Six Ways Teams Can Stay Connected During Remote Work

Here are some ways you can keep your team connected while working from different locations:

Informal leader time: Schedule a regular Zoom time when a leader or manager is online, and let the team know that during that time, anyone can pop in and ask questions.

Coffee breaks: Find 15-30 minutes a week and invite department members to take a break and log on to chat about anything. To keep the conversation going, ask more gregarious team members to jump in when things slow down.

Check-ins: Schedule 15 minutes for a small group check-in. This can be supervisors and employees, or groups of employees who would typically chat for a few minutes during the day.

Google group chat: Keep a group chat going for quick questions, jokes, commentary, or other sharing that might typically happen in an open office setting.

Social hour: Check out services like Jackbox, which has online group games, and schedule a happy hour with a twist.

Real-time connection: Plan a physically distanced outdoor event at a park, on campus, or at another location so team members can see each other in person for an hour.

View more tips on keeping meetings engaging.

For more information about internal communications, contact Christie Wells or Meagan Pierluissi at internalcomms@umn.edu.