As an engineering manager in a remote-first world, fostering collaboration and effective communication within and across engineering teams is essential. Remote work presents unique challenges, but with the right strategies, we can create a cohesive and productive environment. Here’s how we can achieve this through proactive individual interactions and structured team initiatives.
Proactive 1:1 Interactions
Regular Check-Ins
Scheduling regular 1:1 meetings with each team member is crucial. These sessions should go beyond status updates and delve into personal well-being, career development, and any roadblocks they might be facing. Establishing a consistent cadence for these meetings (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly) ensures continuous support and feedback. I find that having 1:1's regularly scheduled helps to create a more certain opportunity to have a conversation with my colleagues. If we were in the office, this might happen more naturally, organically, but when we are remote, those opportunities don't spontaneously occur. So having 1:1's can help to create those opportunities. Of course, a successful 1:1 really depends in my opinion on coming prepared with something meaningful, useful to discuss and bringing your tool set as a manager to encourage your colleague to openly communicate and share.
Open-Door Policy
Maintaining an open-door (or open-DM) policy encourages team members to reach out whenever they need assistance or want to discuss something. This fosters a culture of transparency and accessibility, making team members feel valued and heard. How do you do this in a remote environment? I think you have to state the obvious that you are available via messaging, video call, chat during expected work hours. You can also emphasize that we don't have to wait until there is something scheduled on the calendar to have a conversation, but that you expect to be interrupted in your work as a manager because it is part of your job to help your team. If there is something that a team member wants to discuss that is challenging or should be celebrated, help them understand that we don't have to wait till the next 1:1 to talk about it. We can do it now!
Personal Development Plans
Collaborate with each team member to create personalized development plans. These plans should outline their career goals, skills they want to acquire, and the steps needed to achieve them. Regularly revisiting these plans helps keep track of progress and provides opportunities for feedback and adjustments. I find that working with team members to create a personalized plan and then talk about it often in our 1:1's is helpful. Getting the goals of the individual to align with the needs of the team and the organization is ideal. So ask questions about what your team members want to do, to become, to learn. Then set realistic, time bound goals around those objectives and look for opportunity to support their personal development plans with training, education, certification, etc.
Team Collaboration and Communication
Daily Stand-Ups
Daily stand-up meetings, even if brief, keep everyone aligned on goals and tasks. These meetings help identify any blockers early and ensure that everyone is aware of what their peers are working on. Utilizing video conferencing tools can help maintain a sense of connection and accountability. I like to encourage people to attend, and if possible use their cameras during stand-up meetings. Being able to not just hear but see each other is essential. So much of personal connection to our colleagues is done through non-verbal communication and that is certainly harder to accomplish if all we are is talking voices in most meetings.
Virtual Team-Building Activities
Building strong team relationships is vital for effective collaboration. Organize virtual team-building activities, such as online games, virtual coffee breaks, or even team lunches. These informal interactions help build trust and camaraderie among team members. We've tried doing a game night after work hours, but it had limited success. More successful has been team lunches on a periodic basis and because our teams are internationally distributed, we've also been successful having a 'team social' at a time of day that everyone can connect and just hang out to share whatever they want with their colleagues.
Cross-Team and Functional Awareness
Cross-Team Syncs
Organize regular cross-team sync meetings where representatives from different teams share updates on their projects, challenges, and successes. This promotes transparency and helps teams understand how their work intersects with others. It also provides opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing. For example, we might employ a 'scrum of scrums' style meeting so that cross functional and cross team issues, work product, and challenges can be shared.
Shared Documentation and Wikis
Create a centralized knowledge base using tools like Confluence or Notion. Encourage the idea that documentation is a super power for teams, especially remote ones. Documenting processes, tools, technologies, and quality standards in a shared space ensures that everyone has access to the same information. Encourage teams to contribute to and regularly update this knowledge base. Help them to know that the documentation is not sacred, and that anyone can contribute to and improve what we have written down.
Tech Talks and Lunch & Learns
Host tech talks and lunch & learn sessions where team members can present on various topics, such as new technologies, tools they are using, or innovative approaches to problem-solving. These sessions foster a culture of continuous learning and cross-pollination of ideas. We do a 'how something works' meeting on a bi-weekly basis for all teams, where we have a topic, a presenter, and an opportunity to share and collaborate on something that is a need, concern, interest, or opportunity for the teams.
Collaborative Projects
Encourage teams to work on collaborative projects that span multiple disciplines. These projects provide opportunities for team members to work with colleagues from different teams, understand their workflows, and share knowledge. Collaborative projects can be a great way to break down silos and build a more cohesive organization.
Conclusion
Facilitating collaboration and communication in remote engineering teams requires a proactive and structured approach. By fostering regular interactions, promoting cross-team awareness, and creating opportunities for knowledge sharing, we can build a connected and high-performing remote engineering organization. Emphasizing transparency, continuous learning, and a supportive culture will ensure that our teams remain aligned, motivated, and effective in achieving their goals.