Building Trust and Communication in Remote Teams During the Holidays

One of the biggest hurdles that contact centers face when adopting widespread remote work is the lack of trust between employers and employees. And to make things even more complicated, this distrust may further intensify during the holiday season. Managers may wonder how they can ensure their agents maintain productivity when distracting holiday errands and family time come into play. 

Even though December is a month when motivation naturally declines, that doesn’t mean productivity has to halt completely. In fact, with the right approach, goals can still be met, and your employee satisfaction can stay high. Keep reading to discover how you can build trust and communication in your remote team during the holidays for the betterment of your agents, your managers and your contact center as a whole.

Managing your remote employees effectively this Christmas season

While it’s important not to lose sight of your key deliverables during the holiday season, it’s also just as important to balance that with flexibility. If you fail to do so, you risk losing your team collaboration and positive work environment. 

Here are three ways you can find that balance:

1. Make progress visible

Not only do remote teams naturally require more pre-planned communication and documentation of decisions because of the reduction in casual conversations that naturally happen with in-person work, but with the business of the holiday season, the frequency of this vital communication could decline. It’s vital that management does not allow that to happen.

By ensuring that expectations are clearly communicated and that regular check-ins on progress and priorities don’t slip, crucial key performance indicators (KPIs) can still be met. However, leadership should also keep holiday traditions and scheduled paid time off in mind so that workloads are managed realistically.

Ultimately, by breaking down larger goals into smaller milestones, you can reduce overwhelm and ensure progress is being made in your remote teams, no matter what time of year it is. 

2. Build trust

If your team’s productivity is suffering, it’s likely because you haven’t fostered enough trust within your remote team. And if you’re unsure why that trust is lacking, focusing on maintaining effective communication strategies with your agents is a great place to start.

One of the most efficient ways to do this is by ensuring that everyone is aware whenever decisions relevant to them are made. And in December, recording those decisions in shared spaces so even those who are off for the holidays and can’t attend decision-making meetings are kept in the loop. 

Lastly, contact centers can build trust within their remote teams by ensuring that everyone feels valued and that their feedback is both acknowledged and important. Leadership can foster this by encouraging collaboration and always inviting team members to share their thoughts.

3. Combat feelings of isolation

Feelings of isolation and loneliness can naturally increase for remote employees during the holiday season. So, while KPIs and deliverables are essential to focus on, remote teams will thrive when they still feel valued and connected despite the distance.

Some great ways to do so include utilizing casual channels on Slack to encourage relationship development, sharing a holiday playlist or even planning small, virtual holiday-themed activities like trivia or cookie decorating.

How remote teams stay productive during the holidays

If you’re concerned that motivation and productivity will suffer among your remote team this holiday season, remember that both of these things respond well to effective leadership. By balancing deadlines with empathy, you can meet your goals while ensuring everyone is happy.

In fact, rather than simply increasing the pressure you place on your remote teams this holiday season, try setting clear expectations and priorities while maintaining flexibility. This way, your agents will feel valued during the time it matters most.
For more information on how you can effectively manage your remote teams (and how the right contact center software platform could help), check out this blog post.