Here's how you can navigate the potential drawbacks of remote work in Corporate Communications.

Navigating the potential drawbacks of remote work in Corp-Comm involves a few key strategies. First, ensure open and frequent communication through various channels like video calls and messaging apps to maintain team cohesion. Secondly, set clear expectations and goals to keep everyone aligned & focused. Emphasize the importance of work-life balance by encouraging regular breaks & setting boundaries. Utilize project management tools to track progress and manage tasks effectively. Foster a virtual team culture by organizing regular online social events and team-building activities. Lastly, invest in training and development to keep skills updated and ensure that all team members are equipped to handle the unique challenges of remote work.

It's essential to leverage technology effectively & use various communication tools for different purposes. Utilize a combination of video conferencing tools, instant messaging platforms & collaborative tools. Ensure that everyone is familiar with the selected tools & clearly define when & how different tools should be used (e.g., email for formal communication, instant messaging for quick questions). Schedule regular team meetings & one-on-one sessions to keep everyone aligned. Keep detailed meeting notes and share them. Create both online & offline opportunities to strengthen the team’s bonds. Encourage open communication channels where team members can voice their concerns or suggestions. Keep clear team structure & responsibilities.

Out-of-sight should not lead to being out-of-mind & to safeguard against this pitfall, amp-up your engagement quotient by: 1) Trying all possible virtual means so as not to become unidimensional. Use more of video calls, set up 'work on hold' time slots to discuss everything else but work, use messenger & leverage intra organizational comms platforms. 2) Use Voice notes : Break the monotony of emails & video calls by sending audio notes (not to first timers but your team & with whom you have established a rapport). 3) Employ wit: Use digital avatars once a while if the subject of conversation is not too serious. 4) Keep a track if anyone is travelling to your city or is nearby. Nothing beats a physical catch-up over a steaming cuppa!

Schedule regular check-ins, both one-on-one and team meetings, to maintain personal connections and address any issues promptly. Organize virtual social events and team-building activities to foster a sense of community and combat isolation.

Whether you're in-person of remote, the same principle of creating, building, and maintaining relationships is key. I don't think it necessarily matters where you're physically working if everyone feels respected and heard.

We've created our scheme how to fight feeling of isolation. It helped us a lot during pandemic times, but it's still works when it comes to remote work, especially when your team work across different time zones. So this is it: 40/20/40 scheme. Provide 40% of your support to new team members who joined your team recently to ensure they feel appreciated and valued. Allocate 20% to experienced members who have been through various challenges and storms with you. Dedicate the remaining 40% to all team members during general meetings. My advice is to start these meetings with a small introductory speech recognizing team and individual contributions and achievements to make them feel valued and connected to each other.

Use collaborative tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, or Asana to facilitate real-time collaboration on projects. Implement shared calendars to coordinate meetings and project deadlines, ensuring everyone is on the same page and preventing isolation.

Allow flexible work schedules to help employees balance their work and personal lives. Promote regular breaks and time off to prevent burnout and maintain productivity.

When you're all in one place, you can have short cuts and create a certain grammar for your interactions. Being remote means no chance for spontaneous interactions but you can counter that well by encouraging over- rather than under-communication. Certainly the teams who are the most successful remotely are the teams who trust each other the most and know their patches well. Make sure that the tasks are clearly delineated, this will help everybody.