How do you manage and prevent burnout and isolation among your virtual team members?

Once you set clear expectations and boundaries, it is important to re-evaluate as time goes on. So many times we start strong but then get discouraged when we slip back into potentially harmful habits. As you set these expectations and boundaries know that they might change. Giving yourself that permission helps to relieve pressure and acknowledges the very real challenge of separating personal and professional life when working remotely. It is not one-and-done. Make it a point to regularly check in with yourself about what needs to be adjusted so that you can work optimally with others on your remote team.

Maintain frequent communication, encourage work-life balance, provide mental health resources, foster team collaboration, celebrate achievements, set clear expectations, encourage social interaction, offer flexibility, provide professional development opportunities, monitor workloads, lead by example, and encourage open communication.

One of the most important things you need to do as a leader / manager in a remote company is to communicate clear expectations for when work should stop and start. And model those behaviors yourself. For example, don't send out emails at 1am if you want folks working a normal schedule. Don't send out a wave of Slack messages on a Saturday if you expect folks are working Monday through Friday. Ultimately you have to realize that the actions you take as a leader/manager are seen as somewhat of a "model" for others to follow. And the more you keep boundries clear for yourself the easier it will be for your team to do the same.

Please don't just limit yourselves to the people in your own team, but expand your network across the entire company. Establish CoPs (Community of Practice) in order to exchange professional information throughout the company.

Trabajar en un entorno remoto exige establecer un marco de trabajo adecuado que facilite una comunicación tan efectiva como la que se da en la oficina. Es fundamental que los equipos mantengan una comunicación continua y fluida, especialmente en un entorno donde la interacción directa no es posible. Por ejemplo, si en la oficina tienes un escritorio compartido con 10 personas, esas mismas personas deberían estar en el mismo canal de comunicación en el entorno remoto. Para lograr una comunicación activa y eficaz, recomiendo utilizar Discord. Sus canales de voz permiten una escucha activa, asegurando que todos los miembros del equipo estén constantemente comunicados y alineados con los objetivos comunes.

Excellent remote/hybrid conferences on every subject are held around the world every month. If possible, attend such events as a team and share what you have learned afterwards. Masterclasses and many alternative learning platforms can often be booked through HR. Let your teamlead find out what is feasible for you as a team and how you can use your budget.

The skills to look after our own mental health and wellbeing should be an everyday skill. Unfortunately, too often we don't take care of it until it's far too late. For sports, we find it perfectly logical that we need a coach and are constantly training new aspects. We should treat our mental health in the same way as our physical health. I can recommend books like "The Upward Spiral Workbook" by Alex Korb. It contains about 50 exercises. Just try them all out one by one and integrate the 2-5 exercises that work well for you. Train your mental health like a sport!

When bringing in wellness programs, make sure that the facilitator is engaging. So many times when I am asked to do wellness workshops, organizations give me the rundown of what went wrong with the last wellness program they hosted. Check out recordings of what the facilitator has done in the past even if they come with strong recommendations or referrals. Additionally, make sure programs aren't too rigid in their approach to wellness or self-care. Focusing on a modality can actually make programming less inclusive (unless a group of people on your team requested it). In my work, I like to think of it as walking alongside someone as they explore and learn more about what they need to be well.