Techniques for Building Team Rapport Online

The Empathy Edge: 8 Ways to Maintain Emotional Connection in a Remote World In a digital age where screens replace face-to-face interactions, empathy is the bridge that keeps teams human. Here are eight strategies to nurture emotional intelligence and foster trust, even through a monitor: 1. Send “How can I support you?” instead of “What’s the status?” ↳ Reframing demands as offers shifts the dynamic from surveillance to collaboration, reducing defensiveness and building trust. 2. Start every meeting with: “How are you really doing?” ↳ A simple check-in sets a tone of care and reminds everyone that people come before tasks. 3. Celebrate the “invisible” work publicly ↳ Highlighting silent efforts boosts morale and reinforces the value of each team member’s contribution. 4. Turn cameras ON during conflict ↳ Body language builds empathy faster than words alone, helping to de-escalate tension and foster understanding. 5. Create a “No Judgment” virtual zone ↳ A safe space for sharing struggles encourages vulnerability, strengthens bonds, and sparks innovative solutions. 6. Replace emails with “human” video chats ↳ Cameras humanize interactions, turning pixels into people and creating moments of genuine connection. 7. End every call with clarity + gratitude ↳ Closing with “Thank you for your time. Here’s our next-step plan.” combines appreciation with structure, leaving everyone feeling valued and aligned. 8. Send one unsent message this week ↳ A simple note of recognition—like “I noticed how you [specific action]. Thank you.”—can have an outsized impact on morale and engagement. Remote work doesn’t have to mean robotic work. By intentionally weaving empathy into digital habits, you build teams that feel seen, heard, and valued—no office required. 📌 Which of these strategies will you try first? Share below! ♻️ Repost to lead the empathy revolution in remote work! Follow Natan Mohart for more science-backed soft skills.

Meetings aren’t for updates - they’re where your culture is being built… or broken. In distributed, remote, & hybrid teams, meetings are key moments where team members experience culture together. That makes every meeting a high-stakes opportunity. Yet most teams stay in default mode - using meetings for project updates instead of connection, ideation, debate, and culture-building. Fixing meeting overload isn’t just about having fewer Zooms. It’s about rewiring your communication norms: ✔️ Do we know when to communicate synchronously vs. asynchronously? ✔️ Are we using async tools that give transparency without constant live check-ins? ✔️ Have we aligned on our team values and expected behaviors? 💡 3 ways to reduce meetings and make the remaining ones count: 1️⃣ Co-create a Team Working Agreement. Before you can reinforce values, your team needs to define them. We’ve spent hundreds of hours helping teams do this - and have seen measurable gains in team effectiveness. Key components: ✔️ Shared team goals ✔️ Defining team member roles ✔️ Agreed-upon behaviors ✔️ Communication norms (sync vs. async) 2️⃣ Begin meetings with a connection moment. Relationships fuel trust and collaboration. Kick things off with a check-in like: “What gave you energy this week?” Or tailor it to the topic. In a recent meeting on decision-making norms, we asked: “Speed or certainty - which do you value more when making decisions, and why?” 3️⃣ Make team values part of the agenda. Create a ritual to recognize teammates for living into the team behaviors. Ask the question: “Where did we see our values or team agreements show up this week?” And check in on where could the team have done better. Culture doesn’t happen by accident - especially when your teams are spread across time zones, WFH setups, and multiple office sites. Your meetings can become a powerful tool to build culture with intention. Excerpt from the Work 20XX podcast with Jeff Frick

Most folks are surprised to hear our team is fully remote. No offices. No co-working spaces. Nothin'. And somehow - it's the most connected team I've ever worked on. Since many of us Loop & Tie - Sustainable Gifting 🎁 will never meet face-to-face, our team has become borderline obsessed with building a culture that honors where we've been and leaves room for where we're going. This isn't a comprehensive list, but here are a few things I've observed in our path to building a brand culture that builds connection when we're physically designed for disconnection: 1. Rituals Matter: We're obsessed with lobsters. And no one really knows the true origin story. But that hasn't stop our team from leaving lobster Easter eggs in our creative or from including lobster facts in our team meetings. That lobster lore has evolved into more than an inside joke. It’s a shared thread of playfulness; it reminds us that we can take what we do seriously, but we don't have to take ourselves seriously. Every ritual, even crustacean in nature, becomes an invitation: “You belong here. You’re part of the lore.” It’s how we turn screens into scenes of genuine culture. 2. Celebrate EVERYTHING: The world in which our team lives beyond what we can see in the square of their meeting screen is massively massively expansive. If someone shares a brief glimpse into that world, it means something to them. And that means something to us. Always take time to celebrate. 3. Commit to the Bit: Improvisation is at the heart of building a connected culture. When we as leaders commit to the bit, we signal that everyone's contributions are welcome. Every voice matters and magic will happen in unscripted spaces. 4. Communicate with Precision: We're missing an arsenal of communication tools. Body language, energetic shifts, spacial context. We can't leave misinterpretation to chance. By choosing our words, formats, and signals with intentionaly, we ensure every message lands exactly as intended—even when we’re thousands of miles apart. 5. Unleash your Culture Ignitors: Culture is defined and reinforced from the top, but it's expressed from the bottom up. Identify your culture ignitors; they’re the deliberate sparks of playfulness, creativity, and inclusion. And those sparks become the flame of connection in your culture. Took me a bit to boil these down to just 5, but there's gotta be more that you're doing. I'd love to hear yours. How does your culture foster connection?

Let’s get real; those chats around the water cooler were never that great. There’s a reason why this photo looks like a generic stock photo—this situation is fictionalized. While people may have shared casual stories about the weather or the latest movies around the water cooler, deep relationships were never built there. Remote and hybrid work is criticized for a perceived inability to build culture. If people aren’t talking about their weekends in the break room, the thinking goes, how can we build a cohesive team? In reality, those surface-level conversations don’t do much to build a strong culture, and they certainly aren’t more important because they happen in person. In fact, Gallup research shows only 20% of fully in-office employees feel connected to their company’s culture, slightly below the rate of hybrid employees. What people need more than serendipitous chit-chat is focused, intentional moments of connection - and you don’t need an office building for those. Instead, managers can adopt a few strategies to create connections in hybrid/remote (or in-person) settings that build cohesiveness, decrease feelings of isolation, and boost morale. Good examples are outlined in @Rising Team’s new Guide to Maximizing Hybrid Work Success, including strategies like: 🛠️Dedicate time to build understanding:  Activities that foster authentic understanding are essential for maintaining connection in hybrid environments. While happy hours may be fun, learning about people’s workplace preferences, like how they like to be appreciated and how they prefer to receive feedback, go a lot further towards building strong relationships. 🔗Create micro-connections:  Quick, intentional check-ins about work and life can do much more than casual conversations. Try asking, “How do you like to be supported on a hard day?” or “What is something you’re proud of outside of work?” instead of small talk about weekend plans. Questions like these enhance trust and understanding. 👥Maximize in-person time:  When your team does meet in person, focus on activities that the research shows benefit from face-to-face interaction, like brainstorming or collaborative projects. These in-person moments should strengthen virtual connections and keep the team aligned on shared goals. Find the full list of examples by downloading our free Guide: https://lnkd.in/g9ditxXA Building a strong team culture isn’t about casual in-office encounters—it’s about fostering intentional connections that have real impact. Whether through meaningful check-ins or focused team activities, managers have the tools to create a cohesive, engaged team in any environment. Hybrid and remote work aren’t obstacles to culture-building—they’re opportunities to redefine it. #HybridWork #RemoteLeadership  — This is the final post in my series on maximizing success in remote work. Check out my LinkedIn channel for past posts on best practices for leading hybrid/remote teams.

8 ways I create a culture of connection with a 90-person remote team: 1️⃣ Weekly coffee roulette across teams to spark bonds 2️⃣ Bi-weekly all hands led by our teams (not leadership) 3️⃣ Friendly competition with movement challenges e.g. daily steps 4️⃣ 10 minutes for a ‘The Weekend Report’ at the start of Monday’s calls 5️⃣ Investing in optional co-working spaces where we have hubs of people 6️⃣ Slack channels for interest groups such as ‘the parents’, ‘the neurospices’ 7️⃣ Investing in-person activities to bond, brainstorm & build lasting memories 8️⃣ An open door policy for new culture-orientated ideas to address team needs Let’s be real… It can be difficult to feel connected to a screen full of faces. But the freedom, flexibility & access to global talent? That’s the undeniable magic of remote work ✨ And we’re committed to creating a virtual space that’s just as vibrant, supportive & inspiring as any office. Where everyone feels seen, heard & truly connected. How do YOU build a great remote culture?👇🏽 ***** ♻️ If this resonated, reshare it with your network. 🩵 Follow me, Radha, for more insights into building a remote team.

Remote work shouldn’t feel distant. But for many teams, it does. Most remote teams survive. → The exceptional ones? They thrive. Here’s what the best remote teams do differently: 1. Small talk never fails ↳ Schedule informal conversations to build connection ↳ Enhances team unity and trust ↳ Try: 15-minute coffee breaks on video chat 🗣️ "Share a quote or piece of wisdom that you live by!” 2. Quick feelings check ↳ Start meetings with quick emotional status updates ↳ Normalizes discussing feelings, improving empathy ↳ Use: "Traffic light" system (Red/Yellow/Green) for mood checks 🗣️ "I'm feeling a bit yellow today but ready to take on the challenge!" 3. Spotlight wins ↳ Public space for peer recognition and appreciation ↳ Boosts morale and positive team culture ↳ Set up: A dedicated Slack channel or virtual board 🗣️ "Shoutout to [Name] for going above and beyond in the last project!" 4. Define it. Align it. Thrive with it. ↳ Established guidelines for response times and availability ↳ Reduces stress and misunderstandings ↳ Define: Expected response times for different communication channels 🗣️ "What’s the best channel for urgent updates so everyone stays aligned?" 5. Personal connections priority ↳ Dedicated time for personal connection with each team member ↳ Strengthens individual relationships and trust ↳ Schedule: At least, bi-weekly check-ins with direct reports 🗣️ "I really appreciate this dedicated time to share my thoughts." 6. Turn tension into teamwork ↳ Address issues promptly from empathy-driven action ↳ Prevents escalation of misunderstandings ↳ Practice: "Seek first to understand" in all conflicts 🗣️ "How can we address this in a way that works well for both of us?" These habits are not just nice-to-haves, ↳ they're the solid foundation of high-performing remote teams. P.S. Which one is your team implementing today? P.S.S. Which other habit has worked well in your workplace? Feel free to share in the comments. 🔄 Repost to share with your network 🔔 Follow Alinnette Casiano for more Infographic Design: Hristo Butchvarov

"You can lead remote teams successfully, and it requires effort." Till Büttner talks on leading a high performance remote analytics team from his experience at DHL and throughout his career. Here's a little take of what he had to share today: 1. Lead by Example Whatever you say to do, you need to do it yourself, first. i.e. * Camera on, as a standard * On time * Fully and professionally dressed 2. Trust Without it, micromanagement sets in as a natural byproduct of human behavior. In office, this comes with the ability to physically observe colleagues. 3. Be Transparent & Connect Be honest and open with what's working and what's not; it does take a bit more effort to stay in touch and connected. Missing the organic walk-by's and check ins requires more intentional effort to connect. 4. Be available - don't hide! See your team daily. This means showing up, showing your face, being present, and interactive. Communicate if you're not going to be there well in advance. Show up and interact every. single. day. 5. Listen and watch for feelings This will require growth in your empathy skills (they can be grown). It sounds like unusual intonation changes, facial expression movements, behavioral differences, and can even come through in variance of written text. Stay attuned. 6. Create room for private life stories It's not a requirement, it's an opening. It's the small talk before and after meetings - it's your job to genuinely connect. If you find this bothersome, get curious about that. 7. Give people time to speak up --> applies to in-office too As a team lead, create space (such as 10 to 15 seconds) to allow more introverted people to gather their thoughts and share what's on their mind. Speed is not the need if it sacrifices the ability for your people to speak up.

Developing and maintaining a healthy and thriving team culture can be complicated with remote teammates. In July, we started an activity ahead of our monthly Security First department-wide meetings called "Guess Who?" suggested and organized by Teri Noveroske on our team. We ask team members to send pictures to Teri of something that represents them. It could be a trip they took, a hobby they have, etc. There can't be anything in the picture that will easily identify them. We take a few minutes before starting the meeting for Teri to share a couple of the pictures and everyone guesses who the picture is from. Once the big reveal happens, the teammate who shared the picture talks briefly about it. It has been a great way to get to know people a little better on the team. How do you ensure that that you grow your team culture with remote teammates? Share your thoughts in the comments.

People don’t start to care until they know you care. (5 ways I bridged the cultural gap with my remote team) When outsourcing, you’re not just hiring workers. You’re working with real people: who live in different countries, with different cultures, values,  and ways of working. For my business, I built my operations support team in the Philippines. Understanding who they are and  how they tick made all the difference. The key? Get to know them personally. The result: ☑ Enjoyable work experience ☑ Increased productivity ☑ Smoother workflows Here’s what helped me bridge the gap: Make space for small talk  ↳ Use the time before meetings to chat while waiting for everyone to join. ↳ Ask how their weekend went or what their plans are. ↳ Show genuine interest in their lives beyond work. Start meetings with icebreakers ↳ Assign a team member each week to lead an icebreaker. ↳ Keep it simple—fun questions or quick games. ↳ Helps break down communication barriers and build trust. Host a virtual year-end party ↳ Celebrate wins, big or small. ↳ Make it fun with games and awards. ↳ Recognition boosts morale and engagement. Organize in-person retreats ↳ If possible, meet in person for team bonding. ↳ This is also a good time to plan for next year. ↳ Creates unforgettable moments that build trust. Hold 1:1 performance meetings ↳ Recognize efforts, not just outcomes. ↳ Understand their personal and professional goals. ↳ Give feedback in a way that aligns with their culture. Culture isn’t a barrier.  It’s an opportunity to connect. When you take the time to understand your team, they’ll show up, engage, and do their best work —because they know you care. Helpful?  ♻️Please share to help others. 🔎Follow Michael Shen for more. #ManagingRemoteTeams #RemoteTeamManagement #BridgingCulturalGap