Summary:  Having a remote team in convenient however creating a team can be challenging. These three tips should get you on your way.

Aahhh…the convenience of working with a remote team. They don’t need office space, they live near your clients/potential clients and no complaints about the commute!

The difficult part is keeping in touch, making them feel like a team and ensure they are motivated. After all they may or may not know each other. Getting together for physical meetings may not be possible as there can by various miles, cities or states between all of them.

So how do you do it? How do you create that sense of team?

Try these 3 tips:

One-on-one time. Spend time with each person on your team and get to know them. Go beyond the workplace issues, get to know what their goals are for life, family, and career.  Learn about their strengths  and where they need more assistance. Try to meet face-to-face at least once year.
Group calls. Get everyone on the phone, skype or other video platform. These calls will follow your lead, so start of light (small talk).  Take on more of a mastermind format – ask each person what is working and what’s not. Have others on the call experienced the same things? Can they help? It may take a few calls to get everyone to open up, that’s ok have patience it will work.
Company Meetings. Does your company have regular company meetings? If so, are you inviting your remote workers? You can set up a phone line so they can listen in or set up a video camera so they can watch over the internet. Keep them involved with the company so they don’t feel they are being forgotten.

Don’t let these great team members be out of sight and out of mind.  Since they are not there to remind you, make the extra effort to keep them involved.

How do you keep your remote involved?