How to Build a Strong Culture in a Distributed Team

• Distributed teams have members spread across several locations. They may work remotely or not. A distributed team may include remote members, but it can also have smaller teams that work in other places, very often in different time zones.
• Remote teams, like distributed teams, have members who work from different locations, but these may not be far apart, and are often within the same country. Remote teams can also be location based. Everyone works from home, but within a specific distance to an office where they occasionally meet.

What Is Team Culture?

According to Professor Edgar Schein of the MIT Sloan School of Management, organizational culture consists of three levels: [2]

• Artifacts and behaviors. These are the readily identifiable, visible elements in any organization, from the office decor to the office humor. They’re the things you can see, and see people doing.
• Espoused values. These are what the organization or team says it stands for. Think of mission and vision statements, and corporate values.
• Assumptions. Some elements of team culture are so hardwired that they’re taken for granted. They become an invisible part of team life.

Of these, both "artifacts" and “assumptions” are most directly challenged by remote or distributed working. Although Professor Schein’s focus was on organizational culture, much of what he says is relevant to smaller-scale teams.

Factors that can shape parts of team culture include the leadership style of the team leader, the personalities and backgrounds of team members, and the team's history and experiences.

Some aspects of team culture may be intentionally cultivated. Others may evolve organically over time based on shared experiences and interactions. A healthy team culture fosters a sense of belonging, trust, and mutual respect. It provides ways to interact with colleagues and external stakeholders, and promotes collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.

Team culture affects the overall performance, morale and satisfaction of team members. So, it's essential to get it right. When team members are in different places, teams can lack the coherence that builds a strong, healthy culture.

What Are the Signs of an Unhealthy Distributed Team Culture?

In a distributed team, you can’t rely on physical proximity to gauge the dynamics of team culture. But here are some signs of low morale you can look out for:

• Reduced engagement. Look for decreased participation in online team meetings and on relevant communication platforms.
• Isolation or exclusion. Watch for certain individuals being left out of discussions or decisions.
• Missed deadlines or poor work. This can indicate a lack of accountability, unclear expectations, or low morale.
• Poor staff retention. This may show dissatisfaction with the team culture.
• Ineffective conflict resolution. If conflicts arise suddenly and escalate without resolution, it's a sure sign of an unhealthy team culture.
• Silo mentality. Failure to share information hinders collaboration and team effectiveness.
• Mismatched values or goals. If individual goals don’t align with the team's, frustration results.

By watching out for these signs, you can proactively address issues and foster a healthier team culture, even in a distributed work environment.

The Challenges of Building Culture in a Distributed Team

Building a positive workplace culture for a distributed team is tough. You need to plan carefully and put in the effort to create a sense of belonging when people aren’t together in person.

Some aspects of team culture will be largely absent from a remote work environment. It’s unlikely your team will have a single working environment that maintains a sense of identity and branding, for example.

The key challenges when building culture include:

• Establishing trust. Trust is crucial in any team environment, but it can be harder to establish and maintain in a distributed team. Without the ability to directly observe each other's work, team members may question whether their colleagues are contributing effectively. And if communication is piecemeal, breakdowns in understanding make matters worse.
• Building accountability. Remote work requires a high level of self-discipline and accountability from team members. Without direct supervision, some individuals may struggle to stay focused and meet deadlines. But, at the same time, it's also important to avoid micromanagement, as this would be counter-productive to healthy culture.
• Acknowledging cultural differences. In a distributed team, team members may come from diverse cultural backgrounds, leading to differences in work styles, communication norms, and expectations. Managing these differences effectively is essential for building a cohesive team culture.
• Defending work-life balance. Remote work can blur the boundaries between work and personal life, making it challenging for some team members to establish a healthy work-life balance. This can lead to burnout and decreased morale over time.

How to Develop a Positive Team Culture

Some things you can do are obvious: establishing clear protocols for communication, for example. But technological solutions are only a means to an end. Managing a culture goes much deeper.

Here are eight steps you can take to help:

1. Establish What You Stand For

First, define your core values. This goes beyond writing a mission statement, important though that is. Distributed teams have less scope to establish the assumptions and artifacts of Schein’s model. So, communicate values regularly, do this via a range of formats, and make sure team members put them into practice.

2. Foster Trust and Transparency

Encourage open and transparent communication within the team. Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas, concerns and feedback, even in a virtual setting.

Create opportunities for virtual team building. Schedule regular video calls for informal chats, virtual coffee breaks, or online team activities to help team members bond and build relationships beyond work tasks.

3. Promote Inclusivity and Diversity

Ensure that all team members feel valued and included, regardless of their background, location, or work style. Encourage diverse perspectives and experiences to enrich team collaboration and innovation.

Your recruitment process should aim to find people who will embody your team values, but also bring fresh perspectives and ideas. New hires should add to the culture, not just fit into it.

4. Provide Professional Development

Offer opportunities for professional development and skill-building. In a remote environment, you’ll need to provide access to online training resources and career development initiatives to support the growth and advancement of team members.

Mentorship can be an important part of career development in remote teams. Done well, it establishes regular contact between team members who might not otherwise interact. It also develops both coaching skills and a clear sense of achievement for those involved.

5. Acknowledge Achievements and Celebrate Successes

Recognize and celebrate individual and team achievements regularly. Acknowledge milestones, accomplishments and contributions publicly to foster a sense of appreciation and recognition among team members.

This may be tougher in a distributed environment. You won’t be seeing your reports day-to-day, so keep a close eye on their data. Key Performance Indicators are important here.

Don’t overdo it, though. You might be tempted to over-celebrate success to make up for the lack of regular contact. You don’t want to establish a culture where people are rewarded simply for doing their jobs. Have clear ideas about what constitutes exceptional performance, and how to reward it appropriately.

6. Establish Remote Work Policies

Define clear remote-work policies and expectations to ensure consistency and fairness across the team. Set guidelines for work hours, availability, communication protocols, and performance-evaluation criteria. These will all help to promote accountability and productivity.

Handle potential problems between team members with clear grievance procedures, and look out for signs of potential conflict before they flare up.

7. Lead by Example

Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping the culture of a distributed team. Demonstrate the values and behaviors you want to promote within the team. Show empathy, flexibility and resilience in navigating challenges and supporting team members.

Make sure your team members are aware of your presence, and what is expected of them. Be sure to avoid micromanaging your team members, though. That’s stressful and time-consuming for everyone.

8. Manage Feedback and Adapt

Regularly seek feedback from team members about their experiences and perceptions of the team culture. Use this to identify areas for improvement, and adapt your strategies accordingly.

When you have feedback for a team member, give it as soon as you can. Set-piece performance reviews are more difficult in a distributed team, particularly if they contain unwelcome surprises. Make sure people have a good idea of how you feel about their performance on a frequent basis.

The Positive Effects That Distributed Teams Can Have on Culture

It’s often easy to get bogged down in the difficulties of establishing a culture in a distributed team. But the distributed environment has its upsides, too, including:

• Diverse perspectives. Distributed teams often bring together individuals from different backgrounds, cultures and locations. This diversity of perspectives can enrich discussions, foster creativity, and lead to innovative thinking.
• Flexibility and autonomy. Team members may have more flexibility and autonomy in managing their work schedules and environments. This can contribute to a positive work-life balance and increased job satisfaction.
• Global talent pool. Distributed teams have access to a global talent pool, allowing organizations to recruit the best candidates regardless of their location. This can lead to a more diverse and skilled workforce that brings unique expertise to the team.
• Increased productivity. The distributed model can lead to increased productivity for some individuals. They may experience fewer interruptions and distractions compared to a traditional office setting. And flexible work hours allow team members to work during their most productive times.
• Work-life balance. It can also provide employees with the flexibility to better balance their personal and professional lives. This can lead to higher levels of job satisfaction, reduced stress, and improved overall wellbeing.
• Focus on results and output. Remote work environments shift the focus from time spent in the office to results and output. This results-oriented approach encourages accountability and empowers team members to take ownership of their work and deliver high-quality results.
• Continuous learning and adaptability. Distributed teams require individuals to adapt to new ways of working and continuously learn new skills, such as remote collaboration tools and time-management techniques. This fosters a culture of adaptability and continuous learning within the team.