Article summary
One of the fundamental differences Atomic Object brings to the table is our appetite and preference for working collaboratively, in person. It’s core to our business model and a defining part of our brand. But daily in-person collaboration isn’t always an option. Many projects today are predominantly remote or hybrid, and that reality calls for new ways of fostering what’s always mattered most: human connection.
Here are a few ways I focus on building relationships, rapport, and culture with remote teams.
Be Human
Relationships thrive on real, human interaction. Eye contact, body language, casual humor, all the subtle ways we connect can be easy to pick up in person, but can get lost when you’re just another square on a Zoom call. That’s why I intentionally focus on reinforcing the human side of remote work:
- Camera On: It sounds simple, but it matters. Being visually present helps foster trust, empathy, and attentiveness. In fact, Vyopta’s 2022 Hybrid Work Survey found that 92% of executives believe employees who are frequently on video calls are perceived as more engaged — and nearly half say those employees are more likely to be promoted. Visibility isn’t just about presence; it shapes perception, trust, and opportunity.
- Invest in Small Talk: A remote team standup doesn’t need to feel like a military drill. Lean into the chatter: Did Matt get a new haircut? Did anyone do something exciting over the weekend? These moments of levity break the rhythm, humanize the space, and make meetings more enjoyable even if that take an extra few minutes. Besides, maybe Matt’s haircut is really worth the extra discussion anyways.
- Light-touch check-ins: You don’t get hallway conversations or spontaneous coffee chats when remote. So make room for lightweight, intentional 1:1s or 15-minute drop-ins just to catch up, unblock someone, or share a laugh. These small investments pay off big in trust and team cohesion.
Be Realistic
Staring at a screen and sitting in back-to-back Zoom calls all day is a different kind of exhausting. And it’s well-documented. The phenomenon of “Zoom fatigue” has been studied extensively since COVID-19 normalized remote work.
You don’t always need to power through. Sometimes, the best way to build team culture is to acknowledge limits and adapt.
- Limit long meetings: Whether in-person or remote, attention spans wane. There’s a reason TED Talks are capped at 18 minutes, it’s the sweet spot for engagement and clarity. (Here’s why). Shorten where you can. End early if the work is done. Honor people’s focus.
- Read the room: The benefit of cameras on? You can see if your team is dragging. I recently had a sailboat retro planned to debrief a sprint bogged down by bugs. We were cued up to delve into process improvements, root causing and more- but the team looked totally spent. After giving team shoutouts, I pivoted and instead we played three rounds of virtual Pictionary. It was the reset we all needed. Sometimes, letting go of the plan builds more trust than sticking to it.
- Leave space for creativity: Routines are necessary, but creativity can breathe energy into the monotony of remote work. My colleague Rachael wrote a great post about remixing retros and adding some flair to your retro. But you don’t need a full reset — even a 10-minute game of virtual Scattegories or a fun team prompt at the end of standup can go a long way in making people feel energized and connected.
As companies continue to support hybrid and remote-first work models, it’s more important than ever to embrace the challenge of creating meaningful, human interactions virtually.
Culture doesn’t need four physical walls but it does need intention. The best way to build that in remote settings is to lead with empathy, stay present, and find ways to keep your team feeling real, seen, and connected. Happy connecting fellow humans!