Research indicates that successful teams foster “psychological safety”. This is a culture characterized by interpersonal trust and mutual respect, where people are comfortable being themselves.

• Remote workers often feel lonely without in-person connection and that can impact their abilities and productivity.
• It takes more effort to bond with people you only interact virtually
• Human beings need social and face-to-face interaction to build trust a...

• Set clear expectations and make an effort to be a good listener.
• Set clear boundaries. Establish a preferred time for communications so you feel respected and acknowledged.
• Get to know others. Remote workers often have purely transactional interactions.

Workers crave a sense of authentic connection with others and the best way to do that is by bringing people together in person. But it's not always a viable alternative.

Weekly video check-ins or catch-ups are fantastic ways to create a sense of community and belongingness:

Learning about someone takes time and effort. But it also helps you as a team connect on a deeper level. One of the best ways to do this is with a game called Conspiracy Santa, a version of Secret Santa in which the team works together to pick the perfect gift: