The importance of check-ins in via remote meetings

Staying Connected

Six weeks into the new quarantine paradigm shift and our focus is shifting from connecting via our microphones and cameras to staying connected to our work colleagues and friends. For the most part we have figured out the technology.

Now it is the psychology that we will begin to shift our focus to. 

Remote Work Struggles

Using three years of data from a survey of 3500 workers, Buffer and Angel List identified some struggles of staying connected through remote work. Communication and loneliness were the two most common struggles reported. With remote work, we lose important communication that comes to us non-verbally and as a condition of physical proximity. 

Communication problems and loneliness rank high

Checking In

One thing that is now missing from our lives is proximity, and physical communication.

Physical contact and communication (handshakes, high fives, fist bumps) are great at building connection and now that they’re lacking in our lives we must do something to make up the difference. 

It is important that both team leaders and team members factor in “social interaction” into their work/life balance. Listed below are some practises you can employ to foster and maintain connections to your colleagues that transcend your to-do list.

1. Spend the first five minutes of the meeting catching up on news outside of work
2. Have each member of the meeting share something about themselves, their life, their state with the team for 30 seconds
3. Ask your colleagues and team members in a private chat about how they’re going
4. Remember one personal thing from a prior meeting and recall it
5. Play a remote team game once a fortnight to increase team bonding, communication, and include a sense of play in to the remote work lifestyle

Quaranteam

At the end of the day it is important to remember that even though we are becoming more productive and efficient working from home, we still need that human interaction.

Remember to check in with your teammates, employees, and employers. Taking a few minutes to private message someone can make a huge difference. Staying connected via remote work helps us to stay focused and feel a part of a shared goal.

So when organising online meetings don’t forget to check your network connection.