How can you build relationships with colleagues in different locations?

Managing a global team demanded strategic communication: 1. **Respecting Time Zones:** - Scheduled meetings to suit all time zones. - Understood start and cut-off times in various locations. 2. **Virtual Meetups:** - Monthly or bi-weekly online meetups during core hours. - Sent virtual gift cards for team members to enjoy during meetings. 3. **Flexible Working Hours:** - Embraced flexibility for team members connecting across time zones. 4. **Messaging Platforms:** - Utilized Slack for streamlined communication. 5. **Local Offsites:** - Organized in-person meetups for local teams to strengthen connections. 6. **Annual Company-Funded Meetup:** - Instituted an annual company-funded meetup for global team-building

Effective communication is vital for remote work success. Clear, frequent, and respectful communication with colleagues is crucial. Choose appropriate channels and tools – email for formal updates, instant messaging for quick questions, video calls for meetings, and phone calls for urgent matters. Respect colleagues' time zones, preferences, and availability, avoiding messages outside working hours. Consistent and considerate communication fosters a positive remote work environment.

In order to establish rapport with your team, set up regular virtual coffee breaks with people in other locations. Another idea is to create a virtual water cooler channel for everyone to discuss topics not related to work. You might even want to add in a few icebreaker activities and games to make it fun. Also, if you are part of a global team, try pairing up with a co-worker to practice their language and teach them yours virtually. You can also organize a virtual monthly workshop where one person presents and teaches the others a new hobby or skill. This approach helps increase camaraderie and maintain the bond you need for an effective team. Finally, be proactive with status updates, even if it’s just a short weekly call to check in.

Acknowledge and appreciate the diversity within your remote team. Different locations often bring unique perspectives and approaches. Celebrate cultural differences and be mindful of varying working styles. In my experience, fostering an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives has led to a more innovative and collaborative team.

Remote work removes the chance encounters of bumping into someone in the break room or sharing a moment where you forgot your badge at the door with someone while you both wait for security. It also places you out of sight, and you know what they about that. If you are remote, you need to amp up your communication and do so consistently.

Meetings are expensive when you are at different timezones. Firstly, respect colleagues preferences and availability. Discuss if you can leverage alternate channels like email and messaging and align on expectations. Have a recurring meeting on the calendar can also help remove confusion.

Regular Updates: Share regular updates about work and personal life, fostering transparency and trust. Attend Company-Wide Events: Participate in company-wide virtual events or in-person meetups if possible. Peer Recognition: Acknowledge and appreciate the work of your colleagues in different locations. Ask for Input and Offer Help: Regularly ask for their input on projects and offer your assistance, building a supportive work relationship. Time Zone Awareness: Be mindful of time zones when scheduling meetings or sending communications. Share Knowledge and Resources: Share relevant information and resources, demonstrating a collaborative and helpful attitude.

Communication is the only and most vital aspect of building connect with your team members and it takes paramount importance when the team members are not at the same location. We need to make efforts to establish a communication channel which is open, trusting and inclusive.

Construir relacionamentos sólidos com colegas em diferentes locais requer uma comunicação assertiva. Priorizar a clareza nas interações virtuais, participar ativamente de reuniões online e demonstrar empatia são fundamentais para fortalecer laços mesmo à distância. A comunicação assertiva não apenas facilita a colaboração eficaz, mas também contribui para um ambiente de trabalho virtual mais conectado e coeso.

Cross - located team culture is widely accepted and a growing phenomenon in todays digital world. As the world shrinks, so is the opportunity to connect with diversified people as peers. It is important you ensure proper communication, with due respect to their culture, valuing their time zone and personalities. It is important you understand the cultural differences. Its good to research a bit to know what is and what is not acceptable to your global colleagues and behave accordingly in your communications.

Human beings have a need for connection and the feeling of belonging. By design when we are part of the team, it doesn't mean we start working effectively immediately. Finding common interest, point of view. Knowing about each other helps, however, please check their comfort level before asking personal question. In many cultures it isn't appropriate. and lastly, notice the reaction and response.

There is little about being remote that is different when showing interest and appreciation. We all want to be listened to and understood. The difference is that you need to put yourself in a position to do so more proactively, as no one (hopefully) will bump into you in your home office.

Procure algo comum entre você e seus pares. Se tem filhos e se são da mesma idade, hobbies e atividades que vocês também poderiam fazer juntos fora da empresa.

One way to break the ice with new relationships or grow existing ones is to ask for feedback. Or could you offer to collaborate? I am amazed at how effective this is, but many companies are siloed, and people are busy with the current task at hand. You'll stick out in a good way.

In my experience, I suggest: -Seeking feedback demonstrates your commitment to personal and professional growth. By proactively asking for feedback, you show that you value your colleagues' opinions and are open to improving. This open-mindedness fosters trust and respect, laying a foundation for strong working relationships. Additionally, receiving feedback helps you identify areas for improvement -Collaboration is the cornerstone of teamwork. By actively seeking opportunities to collaborate with your colleagues, you strengthen bonds, share knowledge, and learn from one another's expertise. This collaborative spirit fosters a sense of camaraderie, leading to a more cohesive team environment By doing this, you can demonstrate trust

I think it is important to celebrate personal milestones as well in addition to the professional ones - graduation, marriage, birth of child, grandchild, buying car/ house, dream vacation destination. Be diverse and inclusive, talk about festivals, cultures, geo-graphical events etc. It helps connect with people on personal level.

Building intentional time to connect with co-workers is important, especially in this increasingly global work environment. Sending a quick message to check in or celebrate milestones is great, but so is asking to do a 15 minute or 30 minute catch up. If in-person, we would have opportunities to talk about family, events or whatever's going on in the kitchen or by the water cooler, but when remote there isn't a natural place to do this. Messages can feel impersonal or forced or difficult to read the tone. Talking face to face can quickly build rapport and bonds!

Para construir relacionamentos com colegas em diferentes locais, é crucial utilizar canais de comunicação nacionais e internacionais de maneira estratégica. Além dos meios tradicionais, como e-mails e videoconferências, plataformas profissionais como o LinkedIn proporcionam uma rede global de conexões. Participar ativamente de fóruns online e eventos setoriais, tanto nacional quanto internacionalmente, amplia o alcance e promove a colaboração. Esses canais não apenas fortalecem laços profissionais, mas também criam oportunidades para o crescimento conjunto em mercados diversificados, permitindo a exploração de novas perspectivas e colaborações para o avanço mútuo.

Embracing diversity and inclusion is a key aspect to foster an efficient team culture. One thing that happen commonly with diversified teams is, disconnection. People from similar culture tend to group faster and there is high chance to exclude other team members from a different culture. Conscious inclusiveness is required here. Managers and leaders should make sure you give proper guidance and set process to ensure inclusiveness is practiced within your team. While I was managing team, I set a process to have atleast 2 hours of working-together, overlapping all time zones. It needed follow up in the beginning to make sure team is doing that,but after a while they took the ownership of inclusiveness and had its great impact in teaming.

Be open to know the person. Respect them the way they are and boundaries. Make your own first or lasting impression about them and do not get influenced by what others might have said.

Respeitar e abraçar a diversidade envolve cultivar uma mentalidade inclusiva, reconhecendo e valorizando as diferenças individuais. Esteja aberto ao aprendizado sobre culturas, origens e perspectivas diversas. Fomente um ambiente onde todos se sintam ouvidos e respeitados, promovendo a igualdade de oportunidades. Encoraje a expressão autêntica das identidades, sem julgamentos. Promova políticas e práticas que apoiem a diversidade, equidade e inclusão. Celebre as realizações de todos os membros da equipe, independentemente de suas diferenças.Esteja disposto a reconhecer e corrigir comportamentos discriminatórios. Cultive uma cultura organizacional que valorize a diversidade como um ativo fundamental para o sucesso coletivo.

It is all about the time you spend together and the right chemistry. The colleague I work with most closely is a 9 hour time zone away. We have a one hour video call every day for years to do our work together or talk about personal topics. We have never met, but we feel closely connected. I cannot do this with many people as my time is limited. But it is amazing what is possible when you focus your energy on a few relationships no matter if they are local or remote.

Setting clear boundaries and expectations is crucial for effective remote collaboration. Explain the role expectations and how does it fit in the larger picture. Promote work life balance, encourage self care, breaks, vacations, family time etc. and be mindful of the time-zones, priorities and personal schedules. Communicate the expected response times. Create a culture of openness and accountability. Be honest and expect honesty.

Remote/hybrid work makes boundary setting critical. As a remote employee, I often put this onus on myself, but it depends on the environment you are in and if remote/hybrid is the norm. It was not for many years that I worked, so I realized I had to be the one to put those boundaries into place. I did this through my calendar and discipline when taking calls.

To my opinions, relationship should be built on trust, which entails: - Frequency - Time: spend time to discuss and don't avoid opportunities towards "e-water cooler talks". - Authenticity: communicate openly and respectful - Don't eliminate non-verbal expression: video call if needed, it helps you to focus on the conversation and detect non-verbal reactions from your colleagues.

One of the most important psychological needs of people is belonging. An environment of trust, encouragement of open communication and respect for diversity are the most important elements for feeling belonging and connecting with others. Bringing together colleagues and teams from different locations is also essential as a reflection of a diverse and inclusive culture. This requires clear boundaries, taking into account time differences and country-specific differences, *Coffee hours *Happy hours *Think tank groups *Cultural promotion events * Sharing activities related to the specific areas of each group *Monthly conversations with guests interaction can be created with different organizations. After all, technology can open any door.

Nurturing connections with colleagues in different locations presents challenges but is vital for engagement and advancement. As an expert coach to distributed teams, I recommend proactive relationship-building across four areas: One, structure regular video check-ins to collaborate and connect more personally. Two, identify opportunities for in-person meetups at company events to strengthen trust. Third, bond over shared interests in digital channels like book/movie clubs or virtual coffee meetings. Fourth, could you send thoughtful recognition when remote colleagues go above and beyond? Staying visible and engaged despite physical distance demonstrates a commitment to the team.

Use technology wisely and effectively. Leverage the benefits of video calls so that you e-meet your team members and be connected with teammates though instant messaging apps. Conduct virtual events and get-togethers for team bonding. celebrate successes, provide regular feedbacks. schedule regular meetings with your teams together and individual as well

Além das estratégias discutidas, é fundamental cultivar a empatia ao compreender as realidades e desafios enfrentados por colegas em diferentes locais. Priorize a escuta ativa para compreender suas perspectivas e necessidades. Estimule a colaboração em projetos para fortalecer os laços profissionais. Compartilhe não apenas informações de trabalho, mas também interesses pessoais, promovendo uma conexão mais profunda. Incentive a participação de todos em reuniões e decisões importantes. Utilize ferramentas de comunicação visuais para criar uma sensação de presença mais forte.