Nine Strategies Managers Can Leverage to Touch Base With All Team Members

In today's dynamic workplace environment, many businesses are now composed of in-person, hybrid and remote teams. While this presents communication challenges for leadership in companies of all sizes, engaging with and managing a dispersed and fast-growing team comes with its own set of obstacles.

Implementing strategies that take employees into consideration can help managers effectively connect with their team members when one-on-one meetings are not always feasible. Below, nine Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice on how managers of a rapidly growing company can ensure they regularly touch base with all their team members, regardless of their work environment.

1. Prioritize Your Team

It is clear to employees that they are not the priority when their check-in call constantly gets rescheduled or completely canceled. Show employees they are important by showing up for them. Be intentional about fostering relationships across the team, too. Build time into the agenda of virtual team meetings to create moments of connection among all of you. - Michelle Tillis Lederman, Author, The Connector's Advantage

2. Make Efforts to Intentionally Connect

In today's remote and hybrid work environment, it's really easy to lose the connectivity that keeps team members engaged and inspired. Managers have a lot of responsibility, so spending time connecting with team members often gets put on the back burner or forgotten. Being intentional about connecting and scheduling regular check-ins can ensure that this personal connectivity doesn't get overlooked. - Israel Tannenbaum, Withum

3. Schedule Regular Video Meetings

To successfully manage remote employees, it's important to plan weekly or bi-weekly video meetings. During these meetings, ask your employees to bring all their work and be proactive in discussing their progress. It's essential to hold them accountable for their job responsibilities and to ensure they are meeting the expectations outlined in their job description. - Tammy Sons, Tn Nursery

4. Find Ways to Connect in Person

Online live meetings can be very effective for eye-to-eye contact when in-person meetings are not practical due to physical time and distance gaps. However, there's nothing like meeting a person in person, at least once, to really get to know them. Be creative and find ways to connect in person based on travel plans, conferences, celebration events, etc. - Margie Kiesel, Isidore Partners

5. Implement Round Tables

Round tables can efficiently address common concerns and updates. Additionally, tools like messaging apps and project management software can facilitate ongoing, informal communication. - Britton Bloch, Navy Federal

6. Use Collaborative Communication Platforms

To engage employees, managers should leverage collaborative communication platforms like Trello and Monday.com. These platforms allow team members to post updates, delegate work and share documents in real-time, creating a dynamic, ongoing conversation that managers can regularly check in on. Top this off with a weekly "ask me anything" session to bridge communication gaps and dive into details. - Gergo Vari, Lensa

7. Implement Daily Email Processes

We have a start- and end-of-day email for each team. At the beginning of the day, each person on the team shares their plan for the day. This provides transparency and allows managers to provide input if needed. At the end of the day, each person shares what they did or didn't accomplish to drive accountability. This approach keeps the team on the same page and gives visibility to managers. - Krista Neher, Boot Camp Digital

8. Introduce Check-In Days

Managers can introduce micro-check-in days where one day every month is dedicated to quick 10-minute check-ins with each team member. It is imperative for managers to maintain consistency and schedule the meetings in advance. These brief sessions can focus on key concerns, updates and following up on the personal well-being of employees. - Dr. Kira Graves, Kira Graves Consulting

9. Hold Small Group Meetings

Try organizing small group meetings, as this will allow you to connect with different team members at the same time. The goal is to encourage a sense of inclusivity and ensure everyone is regularly engaged. Also, moving away from the annual review and adopting quarterly check-ins will give team members consistent attention while keeping you up to date on their goals, progression and current hurdles. - Leah Marone, Corporate Wellness Consultant