5 Ways to Stay Engaged From a Distance

I love working from home. It’s a luxury to take my dogs for a walk on my lunch break, wear comfy pants all day, and throw a load of laundry in the washer on a brain break. In fact, I’ve never worked in an office. Working from home (WFH) is all I know. In today’s job market, hybrid and fully remote positions are the norm. While I’m certainly pro-WFH, I’ll be the first to admit it has its challenges, and poor Wifi connection isn’t the only one.

Without face-to-face interaction and office camaraderie, it’s easy to feel isolated and disconnected from the company and your team. But one thing is for sure, feeling like you’re on your own island isn’t good for anyone.

Of course, a healthy team culture is the key to staying engaged from a distance. Here are some ways to make that happen.

1. Establish Clear Expectations

From the start, clear expectations around communication, guidelines, and protocol are imperative to a remote team. What are the working expectations? Are hours flexible? How will meetings run? How often will the team collaborate and connect?

Establishing the functionality of a workspace is the foundation of good engagement across remote teams. Clear expectations should lay out the culture of the team and ways to seek personal and professional community. Regular virtual meetings with managers are a great way to discuss individual progress, provide feedback, and address any concerns while offering a continued stream of communication surrounding expectations.

2. Get Connected

Anyone who works from home in any capacity has most likely felt some sense of isolation. Some thrive without daily interactions, but I’m not one of them. In my opinion, the best morale booster is a face-to-face (or screen-to-screen) connection!

We spend approximately 40+ hours per week with our coworkers in any given capacity. Whether it’s brainstorming topics, building out plans, or sharing a coffee together, make the most of it! Here are some ways to get and stay connected.

• Hop on a call – Schedule regular video calls with your team to maintain face-to-face communication and connection. It can be regarding work, but it can also be for fun!
• Send a chat – Death by meeting is real. Take advantage of the various forms of instant messaging or chat tools for real-time communication and collaboration. Send a Teams or Slack message to your colleague to connect on various topics.
• Hop on office hours – Establish optional virtual office hours as a way to check in and discuss topics as needed.
• Enjoy social hour – Work doesn’t always have to be so monotonous. Create virtual social events, such as happy hours, coffee talks, or themed meetings to foster team synergy and connection.

3. Take a Break

Staring at a computer screen all day is physically and mentally draining. Take a much-needed break to let your brain rest and recharge, even if only for a brief time. Whether you fold laundry, take your dog for a walk, or just sit on your couch, brain breaks are the best way to avoid burnout, boost productivity, and maintain your mental health.

In fact, those who take breaks at work experience physical and mental benefits, including fewer headaches, eye strain, lower back pain, higher job satisfaction, and lower rates of burnout. A healthier, happier you is just a few brain breaks away.

4. Set a Routine

For many work-from-homers, routines are necessary to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

One of the many benefits of working from home is the time you are given back in your daily schedule. More time to exercise in the morning instead of sitting in traffic. More time to eat a healthy, hearty breakfast rather than a drive-thru sandwich. More time to spend with family, read books, and enjoy the outdoors. Just more time.

A constant and flexible routine allows you to engage colleagues and resources during working hours so you can enjoy more “you” time!

5. Stay Organized

While communication is of the utmost importance, so is organization! Without organization, working collaboratively with a virtual team can get messy and confusing. If your home office lacks storage like mine, organization can be a challenge. However, project management tools are here to save the my-office-is-so-cluttered-I-can’t-think-straight day.

Project Management software, like Trello, Monday.com, and Asana, keeps track of tasks, project progress, and collaboration across teams. It’s a game-changer for collaborating and staying organized on projects while working remotely. The best part? There are some great free options!

It’s no surprise that working from home can present a unique set of challenges. While it may feel like you’re off on your own island, you can have a meaningful company experience from afar. With the right tools and strategies, it’s possible to maintain productivity and stay engaged with your remote team. Who would trade that for a commute to work anyway?