Webinar Highlights: Inclusive Communication for Distributed Teams

Communicating in a distributed context isn’t always easy. It can be even harder when teams are also dealing with the fear and uncertainty caused by a rapidly evolving public health emergency. How do we stay connected with colleagues when we’re not in the office? How can we increase the effectiveness of our teams when we are distributed? How do we ensure our communication is inclusive despite the risk for bias and the novel circumstances?

Last week, Head of People Science, Dr. Lily Jampol and Senior Facilitator Willie Jackson hosted an interactive, virtual workshop to provide answers to these questions and share tools for healthy and inclusive communication, with an emphasis on the ways we can stay connected when working remotely. 

Key concepts and practices to keep in mind when building new communication norms

• Understanding  the unique obstacles and challenges in remote communication 

• How bias and exclusion manifest in remote work contexts

• Creating new communication norms for distributed teams, taking into consideration the shifting context and creating opportunities for collaboration

• Lean into learning opportunities for example by having a Slack channel to include what is and isn’t working for people as they adjust to the new reality 

4 ways to increase inclusive communication in remote contexts:

• Clarity: How to ensure understanding and alignment

• Empathy: Practice compassion for yourself and others

• Allyship: Mind your biases and support others

• Growth Mindset: Exhibit humility & repair harm

Want to learn more about some specific actions you can take to increase inclusion? Watch the entire webinar here!