Vanya Wryter Consulting Services

Blog

  • How to Create an Inclusive Culture with Remote Teams

    How to Create an Inclusive Culture with Remote Teams

    Repost

    Technology has made it possible for a situation that didn’t exist a couple of decades ago: working with strangers. In a new culture of remote work, collaborating with coworkers in another city has become more commonplace. This situation can be comfortable for some people; awkward for others.

    As these situations occur more often, it has become an issue that remote companies must tackle. How do these companies create an inclusive culture for their remote teams? 

    With work from home, you may never meet your coworkers face to face for a casual conversation at the water cooler. You may even stagger interaction times because you’re logging into work as coworkers are having lunch or getting ready for dinner. 

    Interactions are formal: Meetings are done virtually, with set start and end times, and people stick to the agenda to respect schedules. Meetings can seem less formal because you get a peek into your coworker’s home, and you’re not meeting in the boardroom. 

    However, it’s harder to relate to someone you know little about, apart from their name, job title, and what their home office looks like.

    The management team has an important role in creating an inclusive work culture for their remote teams, starting with how they communicate and meet.

    1 In-person team events

    Virtual meetings are an effective way to collaborate quickly without wasting time on travel (by transit or by foot when you walk to the meeting room), but it isn’t easy to get to know people by meeting on a computer screen.

    Technology cannot replace in-person events. If a group of coworkers lives within driving distance, it’s worth finding a day when most people can meet for lunch and a chat. Occasions such as greeting a new team member, saying goodbye to someone moving away, or celebrating a holiday are the perfect reasons to socialize and get to know your team members in a non-work-related context.

    If possible, arrange for the whole company to meet at a central location. This annual meeting can be a day for everyone to meet in person and bond over activities completely unrelated to work.

    2 Developing an inclusive culture from the top down

    An inclusive culture for a remote company starts at the management level. New hires and team members follow the example that their direct report or supervisor sets.

    The tone used in emails, group chats, and direct messages is a part of the company culture. Do messages sound supportive and friendly? Or do people stick to the point? (The occasional curt message doesn’t count – eventually, you’ll catch someone in a hurry if you message them often enough.)

    Do group chats and meetings include sharing news and photos about what company members have been up to? A company lunch photo helps connect names to faces and gives a sense of what other teams or departments are doing. 

    Group chats and meetings are also opportunities to share what individuals have accomplished. For example, what projects were completed this past quarter? What did Jane contribute to the company lately to improve operations? What presentation did Sean do last month that won an award?

    These are just some ways the company can create an inclusive culture that connects names, accomplishments, and faces. People become more than employees that you know by name.

    3 Starting team meetings with a little socializing

    Team meetings are usually scheduled for a half hour to an hour. It’s typical to have a lot to cover in that short period of time. However, the team can spare a few minutes to socialize. That casual start to the meeting can do a lot to build relationships.

    The person acting as meeting moderator can start with a question such as, “How is everyone doing?” or ask about the weather. When your team lives in different cities, comparing the weather can be interesting (even competitive when you’re deciding who is having the hottest summer). If the weather seems dull, other neutral topics are also worthwhile, such as everyone’s upcoming weekend or holiday plans (although this topic tends to create long discussions that can take the meeting off topic).

    These short one to two-line conversations are a way to break the ice and get to know team members more personally. You discover that a teammate’s work buddy is a dog (who may pop by during the virtual meeting). Or you may find out someone likes beach weather as much as you do.

    These bits of trivia come in handy when you need to message someone for the first time with a work request. You can add a personal note, “Hope you have a good rest this long weekend at your summer cabin. Let me know when the report is finished!”

    4 One-on-one chats with remote team members

    One-on-one chats with team members are a great way to get to know other people who work at your company. When you can speak one-on-one at a virtual meeting or on a phone call, you have the chance to get to know each other on a personal level. 

    For example, you can find out what brought that person to the company or what their specific role is (especially if you don’t work directly with that coworker). Depending on how social the other person is, you might share details about your personal life. 

    Team members can message each other with work requests and add the latest picture of their dog or cat if they discover that their coworker is also fond of animals or has a pet. In some cases, these chats evolve into sharing anecdotes about hobbies or jokes interspersed with work-related chatter.

    When you connect with your coworkers, you may also open up personally, knowing your coworker will offer you support. For example, offering to pick up a work task for you because you’re sick, or sending you a joke to help you feel better because you’re struggling with something in your personal life.

    These personal connections can also happen with your supervisor or mentor. People in management or supervisory positions should take the time to get to know their team members by booking one-on-one meetings. 

    During that time, they can find out more about why someone is working for the company (they might not have been involved in the hiring process), what that person’s career goals are, and how that person likes to work (such as they like to be included in teamwork or they prefer to work independently). 

    This is also the perfect time to find out if the team member is struggling with something at work or at home but is reluctant to share. Discussing a solution can help to deal with mental health issues or possible future challenges.

    These types of connections are entirely possible with remote teams.

    5 Setting a tone of sensitivity

    People who work with remote teams can find it challenging to connect with their coworkers. For example, you don’t have the chance to run into them before or after work for a quick conversation—this lack of opportunity to connect results in faceless coworkers that you email with work requests.

    However, if company culture includes the occasional in-person event, promotes having a snippet of social time at the start of a meeting, or encourages people to get to know each other on a more personal level, people will feel more included.

    Some may resent social opportunities and consider this inclusive culture a waste of time. Introverts want to be left alone to work. A direct, to-the-point person will avoid wasting time with unrelated chatter. 

    The downside of this type of disconnect is people working in silos, and when they need help (and this will happen), their coworkers aren’t as quick to give a helping hand. This isolation can also open the door to misunderstandings and resentment.

    An inclusive culture of respect and support for others will create a more connected workplace. There are a few ways to develop this sensitivity. 

    For instance, if you discover your coworker has social anxiety, the team can be more encouraging. They can ask for that person’s opinion, knowing that person isn’t likely to share. They can also respond non-judgementally and show appreciation when their coworker shares an opinion or idea.

    Key Takeaways

    Taking the time and initiative to get to know your coworkers creates a positive environment for your remote team. Making these connections is important when you don’t see everyone day-to-day. It’s too easy to see coworkers as just names when you work from home. But when you discover just a little about a coworker’s personal life, such as a hobby, number of kids, or favorite food, you start to see them as people.

    When your coworkers are humans you care about, you’ll want to support and help each other. Creating an inclusive culture begins with building relationships with your coworkers.

    If you liked this post, subscribe so you don’t miss the next one!

  • What Foods Would You Like to Make

    What Foods Would You Like to Make

    Food loves company.

    For a recent company get-together, we experienced an Iron Chef-like competition. In case you haven’t heard of that show, it’s a competition in which you must use a key ingredient to make a recipe. In our case, the company was divided into teams, and each team got an ingredient to create an appetizer. 

    We discovered that the challenge was not everyone knew what to do with the key ingredient. That was related to the fact that we had people on our team who didn’t cook. (But the purpose of the activity was to have fun so a lack of cooking expertise didn’t matter.)

    The competition was held at a cooking school with plenty of ingredients, stoves, ovens, and tables. Our team was assigned blue cheese as an ingredient. Half the team hadn’t tried blue cheese or didn’t like it, so one person took charge and came up with a recipe.

    In the end, we made blue cheese with apples and nuts on a cracker. We were defeated by teams that had key ingredients such as salmon and another type of cheese. Of course, these competitions really depend on taste when determining the winner. The chef (and judge) thought our team’s recipe was too sweet, but a coworker liked the appetizer.

    In the end, we got to try the appetizers made by all our coworkers. The main course was made by the instructor at the cooking school and his team. Many coworkers thought the dessert was too sweet. (Again, food is so subjective and depends on individual taste.)

    In the end, it’s not just about the food. (Well, if the food tastes good, then certainly, you get a great meal.) What we remember is the time spent with the people we care about and the memories we create from the experience. 

    If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to make sure you don’t miss the next post!

    Daily writing prompt
    What foods would you like to make?
    View all responses
  • Losing Track of Time: Growing Up Too Soon

    Losing Track of Time: Growing Up Too Soon

    When I was ten, my parents bought me a notebook. “Tina,” they said, “you talk so much about so many things. Why don’t you write your thoughts down?” So I did.
    I was an only child with an active imagination, so I wrote every day.

    I wrote about all the things that I wanted to say to my parents. I described all the places that we would go as a family if my parents weren’t always working all the time. In just a few weeks, I had managed to fill an entire notebook, so my parents bought me another one.

    “Want to see what I wrote?” I asked.

    “Later,” they said. “Eat your dinner. Do your homework.” Then my dad’s eyes went back to the screen as he checked work emails, and analyzed numbers to see what he could trade. Mom typed on her laptop. Next to her, her planner was open, full of appointments and bright post-it notes. They were both very busy. They were like this every day of the week.

    Another week passed. Then another month, and another year. My parents bought me my own computer but I still preferred the connection of my thoughts pulsing through my fingers to my pen, and transforming into words on the page.

    Over time, my notebooks filled several boxes in my closet. They contained dreams I wanted to fulfill, sketches of places I wanted to go, lines of poetry, random thoughts that made me draw happy faces across the page, or angry words like silent screams across several paragraphs.

    One day, I went to collect all the boxes of notebooks from my closet. “I can’t believe you’re moving out already,” Mom said. “How long did you study for your degree? Is your boyfriend helping you on moving day?”

    “We broke up. We’re just friends now. I told you that last year.”

    “That’s a lot of notebooks,” said Dad.

    “Yeah,” I said. “You once told me to write down all my thoughts, so I did. I just wish I could have shared some of them with you, but you both were always so busy with work.”

    “We gave you a good life, didn’t we?” asked Mom.

    “I guess,” I said. “You did help with the downpayment of my condo.”

    I made sure all the boxes were closed. I was going to keep them sealed for a long time. Years of thoughts were in there, collecting dust and silence throughout time.

    If you liked this post, subscribe so you don’t miss the next one!

    Daily writing prompt
    Which activities make you lose track of time?
    View all responses

  • An Invitation One Can’t Refuse

    An Invitation One Can’t Refuse

    Daily writing prompt
    If you could host a dinner and anyone you invite was sure to come, who would you invite?
    View all responses

    I knew that he would come to dinner because he knew how important this one evening was. Prior to dinner, we had argued. We had stayed in touch, but we hadn’t seen each other in months. It took me courage to ask him to come to my place. 

    He had been there several times before. In the first year, we laughed a lot and spent hours together, collecting memories. In our last year, we had argued less and less until we didn’t have much to say at all.

    “Will you come by?” I asked. 

    “Yes, of course,” you said.

    So I spent the whole afternoon preparing dinner, making the perfect meal with the food that he loved. I wore his favorite T-shirt and jeans. Remember where we were when I first wore this outfit? It was such a fun vacation!

    He arrived on time, which was unusual because he was often late. He gave me a hug and a kiss, which he hadn’t done in a year. Then he saw the food and couldn’t wait to eat it. “I’ve missed you,” he said. 

    “I missed you too,” I said, my eyes watering, “and I’m sorry.”

    Everything was what I’d hoped for. There were no arguments, no anger. When you remember something, it tends to be perfect because your mind selectively edits everything. 

    It removes all the bad stuff, so you only remember the good.

    I stared at the plate of food in front of him, still untouched.

    It was all in my head, of course. In my mind, I’d fixed it all. We were speaking again. No more regrets over things left unsaid, no more agonizing over mistakes we’d made. Just this perfect dinner where he was here again, and everything was perfect. 

    If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to make sure you don’t miss the next post!

  • 3 Tips to Increase Your Productivity

    3 Tips to Increase Your Productivity

    Repost

    Working when it’s a holiday is tough. (Canada Day was July 1 and Independence Day is July 4) Your family and friends have invited you to join their plans but you must spend a few hours at the computer to meet an urgent deadline. Work can be fun if you enjoy it; a real pain if you don’t. 

    If you’re working from home and trying to ignore distractions, (and if you’re not working and just attempting to be productive at your personal goals), try these tips to stay productive, regardless of the day of the week.

    1 Set Goals

    Before you begin your workday, set your goals. Ask yourself what must be done today and what could be done today if you have the time. 

    Work backward, calculating the number of hours you plan to work and estimating the number of hours you need for the critical tasks. If you still have time left, add the tasks that would be nice to complete. 

    For example, if you plan to work X hours, estimate how long it will take you to complete the mandatory tasks. Then decide what tasks you could work on if you still have some time left.

    After prioritizing these tasks, complete the most urgent or difficult one first. Make a checklist of your tasks for the day, and cross off each task as you complete it. It’s a great feeling to see your list shrink as your day progresses.

    If you’re a freelancer or business owner, your goal for Saturday or Sunday might be to catch up on less important tasks. It’s a peaceful time to clear out some paperwork or catch up on the accounting you didn’t have time for during the week.

    2 Time Blocking

    Okay, you’ve decided on a list of what you want to complete by the end of your work day. Next, you want to block time for working productively.

    Estimate how much time it takes to complete a task. Then focus on working in short spurts. You might want to set a timer to mark when 15 to 30 minutes have passed. Or, you might want to work in long time blocks of one hour, although shorter periods are better for focused concentration.

    After a short block of time has passed, take a brief break. Stretch, walk around or sip on your favorite work beverage. If you work in long time blocks, take a longer break.

    Set boundaries for communication and socialization, especially if you live with others. Have a way to signal to family or roommates when it’s your office hours. For example, close your home office door. When it’s break time, open the door so they know that’s their time to speak with you or spend time with you.

    If you have coworkers who also work, even on the weekends, you can also time block. If answering messages and emails distracts you from your task, wait until your task is complete before answering messages. If you don’t have time to complete a work request, tell your coworker when you will be completing the task.

    Most importantly, when it is time to work, use that block of time productively. Focus on your work and turn off all distractions. Listen to music if it helps to keep you focused. Tell your furry coworker friend they can work next to you as long as they don’t sit on the keyboard (which cats sometimes do).   

    3 Prioritize Health

    Time blocking can greatly increase your productivity. Just as important to your productivity is including habits to improve your mental and physical health.

    Working on a stat or national holiday can already be challenging if everyone you know has time off. This type of work schedule can affect your mental health if you want to break free and join whatever your family is doing.

    But since you’re committed to the work day, commit yourself to setting boundaries. Decide on blocks of time when you can have a quick chat with your family during a work break. Make plans for later in the day so you’ll have something to look forward to.

    If you live alone, chat with your friends during your work breaks. Take advantage of support systems that you find on social media. 

    People who freelance or run a business reach out to online communities so they can share their challenges and struggles. This network is especially important if your friends aren’t business owners and constantly ask why you’re working on the weekend or a stat/national holiday.

    In addition to social support, look after your body. When you work from home, it’s easy to hunch over a computer and stare at a screen for hours. It’s not healthy for your back or eyes. 

    During a break, stretch, get a cup of tea or coffee, and walk around. Take in your surroundings. Chat with your plant, cat, bird, or dog about what you’re working on. Sometimes you’ll have a breakthrough while you brainstorm, and you’ll work out what was stumping you about your work task.

    Key Takeaways

    If you’re working from home this weekend, you can improve your focus and productivity with careful planning. First, set your goals, then use time blocking to ensure that you achieve them. Third, remember to take breaks and rest to keep your body and mind healthy.

    If you liked this post, subscribe so you don’t miss the next one!