Communication across dispersed teams

Dispersed teams can benefit workplaces

Many workplaces have teams who do not work face to face. Your organisation may have people who work:

• in the field (e.g. at clients’ homes, at project sites, at inspection sites, on the road, on farms)
• from home regularly 
• in different locations
• in different time zones
• across several teams.

Dispersed teams can benefit individuals and organisations by:

• expanding an organisation’s access to people, expertise and markets in different locations
• providing flexibility, for both workers and employers
• making the most of people’s time and expertise when they work across several teams
• fostering collaboration and communication across functions, departments, locations and areas of expertise
• saving on infrastructure (e.g. reduced office requirements). 

Communicating across dispersed teams can be challenging

Poor communication in dispersed teams can lead to the following problems:

• Team members working at home or in remote locations can become isolated.
• Subgroups of people who see each other regularly can form that cause tensions and conflict. 
• Having people working across several teams can lead to conflicting job demands and too many demands. 
• Reduced informal exchanges can reduce information sharing and collaborative interactions. 
• It can be difficult to coordinate meeting times across time zones, without people having to work outside usual hours. 
• It can be difficult to get timely responses when people work in different time zones. 
• Team members in different countries may experience language and cultural differences. 
• Dispersed teams may increase information technology costs and risks to data security. 

These issues can create mentally unhealthy workplaces and reduce motivation and productivity. 

Having some basic ground rules about how to work together will help people in dispersed teams stay in touch and manage their workload. Ask people how and when they like to collaborate, meet, and share files and information. 

Tips for better communication across dispersed teams

Trust is critical to the success of dispersed teams and it is important to address any issues immediately. 

Here are some ways you can improve communication and build trust in your teams:

1. Take steps to build a positive culture and align team members to shared values and common goals. 
2. Establish clear expectations for each team member, such as their role, availability, tasks, timelines, performance evaluation criteria.
3. As a team, agree on:
   • how often you meet – e.g. weekly
   • how you meet – e.g. teleconference, video conference, in person for those in the same location
   • what time you will meet – and consider rotating start times for teams with members in different time zones
   • how you will share information and stay connected on important matters.
4. Share online diaries and update them with locations, leave days and availability. 
5. Use video technologies for meetings as much as possible, because they allow for social cues and non-verbal communication. Encourage team members to turn their camera on in meetings, if they are comfortable with this. 
6. Provide training and support for people on using information technologies. 
7. Include time for non-work related topics in meetings – e.g. cover work in the first part of the meeting, and then allow time at the end for people to talk about other things. 
8. Hold social events during business hours to encourage informal interactions. 
9. If possible, bring team members from different locations together for team building exercises, especially at the beginning of team assignment. 
10. Shift some leadership responsibilities to team members in different locations, to encourage engagement. This may require providing additional training and incentives. 
11. Make it a team responsibility to maintain relationships and human connections. Arrange team members into pairs or buddies. 

Remember, working in a dispersed team may not suit everyone. And some people may require additional training and support if they are transitioning to a dispersed team. 

Sometimes, the easiest way to keep in touch is to call someone and talk.