Getting the employees and teams to band together isn’t easy especially when physical distance is involved. So, how do you ensure team collaboration even when you’re working from home?

Make sure you’re equipped with the right tools
Before you start to worry about other things, one of the things you need to secure are your tools. Make sure you have the right tools that can help you collaborate with your colleagues and other teams effectively. This is where the beauty of working from home comes in - there’s a laundry list of project management tools and software online companies can use for their organization.

What digital innovations is your company using for its remote employees? Are these applications and software sufficient? Do they make your work efficient? Do they make it easy to collaborate with other employees and teams?

Have a clear definition of each team’s schedules
A flexible schedule is one of the things that makes working from home a promising option for most employees. However, this may not always be feasible and easy for operations. Clearly defined schedules are imperative to ensure team collaboration and smooth operations.

Whether the teams in your company are working on a fixed or flexible schedule, be sure to find out the different time zones they are in, the hours everyone overlaps, their availability outside their work schedule, among others. Identifying these things can make it easier for everyone to set up collaborative and one on one meetings.

Step out of your comfort zone
So you already have various channels of communication provided at your disposal. But it’s important to take note that other team members do not share the same manner and practices in terms of communication. People work very differently. Some are comfortable communicating in email while some others prefer instant chats and messages. Take time to be familiar with your colleagues’ style of communication. What works for you may not work for them and vice versa. Step a little outside of your comfort zone and make a bit of adjustments if necessary.

Maintain clear communication
A good number of remote companies have identified several challenges that come along with running a virtual operation and one of the biggest ones is holding brainstorming sessions. Communicating through emails, chats and even video conferences are more prone to misinterpretation due to the absence of tone and body language. Be sure to never leave room for misunderstanding by being extremely clear and precise in your messages.

Working from home can be ideal for a lot of employees for several good reasons. It may entail quite a few challenges especially in terms of team collaboration but with the help of these tips, you can continue to promote productivity and efficiency in your virtual workplace.