Trust is essential to teams because it supports teamwork, boosts employee engagement, and drives organizational success.
However, it’s challenging to build trust in a remote setting. The limited face-to-face interactions make it harder to establish personal connections.
Let’s say you hired a virtual assistant.
How can you apply traditional trust-building strategies, like team-building, casual chats, and direct supervision, to a virtual team?
Sounds impossible, but many companies have built thriving remote teams despite these challenges.
How can you do the same? Here are 5 strategies you can try:
Set Clear Expectations
The lack of clear guidelines and ambiguous deadlines can make many remote workers feel unmoored.
Make sure everyone knows their roles, responsibilities, and how they contribute to the team’s success.
When team members know exactly what is expected of them, this reduces uncertainty and anxiety.
Clear, achievable goals, and deadlines provide structure, which can build trust in leadership and strengthen the team.
Establish Clear and Consistent Communication
Clear and consistent communication keeps all team members on the same page, reducing confusion and misunderstanding.
So maximize all various communication tools (e.g., email, chat, video calls) available to ensure everyone stays connected.
Also, try to schedule regular team meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and personal updates. This helps align expectations and builds a sense of inclusion and engagement.
Moreover, your team deserves to know about what’s happening in the company, so be open about where it stands and major changes, if any.
This can build trust by showing that you value and promote transparency, which helps team members feel secure and included.
Cultivate a Sense of Belongingness
When people feel that their contributions matter, they are more likely to engage, collaborate, and support each other.
To build team camaraderie, organize virtual team-building activities, celebrate individual and team achievements, and encourage regular informal interactions.
It doesn’t even have to be a grand event. For instance, some companies set aside time each day for virtual water cooler chats to build personal connections.
Think of anything that makes them feel less like a cog in a machine and more like an important member of the team.
Promote Accountability
Empower team members to take ownership of their work and decisions.
When team members are accountable for their tasks, they understand their roles better and are more committed to meeting deadlines and achieving goals.
However, make room for mistakes so people aren’t afraid to admit them and can learn from them instead.
By viewing mistakes as opportunities for growth, you promote openness and continuous improvement.
It also helps to actively avoid micromanaging.
For instance, if you have a virtual assistant, set clear objectives and deadlines for their tasks, then give them the autonomy to decide how to complete their work. Trust them to manage their time and methods, supervising only when needed.
This can ultimately strengthen trust and respect within the team.
Lead by Example
When leaders show integrity, professionalism, and commitment, it sets a positive example for the entire team.
This motivates team members to abide by similar values and work ethics.
By embodying these qualities, you create a culture of trust and respect, demonstrating your commitment to the team’s success and encouraging everyone to do their best.
With the strategies above, you can slowly form a cohesive, high-performing, and committed team.
However, if you’ve yet to find your dream remote team, Remote Staff can provide you with top remote talent for your exacting needs.
From IT outsourcing specialists to a virtual assistant, Remote Staff has a roster of pre-qualified individuals ready to help you get your business off the ground.
Click here to schedule a callback today!
Leandro is a content creator and digital nomad who started his career as a remote working content writer. He is an advocate of location independent sources of income. And he believes that everyone has the ability to be one as well.
