Many tech companies have adopted full-time remote or hybrid work. It’s an arrangement that can come with many benefits, including savings on maintaining an office space and higher employee morale. Still, for leaders who are new to the arrangement, learning how to maintain collaboration and culture—which can happen more naturally and spontaneously in person—as well as ensuring team members’ productivity levels remain high can be a challenge.
The members of Forbes Technology Council have experience managing remote tech teams, and they’ve learned what works, what doesn’t and all the ways a tech leader needs to model and foster the activities that keep remote and hybrid teams running smoothly. Below, 17 of them share their tips to help tech leaders build a welcoming and inclusive remote or hybrid culture where team members work effectively and efficiently together—even when they’re only occasionally (or never) in the same office.
1. Define The Team’s Purpose
To foster inclusivity in remote or hybrid teams, clearly define the team’s purpose. A unified vision helps everyone feel connected. Additionally, assign each member a “culture buddy”—someone who’s well-versed in company values. This buddy aids in faster acclimation and helps bridge the distance, ensuring a welcoming environment even when team members are physically apart. – Asanka Abeysinghe, WSO2, Inc.
2. Prioritize Regular, Inclusive Virtual Meetings
One effective way for a tech leader to foster a welcoming and inclusive culture in a remote or hybrid work environment is to prioritize and promote regular, inclusive virtual meetings and communication. It can bridge the physical gap between team members, create a sense of belonging and ensure that all employees, regardless of their location, feel welcomed and valued in the organization. – Deepak Tiwari, Sagenext Infotech LLC
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3. Promote The Use Of Chat Tools
I have found that promoting chat tools such as Slack can improve person-to-person communication in a way that comes close to in-person interactions. Often, though, the leadership team considers these tools to be for technical staff only. It is imperative for everyone, including leadership, to leverage these tools to make themselves accessible digitally to compensate for the lack of physical presence. – Dave Mariani, AtScale
4. Create A Shared Virtual Space
It can help to create a shared virtual space, or metaverse, where team members can interact in real time. These spaces can mimic a physical office, with meeting rooms, collaborative spaces and even casual break areas. Regularly scheduled team meetings or activities in these virtual spaces help team members feel connected and part of the community. – Kuk Jiang, ZEGOCLOUD PTE. LTD
5. Highlight Both Remote And On-Site Employees
Collaboration is the key. Use collaboration tools, one-on-ones and team meetings to grow opportunities to embed the culture. Holding all-hands meetings where the company can come together virtually, creating intranet postings that highlight both remote and on-site employees, and giving monthly awards and recognition are some of the many ways to engage with employees. – Sean Barker, cloudEQ
6. Avoid ‘Policing’ Remote Staff
I think one thing many leaders get wrong is that they believe they need to “police” people when operating in a hybrid or remote environment. Often, they are also under the misapprehension that productivity is strongly linked to people coming into the office. However, productivity has more to do with fostering employee engagement and identifying ways to integrate employees into appropriate, functioning teams. – Kevin Parikh, Avasant
7. Embrace Scheduling Flexibility
Embrace freedom in scheduling. Allow team members to set their own work hours, and accommodate various needs, such as parenting responsibilities, caregiving, different time preferences (night owls and early birds) and individual work styles. Embracing flexibility demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity, allowing team members to be their authentic selves and work in the ways that suit them best. – Prashant Ketkar, Parallels (part of Alludo)
8. Meet Up At Conferences And Industry Events
Consider conferences and industry events as a way to convene staff. Schedule virtual water cooler meetings where no work talk is allowed. Share personal stories and interests as a part of regular internal company calls, and invest in good cameras and mics so everyone can hear and see each other. Highlight staff projects and contributions to foster appreciation. Chat often, have fun and laugh. – Thaddeus Dickson, Xpio Health
9. Establish Communication Norms
Set communication norms, and be intentional. Decide what to do asynchronously, what to do in a virtual meeting and what should be done in person. Consider a meeting model that includes a weekly tactical for quick topics that require less than 10 minutes, a longer monthly meeting for strategic topics, and a quarterly off-site for deeper “people” topics, workshopping opportunities and face-to-face team building. – Amy Bunszel, autodesk.com
10. Set Aside Time To Connect
Create intentional time for your team to stay connected, whether through physical off-sites or virtual get-togethers. A consequence of remote work is that communication can become increasingly asynchronous and transactional. By setting aside (and prioritizing) time to connect and bond synchronously, teams can maintain a high sense of belonging and reduce turnover risk. – Lizzie Matusov, Quotient
11. Organize Team-Building Activities
A great way to foster a welcoming and inclusive culture in a remote or hybrid setting is by organizing regular virtual team-building activities. This promotes connectivity, understanding and a sense of belonging among team members, despite the physical distance. It’s all about creating shared experiences and open communication, ensuring everyone feels valued and included. – Arun Kumar, Revature
12. Appreciate Diversity, And Provide Access To Growth
As tech leaders, we should introduce an open communication culture in which every voice is heard and acknowledged; foster an environment where remote employees’ differences are celebrated, not discounted; and provide equal access to growth opportunities. Remember, appreciating diversity will not only make your team members feel valued, but also drive success in a remote or hybrid work model. – Dharmesh Acharya, Radixweb
13. Chat Casually Before Meetings Begin
Make time for casual chats before meetings or to catch up one-on-one. When team members connect virtually, share and encourage personal updates—it sets a welcoming tone. If your team members only rarely gather in person, clear your calendar on the days that they do to spend time with the employees who are there. Ask about their lives, families and hobbies. Be intentional in making the conversations organic, not forced, to build camaraderie. – Satpreet Singh, Aflac Benefits Solutions
14. Develop Get-Togethers Team Members Will Want To Attend
Team building has to be deliberate. If you don’t all get to see each other in person often, it’s critical to have virtual get-togethers that your team members want to be part of. Incentivize them with fun perks or prizes, games and stories about each other. This bonding and sense of community will come in handy when your teams need to work closely together on challenging projects later. – Syed Ahmed, Act-On Software
15. Foster Creativity When You Meet In Person
As with most leadership endeavors, it’s important to set a vision. Why do we want to have our people back in the office? What do we gain as a team? I believe we gain social iteration, which increases creativity. Therefore, let’s make sure that we foster creativity when we meet in the office. For example, coding is off-limits—instead, create activities that foster teamwork and brainstorming. – Edgar Escobar, Grupo ALTO
16. Leverage Office Space Savings To Cover Travel Expenses
Use the savings from reduced office spaces to support in-person collaboration and travel to co-working locations. Doing so presents numerous advantages for developers, including strengthened personal bonds via interactions, expedited teamwork, streamlined onboarding and training, cultural immersion for international teams, and increased motivation from the prospect of work-associated travel. – Suman Sharma, Procyon Inc.
17. Encourage Employee Interest Groups
One easy way tech leaders can foster a welcoming culture for team members who don’t work in an office is by encouraging employees to create interest groups. For example, we have a fitness group, a place for people who love cooking and a chat channel for people who enjoy traveling. These small groups allow people to interact and get to know each other, which is vital for a strong company culture. – Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
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