In the past, home-based professions were a choice not available to everyone. Very few people worked remotely full-time while others worked remotely once or twice a week. This arrangement made it easier to maintain good relationships with co-workers since they saw each other in-person the rest of the week.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, home-based work became mandatory for many workers who had to adjust to a virtual workplace with little notice. Even as the world opens up again, many organisations are keeping their teams remote but it’s harder to keep relationships with colleagues this way.

Why relationship building is important

Although you’re working online, you’re still spending a huge chunk of your waking hours with your teammates than with your loved ones. This is why it’s crucial to build quality relationships with them. There are many advantages to fostering bonds in the workplace, such as:

Greater morale

You and your co-workers become friendlier with each other and may even look forward to spending time with one another while accomplishing tasks. This makes your role more fun resulting in a more positive workplace. On the other hand, an unfriendly environment makes people gloomy too.

Greater teamwork

When people know each other well, they are likely to collaborate well. Consider someone recently recruited for virtual assistant hiring; typically, they remain isolated until everyone gets to know them. If you’re given a project with someone you’re barely on speaking terms with, you have to break the ice first which takes more time.

Greater productivity

Have you noticed that, when you’re happier, you tend to be more productive? While there’s the issue of friendly employees wasting time together, a well-adjusted team tends to be efficient than others. By feeling connected to one another, you naturally want to help the other party to grow and be successful.

Tips for working effectively with remote teammates

All of the benefits above sound great but things aren’t so easy in practice. You might have one of the best work from home jobs but you still have to face the challenges of relationship building across time zones. Try these strategies for good working relationships with coworkers in remote locations.

Make the effort to connect

Relationships don’t build themselves overnight, they take effort and time to develop. You mustn’t wait for someone else to take the initiative. Instead, be intentional about interacting with the people you’re working with and learn more about them whenever you’re able.

Since you’re all busy handling your own virtual assistant jobs online, it’s hard to set aside a special time for socialising. Start with checking in on your teammates and asking them how their projects are doing along with their family life. Greet them if you know when their birthdays or anniversaries are.

Respect their boundaries

Likely, one of the reasons why you applied for home-based job hiring is the ability to work from anywhere and at any time. This flexibility is what makes scheduling complicated though. Your vacant time might be the busiest time of the day for your colleague, for instance.

To be considerate of their schedule without crossing any lines, ask about their working hours from the get-go and share your own calendar. This way, you know you’re not contacting them when they’re sleeping, on holiday, on their coffee break, or having dinner with their family.

Hone your communication skills

When you have a good relationship with someone, it’s easier to voice your opinion, give feedback, bounce off ideas, and even negotiate with them. To achieve this, you need to communicate well with them first. Start by being respectful and polite to them regardless of your roles.

Next, learn to be an active listener, meaning pay attention to what they’re saying and ask follow-up questions. Also, be transparent and honest with your words rather than ask others to talk to them for you. It’s especially important to be concise with your emails and chats to avoid misunderstandings.

Learn to be more empathetic

Remember that the people you’re interacting with are human beings, even in times when you only see your screen and not their faces. There will be times when they’re not at their best emotionally and psychologically. Hence, don’t expect them to always be cheerful and friendly.

Be understanding when they say that they don’t have time to discuss about the top VA jobs or your cute pets. Minimise any complaints you might have when they go on leave because they have to attend to a sick parent. Be sensitive when they’ve been scolded by your manager and feel frustrated.

Bring some positivity

While it sounds like a cliché, remember that a simple smile goes a long way to capturing the hearts of your teammates. You might have a home-based day shift non voice role but it remains possible to create an atmosphere of mutual support during video calls.

Rather than spread negativity, strive to motivate and inspire your co-workers instead. Show your appreciation for what they’re contributing to the project or team by praising them for their efforts. Greet them with a good morning every time they log in for work and you’re still online.

Arrange for team-building

If you’re in a position to arrange events, make time for team building activities with your team. Playing games that require teamwork helps you discover your strengths, boosts your communication skills, and enables you to grow closer to each other.

While you’re unable to play badminton and perform other physical activities, there are many alternatives for fostering bonds online. Online escape room, for instance, have been trending at the same time that virtual assistant jobs in the Philippines became a necessity during the pandemic.

Find remote VA jobs for work-life balance

Just because you’ve been working in home-based online jobs in the Philippines doesn’t mean being isolated. The rest of your team may be situated across the globe but you may still foster meaningful relationships with them. Try the above tips for working effectively with remote teammates and you’ll see!

If you’re excited to know your colleagues online but don’t have a job where you may do that, you’re in the right place. Remote Workmate lets you work with some of the best teammates around to ensure that your remote working career is not only successful, but also pleasant and stress-free.