How to inspire innovation in remote teams

Remote teams have the potential to be incredibly innovative. With each member of a remote group located in a different location with unique inspirations and insights, the possibilities for creative collaboration are endless—if you know how to tap into and channel these strengths.

Here are some ideas on how to inspire innovation in your remote team.

Create a culture of communication

Innovation starts with communicationAnd remote teams need to be more intentional about frequent confirmations Effective communication opportunities will happen

At Human Resources Analyst Adrienne Couch LLC.services Advise managers to ensure that team members communicate with each other regularly, whether through video calls or informal chat channels. “by Creating a sense of communityTeam members are more likely to feel comfortable sharing their ideas and collaborating with others,” says Couch.

Virtual communication touchpoints can provide opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and experimentation, which can foster creativity and innovation.

“When working remotely, it’s easy to close yourself off in your own corner, but Encouraging collaboration between different departments or areas of expertise can encourage new ideas and new perspectives” explains Couch, adding that it can also help break down conventional thinking.

Perrin Olson, VP of Marketing REX.one, has worked entirely remotely for the past two years. Olson explains that the marketing team he leads is 100% distributed, some remote and others in different offices, and has generated many great ideas by communicating in virtual meetings.

“Don’t make being remote an excuse for a lack of innovation or creativity,” says Olson. “You can still brainstorm, whiteboard, storyboard, and share ideas virtually—sometimes more easily.”

He advises that when moderating brainstorming sessions, it’s important to make sure you’re giving quiet team members a chance to speak, especially when you have bulldozer personalities in the room.

Shared values ​​are easier

“There is a company A culture built through shared values ​​helps Create an environment where employees feel connected and motivated While still at home,” said Emery BowlesWho runs a website that specializes in remote work and remote work tools.

Bowles recommends the following strategies to achieve this:

• Promote communication between colleagues through video conference calls or chat rooms throughout the day
• Creating virtual team activities/games
• Providing virtual socializing opportunities by hosting events such as virtual happy hour meetups
• Incentivize employees with gift cards or additional benefits
• Encourage frequent check-ins with supervisors so feedback can be provided quickly
• Enhancing collaboration through group projects or initiatives
• Recognizing successes achieved by individual employees keeps morale high

Offer the authorities to check

Innovation will stifle in an environment where employees are afraid to make mistakes. Instead, they should be free to test their ideas even knowing that some will fail.

Jacob Udodov, founder and CEO of the project and task management platform Bourdieu, manages a completely remote team of about 25 people. Udodov says Bordio works Inspire innovation in their teams by giving them room to be creative and “authority to test,” which creates a win-win for the individual and the organization as a whole.

“Our team is quite small, so everyone we hire is an expert in their field,” explains Udodav. “So we avoid micromanagement and try people. Yes, sometimes they make mistakes, but most of the time we get unexpected and great results. When employees feel confident enough to try new things, they enjoy the work process more and automatically become more engaged and focused.

Gabriela Mauch, vice president of the Customer Success and Productivity Lab ActiveTrackagree that By-product of innovation A healthy culture Where employees feel supported in their creativity and safe If their initial attempts are not successful. “The question becomes, ‘How do we create this virtual culture where we celebrate rapid failure and thinking outside the box?'” says Mauch.

An effective way to do this, according to Mauch, is by Virtual forum hosting And hackathons—not just for development teams—where managers recognize and reward experimentation. “All too often, we rely on breakout meetings to spotlight successes, ignoring the missteps that led us to them,” Mauch explains.

In addition to forums that celebrate risk behind process and positive outcomes, the VP thinks virtual workspaces like Slack can help foster this culture.

“Much more than messaging solutions, Slack and other workspace solutions can be amplifiers for recognizing and celebrating accomplishments with a shout-out to peers and leaders alike,” Mauch concludes.

Innovation starts with culture

By nature, remote teams bring a broader perspective and background than teams based in a single location. And employers can Inspire creative collaboration and innovation among remote teams Encourages regular communication and sharing of ideas, promotes shared values, and empowers team members to experiment.

For more remote management best practices, check out our Q&As with top remote companies and virtual teams!

By Robin Madel | Category: Remote Management