Keeping Remote Teams Engaged, Motivated, and Connected
How design leaders can foster community and creativity in a distributed workforce.
Managing a remote team presents unique challenges, but with the right approach, leaders can ensure that their teams remain engaged, motivated, and connected. For the Experience Design (XD) team I lead at Omnicom Health Group, collaboration, innovation, and agility are key, fostering a strong sense of community is essential. Without the natural camaraderie of an in-person setting, managers must be intentional in creating rituals that build trust, communication, and motivation.
Building a Strong Foundation
Remote engagement starts with consistency. Weekly rituals and structured check-ins provide a rhythm to the workweek, keeping communication open and ensuring that all team members feel valued. Here are some things I do with my team now to maintain engagement:
Weekly Standups: A short, structured meeting where team members share what they’re working on, any blockers they’re facing, and where they need support. This creates alignment and keeps projects moving smoothly.
Weekly Wins Roundup: A dedicated time to celebrate team accomplishments, big or small. Recognizing wins reinforces a positive work culture and helps boost morale.
1:1 Meetings: Personalized check-ins between managers and team members allow for deeper conversations about professional growth, challenges, and personal well-being.
Rose, Bud, Thorn Exercise: A reflective practice where team members share a recent highlight (rose), an area of potential growth (bud), and a challenge (thorn). This fosters self-awareness and constructive conversations.
End-of-Week Reflection Emails: Team members summarize what they worked on, their key takeaways, and any blockers for the next week, promoting transparency and accountability.
Peer Recognition Shout-Outs: An open space in meetings or Slack to call out great work and collaboration, reinforcing positive behaviors.
Quarterly Team Retrospectives: A structured conversation where the team reflects on what’s working, what isn’t, and how to improve processes moving forward.
Interactive and Engagement Strategies
Beyond foundational rituals, I implement additional activities to keep the team connected and engaged. These exercises foster creativity, communication, and team cohesion:
Virtual Design Jams: A collaborative session where team members tackle a design problem in real-time, sparking innovation and teamwork.
Creative Coffee Chats: Pairing team members for informal virtual coffee breaks encourages cross-team bonding and organic idea-sharing.
Asynchronous Brainstorming Boards: Using tools like Miro or FigJam, team members can contribute ideas on their own time, reducing meeting fatigue while still fostering collaboration.
Team Learning Sessions: Regular knowledge-sharing sessions where team members present on industry trends, UX/UI case studies, or new tools, keeping skills sharp and inspiring fresh ideas.
Cross-Discipline Collaboration Days: Dedicated days where designers work with developers, strategists, and copywriters to understand different perspectives and strengthen team alignment.
Challenge of the Month: A fun, skill-building challenge such as redesigning a famous website in under an hour or improving a common UX pattern.
Wellness Check-Ins: Short, guided exercises to address burnout, encourage mindfulness, and ensure a healthy work-life balance.
Surprise Guest Speaker Sessions: Inviting industry experts to discuss design trends, career growth, or new methodologies to inspire and engage the team.
Key Takeaways
Keeping remote teams engaged requires a mix of structured rituals, informal touchpoints, and opportunities for creative collaboration. By implementing practices like standups, 1:1s, and reflection exercises, managers can foster motivation and connectedness. Additional engagement strategies, such as virtual design jams and learning sessions, help ensure that remote teams remain inspired and aligned.
Final Thought:
Remote work is here to stay, and strong team culture doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built with intention. As a leader, how are you actively shaping the culture of your remote team?