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How to Build Strong Remote Teams: 3 Tips for Nonprofits

Last year, more than half (57.7%) of nonprofits surveyed by the National Council of Nonprofits implemented a remote work policy. It’s not hard to see why—a remote model expands the candidate pool, creates a more inclusive hiring process, and reduces costs associated with office space.

At the same time, without a physical office to bring them together, your nonprofit’s remote employees might feel disconnected from their peers and find it challenging to stay motivated or productive at work. Let’s break down some actionable tips you can use to minimize these issues and boost team cohesion within your organization.

Prioritize communication and community.

Trust lies at the heart of any strong workplace culture. Your employees have to trust that you’ll treat them with fairness and respect. In return, your nonprofit should trust its employees are productive and committed to performing well in their roles.

Rather than undermining that sense of trust with drastic measures such as employee monitoring software, be more deliberate about communication and community building. For example:

Establish clear policies and expectations. Compile important financial policies, benefits, codes of conduct, and other relevant documents into an online employee handbook that your team can reference at any time.
Use both formal and informal communication channels. Accommodate all types of workplace communication by setting guidelines for using a variety of channels, such as video conferencing, emails, phone calls, and instant messaging.
Create opportunities for casual conversation. Schedule virtual lunch chats or coffee breaks that give remote employees the chance to bond in a more social and relaxed setting. Consider hosting weekly mandatory sessions so no one feels left out or alienated.

When assigning projects or responsibilities to their direct reports, managers should tie them back to your nonprofit’s overall mission and strategic plan. Doing so allows employees to understand how their performance contributes to your organization’s success as a whole.

Promote a healthy work-life balance.

Maintaining high employee engagement requires more than cultivating enthusiasm, accountability, and trust among your employees. Even the most dedicated employees are at risk of stress and burnout—especially if they forget to look after their well-being.

Encourage your remote employees to build healthy habits at home by:

Allowing employees to choose their start and end times each day.
Offering employee wellness benefits, such as a free or discounted gym membership.
Giving employees a work-from-home stipend to cover office improvements, such as purchasing a standing desk.
Introducing paid personal leave days that employees can use, separate from their vacation days.
Sharing resources on stress management and time management.

Additionally, look into professional development opportunities that will help your remote employees feel more capable and confident in their roles. For example, you might enroll managers in a training program that provides them with practical strategies for supporting their remote teams. Laridae recommends looking for online cohort-based courses where managers can connect with peers from other organizations and learn from their real-world experiences.

Provide frequent feedback and recognition.

Whenever your remote employees produce outstanding results or uphold your nonprofit’s values, reinforce their behavior with regular, genuine feedback. Just as you track fundraising and donor engagement data to assess your performance, set key performance indicators (KPIs) for remote employees and celebrate them when they hit these goals.

Some popular ways to recognize employees and provide feedback include:

Weekly one-on-one check-ins between managers and their direct reports.
Shout-outs on social media or in your email newsletter.
Appreciation parties or events, such as a virtual trivia night.
Small gifts, such as a gift card or branded t-shirt.

Nurture a stronger sense of community among your remote employees by making it easy for them to recognize one another, as well. For example, according to eCardWidget, you can design a set of eCards that employees can send for various occasions, from praising top performers to celebrating work milestones and birthdays.

Every nonprofit’s remote employees have varying preferences and needs. Because of this, you should review your remote policy at least once a year to identify any necessary adjustments going forward. Survey your employees to collect their direct feedback, and consider reaching out to HR consulting firms that specialize in working with nonprofits if you need more expert advice on improving your organization’s approach to remote work.