Managing Remote Teams Without Losing Culture

Right, so everyone’s working from home now. Brilliant. Except it’s not always brilliant, is it?

Most managers thought they were done for when remote work became the norm. How do you keep everyone actually feeling like they’re part of something when Dave’s in his garden shed in Devon and Sarah’s working from her flat in Manchester?

Turns out, loads of companies are asking the same question. And most of them are getting it spectacularly wrong.

The thing is, about 71% of people reckon building relationships when you’re all remote is really hard work. Makes sense right? You can’t just pop over to someone’s desk for a quick chat or grab lunch together. But some companies have cracked it. Their remote teams are tighter than teams that sit next to each other every day.

So what are they doing differently?

Stop Trying to Recreate the Office Online

First mistake most managers make – they think company culture is all about the physical stuff. The office kitchen chats, the Friday pub trips, the shared misery of the broken printer.

When everyone went remote, these managers panicked. They started scheduling “virtual water cooler moments” and mandatory fun Zoom calls. Then they wondered why everyone looked like they’d rather be doing their tax returns.

Here’s the problem. Culture isn’t about location. It’s about people actually giving a toss about each other and the work they’re doing together. You can have that anywhere.

The companies getting this right have completely binned the old playbook. They’re not trying to recreate the office, they’re building something entirely new. And it’s working a treat.

Trust People to Actually Do Their Jobs

This is the big one. In offices, managers often think someone’s working hard because they can see them at their desk. Bit daft really – anyone who’s worked in an office knows you can look busy whilst doing absolutely nothing.

Remote work strips away all that nonsense. You can’t see if someone’s working or just moving their mouse about every few minutes to keep their status green.

The smart managers have embraced this. They’ve stopped watching people and started focusing on what actually gets done. Set clear goals, give people the tools they need, then get out of their way.

When people feel trusted to manage their own time, something mental happens. They work harder, not because someone’s breathing down their neck, but because they don’t want to let their mates down. They actually care about the results.

One company saw their productivity jump 25% after going fully remote. Not because people worked longer hours – they just worked better ones.

Talk to Each Other (Properly)

Remote work lives or dies on communication. In offices, you pick up loads of information just by existing in the same space. You overhear conversations, notice when someone’s having a rough day, catch problems before they explode.

Working from home, all that disappears. Information doesn’t flow naturally anymore. You’ve got to make it happen.

The best remote teams are constantly chatting, but not in an annoying way. They’ve figured out rhythms that work. Daily check-ins that aren’t just boring status updates – people actually talk about their weekends, their kids, whatever mental thing happened on Netflix last night.

Weekly team calls that mix business with proper conversation. Monthly meetings where everyone celebrates the wins and remembers why they’re all doing this together.

And here’s something dead important – turn your bloody cameras on. Research shows people find meetings way more useful when they can see faces. Makes sense – humans need to see each other to properly connect.

Some teams have Slack channels just for random nonsense. Others do virtual coffee breaks where people just chat about whatever. One company leaves video calls open whilst everyone works – like a virtual shared office space.

The trick is making it feel natural, not like someone is forcing you to be friends.

Build New Traditions That Actually Matter

Offices create shared experiences without trying. Everyone’s stuck in the same rubbish lift, everyone moans about the same terrible coffee, everyone knows Steve from accounts tells the worst jokes in human history.

These daft moments create stories that stick teams together. Remote teams have to be more creative about it. But when they get it right, their traditions can be even stronger.

One team starts every meeting with everyone sharing something good from their week. Another has monthly quiz nights that get properly competitive (apparently there was nearly a falling out over a question about 1990s pop music).

A design agency has “show and tell” sessions where people share interesting things they’ve discovered – work stuff or just random things they’ve learned. Sounds a bit like primary school, but people love it.

The key is doing it regularly. One-off events don’t create culture. Consistent traditions do. They become part of what makes working there special.

Getting New People Settled In

Starting a new job remotely is tough as nails. About 41% of people struggle to understand company culture when working from home. Makes sense – normally you’d pick up loads just by watching how people interact and what they actually care about.

Remote onboarding has to work much harder. The clever companies pair new starters with “culture buddies” – not just for work questions, but to help them understand how things really work. They set up casual chats with people from different departments. They make sure new people feel connected before they start feeling isolated.

One company makes every new hire join their monthly “war stories” session, where long-term employees share funny or mental moments from the company’s history. Sounds a bit cheesy, but it works. New people leave understanding not just what the company does, but what it’s actually like to work there.

Make Sure Good Work Gets Noticed

In offices, good work gets spotted naturally. People see presentations, overhear positive phone calls, feel the buzz when something goes well. Working remotely, brilliant work can go completely unnoticed.

Smart companies create regular moments for celebrating wins. Some have dedicated Slack channels for sharing successes. Others build recognition into weekly meetings. One team has “Friday victories” where everyone shares something they’re chuffed about from the week.

But here’s the thing – be specific about it. Don’t just say “good job.” Say something like “the way you handled that difficult client completely saved our bacon, and your solution was exactly what we needed.”

People need to know their work matters. Remote work can make that harder to see, so you’ve got to be deliberate about pointing it out.

Juggling Different Time Zones

Global teams have extra headaches. When your developers are in Romania, designers in California, and project managers in Singapore, creating shared experiences gets proper complicated.

Companies managing this well have learned to balance recorded stuff with live connection. They might record important meetings so everyone can catch up, but they also make sure everyone gets proper face-to-face time with the team, even if it means some early mornings or late nights.

They rotate meeting times so the same people aren’t always getting shafted with inconvenient hours. They use shared documents where people can contribute whenever works for them. They’re thoughtful about making sure everyone’s voice gets heard, regardless of what time zone they’re in.

Looking After People’s Mental Health

Remote work can be lonely as anything. When you’re used to office banter and spontaneous lunch plans, sitting alone in your spare bedroom can feel pretty grim. Nearly half of remote workers miss just messing about with colleagues.

The best companies don’t just acknowledge this – they actually do something about it. They give people money for co-working spaces or decent home office kit. They offer mental health support and actually encourage people to use it. They train managers to spot when someone’s struggling.

Some companies have virtual wellness sessions, meditation groups, or fitness challenges that give people reasons to connect beyond work. Others are more direct – they regularly ask “how are you doing, really?” and create safe spaces for honest answers.

The Tech Side of Things

None of this works without decent technology. But it’s not about having the flashiest tools – it’s about removing barriers to people actually connecting.

The best remote companies invest in proper video calls, reliable file sharing, and messaging that actually works. They give people a budget for decent home setups. They stay current with new tech that makes remote work easier.

But they don’t go mad with it. The goal isn’t having the most expensive tech stack. It’s making sure technology helps people connect rather than getting in their way.

Working Out If It’s Actually Working

How do you know if your remote culture is actually any good? The smart companies look beyond basic productivity numbers. They track how often people join optional activities. They measure how quickly new hires feel settled. They watch who stays and who leaves.

But mostly, they just listen. Regular surveys, informal chats, and honest conversations when people leave tell the real story. Culture isn’t something you can measure with spreadsheets – it’s something you feel.

This isn’t about perfecting a system and then forgetting about it. Remote culture needs constant attention. What works for a small startup won’t work for a bigger company. What works now might not work in two years.

The companies getting this right aren’t just creating better remote work experiences. They’re building cultures that are more inclusive, flexible, and resilient. Cultures that work regardless of where people happen to be sitting.

The future belongs to teams that understand culture isn’t about being in the same building. It’s about connection, shared values, and choosing to stick together when things get tough. 

Get that right, and it doesn’t matter if your team is spread across continents, they’ll still feel like family.