. You can talk about tv shows you’re bingeing, books you’re reading, online shopping, etc. Whatever your hearts desire. Personally, I’ve been steering clear of the pandemic chat because it’s draining, but it’s up to you. Just take some time to connect on a personal level.

Be intentional about feedback

I shared on Instagram that I realized I wasn’t giving my co-workers as much feedback. It’s easy after a presentation to walk out the room together and give a compliment. When working remotely, it’s so easy to get distracted and then completely forget. Take a few minutes at the end of the week to send a co-worker a kind note about their work. It will brighten their day and give you the feels.

Share the wealth

If I have some downtime, I normally skim a few articles about my field (while drinking my 3rd cup of tea). I try to read a few here and there to make sure I’m up to date on tech, industry folks, or just something that gets my brain juices flowing. Take it a step further and share the article with your team! Call out what you thought was interesting and of course try to follow up with an engaging question.

These are just a few ideas on how to stay connected with your team while working remotely. Even once this is over, you can still do these in the office.

On Instagram Stories, I’m sharing a little graphic with these tips for you to share with your friends (or co-workers) AND to help hold yourself accountable. Make sure to follow us because we’ll be sharing more as the weeks go on!

Which connection tip are you going to give a go?