How to collaborate effectively with remote teams: Tools and tips

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February 24, 2025

We all see that more and more companies are switching to remote existence. But this does not mean that with this way of working, employees have less contact with each other. Properly built communication between employees is a key factor in the success of the company.

Key takeaways

Effective remote team communication increases productivity by 35%

Using the right virtual collaboration tools improves project completion rates by 45%

Structured remote work best practices reduce miscommunication by 40%

Successful Communication Strategy

At first glance, it may seem that there is nothing easier than building trusting relationships within a team. But is this really so? Of course not! Clear communication is the key to successful team collaboration. It is very important to understand which channels to use for this.

We have provided a graph that shows which channels are used most often:

Video call

Chat apps

Communication Tools

So how do you choose the right communication tools for maximum impact? It’s simple: you need to take into account absolutely all the needs of your employees. It doesn’t sound very simple, but to make things easier for you, we have provided tools for remote collaboration:

Effective project management:

It is very important to assign tasks clearly and understandably. Employees need to meet deadlines, right? Help your team manage their time effectively with a task schedule. This will help them (and all of you, of course) be more productive.
Checking your progress will give you the opportunity to monitor the implementation of the plan, and most importantly, control it.
Never allow employees to become overworked. Allocate resources effectively. This will increase personal and overall team productivity.
Distribute tasks by priority. This way you will let employees know what needs to be done right now and what can wait.

Communication:

What is most important in effective collaboration? Of course, trust! A simple tool like video calls will help you with this. They raise team spirit and bring us closer together.
We all know how important it is to quickly share ideas with colleagues before they get lost. To do this, chats in instant messengers help us. They will allow you to immediately communicate ideas even at the start of their appearance.
Email management is also important for productive communication. Organize emails into categories and topics so your team knows what's a priority.

Documentation:

It is very important to create a knowledge base that employees can access at any time. This is especially useful if you are training new candidates.
Provide employees with transparency of work processes through documentation. This will keep both them and you safe.
Unfortunately, we are not always able to manage our memory and store in it everything that we consider important. Therefore, it is important to record (on paper or in phone notes) key points during calls.
If you can track which solutions work well and which ones don't, that's a big advantage for your company. We recommend keeping a decision log to record your team's actions and review them at any time.

Employee trust

You can talk about the importance of effective communication between employees as much as you like, but it certainly won’t be possible without trust within the team. Undoubtedly, building such relationships remotely is much more difficult than in the office, but, nevertheless, it is very possible.

Below we have listed several ways you can increase this factor in your team:

So-called virtual coffee breaks will not only help strengthen the team spirit of employees, but also increase the productivity of the company.
Believe me, it is incredibly important for every employee to know the value of their work within the company. Take time to discuss their accomplishments and career opportunities.
If everyone on the team has the opportunity to share their opinions and be heard, they will be more open and able to share ideas rather than keep them bottled up.
What do adults and children love? Of course, fun! Organize online games for employees. For example, “Secret Santa” does not even require a significant amount of time, but creates a great mood and a sense of wonder for all participants.
If there are employees on your team who are drawn to a culture different from yours, be sure to support and respect that choice. Organize cultural celebrations - this will increase the value of each employee.

Remote team culture

Agree, everyone will be pleased when their achievements are noticed and highlighted. At such moments we feel more significant both for the company and for ourselves. Therefore, one of the key factors in relationships within your team is building a culture within it.

Strategies for creating culture:

Celebrate achievements! Even small ones. This will increase team spirit and the desire to reach new heights. Isn't that what we are trying to achieve?
Learning is light. Acquiring new skills will not only increase the team's work efficiency, but will also bring employees closer together. Therefore, do not forget to conduct training programs for the team.
Public thanks. What could be more pleasant than being praised? Right! When you were praised publicly. Use this practice. This will increase motivation among all employees.
Even small rewards for achievements significantly increase employee enthusiasm. Encourage their work, this is always a plus.

Conducting a successful meeting

To make the meeting more productive, be sure to prepare for it in advance. After all, a well-planned call is already half the success. It won’t take much time for you, and the effect of the meeting will be much greater.

Preparation:

It will be better for everyone if employees can also prepare for the meeting in advance. At a minimum this will help you focus on key points, and most importantly, you will be able to resolve important issues much faster.
No one would like the Internet to go out during important negotiations, the connection to be lost, or something else. Therefore, be sure to check the serviceability of technical equipment in advance.
What is the main advantage of remote work? That's right: the fact is that you can be in any part of the world. But do not forget that in different parts of the world and at different times. So be sure to take time zones into account. It’s unlikely that anyone wants to sit on a call at three in the morning.

Carrying out:

It is important that all participants take an active part in the discussions, providing different points of view, that's why you build a trusting relationship with them, right?
It can be difficult to take in a lot of information by ear, so be sure to embrace the use of slides and graphics. This will help keep the team's attention on the important things.
After the meeting ends, participants should have no questions about what needs to be done and when, so try to give clear tasks.
Recording meetings is very important because you can refresh your memory of forgotten moments at any time. And also those who were absent from the meeting will be able to keep abreast of events.

Interesting fact

Teams that implement structured remote collaboration practices see a 32% increase in employee satisfaction and a 28% reduction in project delays!

For insights into managing remote work, explore What is a workation? The ultimate guide to combining work and travel.

To improve your productivity, read Boost your productivity with Kanban: Tips for effective task management.

For better project organization, check out Project management software vs. Excel.

Conclusion

Success in remote collaboration comes from a combination of the right tools, effective practices, and a strong team culture. Using platforms like Taskee in parallel with these strategies helps teams bridge the distance and work together effectively. Remember that building effective remote collaboration is an ongoing process that requires regular evaluation and adjustment.