In this day and age, remote work is becoming more and more common. And as a result companies are met with a challenge to choose a hybrid or a remote work model. But regardless of what is picked, how can the company or you make sure that the trust and productivity stays intact even when team’s members are miles apart? Well, that’s exactly what we will find out today. 

1. Clear Communication Channels

Establishing a clear communication channel is always the first step towards building a remote team. There are countless tools like Zoom that help for video meetings. While apps like Slack and WhatsApp are used for quick short term communication. 

2. Transparency

Being transparent about the company’s goal that the team has should always be done on priority. It doesn’t only reduce the chance of misinformation, but also encourages the members to have open conversations. Also make sure to celebrate each achievement of a team member gracefully. This always drives the motivation big time.

Read More: Hiring Without CVs: Why It Works and How to Do It Right (Tips)

3. Clear Expectations

Expectations and the responsibilities should also be as clear as they can be. Because most teams do not have time to clear small misunderstandings all the time, so they keep it hidden inside. But in an office or physical scenario, that is mitigated by the mentor system. Of course that can’t be done in remote situations, so making these things clear is the best choice you have.

4. Invest in Technology

Invest in the required technologies like file sharing and cloud infrastructures. This is the best way to digitize the usual paperwork used on a day-to-day basis. Not having these hugely impacts how efficiently these are handled, and can easily create a bottleneck in the production in the long run.

5. Encourage Meetings with Camera ON

Using the camera will always feel weird. Because the lenses on our laptops look absolutely garbage at first. But overtime it clears the mind from the negative thoughts of being judged and encourages connections. Also facial expressions play a massive role in communicating with the team, and of course, trust.

6. Allow Off-topic Gossips

We all love workplace gossip and scandals. But how can we achieve that in remote situations? Well, it’s simply by removing yourself from the picture. Allow your team to have casual meetings of their own and stop inserting yourself too much. This will automatically create a healthy atmosphere and improve the connections and bonds between colleagues.

Read More: 10 Trainings Your Teams Actually Needs in 2025

7. Celebrate Success

Recognising great feats and celebrating it creates an atmosphere where individual team members are felt seen. Now they will be assured that their hard work won’t go unnoticed and when the time comes, they will be rewarded in the same way.

8. Empower Autonomy

Always leave the small stuff to the team and let them figure out how to do it. That’s how new ways are born and talents shine. But in some cases managers treat them like they don’t know what they are doing and unintentionally start micromanaging them.

9. Equal Opportunities

It goes without saying that remote teams should be offered the same level of growth support as in an in-premise employee. Not doing so will promote bad mental states and even serial resignation due to discriminatory practices.

10. Open Feedback

Take regular surveys and understand the challenges your team is facing. Go through these feedback carefully because they will help you find holes in your production. This is the final step in building immense trust that would last a generation.

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The trend of remote work is still going as strong as it was in the covid era. So it is pointless to fight this wave and force the old office ways. The world has moved one, and now it is our turn to do the same. A lot of companies are adapting the hybrid model where 2-3 days are spent in offices while resting from the comfort of their home. Whichever formula you pick, make sure to add the necessary steps to build trust while promoting appropriate productivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How to make my team feel connected when they aren’t physically presented?

Ans. Use the latest means like video conferencing, chatting apps and casual gaming sessions that would double as a brainstorming session. There are a billion different ways only waiting to be explored by you. So just keep looking.

Q2. What are the most important tools for remote teams?

Ans. There are basically four forms of softwares that you have to take care of: First one would be the video meeting platform like Zoom or Google Meet. Next up would be a project management interface like Trello. Third one would be a file sharing platform like Google Drive so the important documents are sent securely. And lastly is the chatting or messaging platform for quick communication. 

Q3. How can I balance their worklife and also make sure that the deadline is met?

Ans. The first thing would always be to assign clear and concise goals and responsibilities. This helps them understand how much they need to work and what kind of time frame would be enough for the deadline. In case they are taking longer than they suppose to be, then provide the much needed support just like you would in a physical office.

Q4. My team seems to be struggling with communication issues. How should I fix that?

Ans. It is crucial to create a comfortable channel of communication that all agree. Maybe it’s email, or a quick update on slack, or maybe announcements through Matrix. Understand your team first and then implement the solution that would fix them.

Q5. How to motivate my team if they feel isolated or emotionally exhausted?

Ans. If the motivation is lacking, then it is the best time to take some 1-on-1 meetings. Understand the root cause again before applying any sort of fix. You can also encourage others by openly recognising hard work and rewarding it. It creates a new wave of motivation all the time while giving you extra time to tackle the main cause.

Sources: 

1. Top Strategies for Building Strong Remote Teams (2025)

2. How to Build Trust Especially in Remote Teams Through Effective Communication? A Personal Journey in Product Management Leadership | by Reuben Chircop | Medium

3. How To Build Trust With Your Remote Team in 2025 - Upwork

4. Building Trust and Communication in Remote Teams | ScrumGenius

5. Building High Performing Remote Teams | Thomas.co