Building Trust in Remote Teams

Hello to you all, and especially all the new subscribers, welcome! Updates about the course and life at the end if that’s your thing. If you haven’t said hello, get in the comments and introduce yourself! :)

Remote work is no longer a novelty—it’s the norm. When I went remote in 2015, I was told I would miss out on most opportunities afforded to real employees. It was phrased much nicer, but the message was clear: Remote workers are less than.

I proved everyone wrong, and in 2020 the world was forced to accept what I had been preaching: Not only is remote work possible, but for millions of people it’s a better option. Productivity is higher, costs are lower, and work-life balance is much improved.

This isn’t true for everyone, and there are new challenges that arise. For many leaders the question arises: If I can’t physically see my employee work, how can I build trust with them to do good work? While we are seeing some thrashing with RTO (Return to Office), remote will continue to be a large part of the work force. So let’s talk shop about how to improve trust, with an emphasis on software engineering teams.

The Crucial Role of Trust in Remote Teams

Trust forms the foundation of any high-performing team. It ensures that members can rely on each other to meet deadlines, communicate transparently, and collaborate effectively. In virtual environments, where cues like body language or casual hallway conversations are missing, trust must be built intentionally.

Research by Jarvenpaa and Leidner shows that in remote teams, frequent and clear communication is key to overcoming uncertainty and fostering trust. Their study in Organization Science highlights that trust in virtual settings develops when team members have repeated, reliable interactions—even if those interactions occur through screens rather than in person.

Similarly, Purvanova (2014) emphasizes that the quality of communication, rather than its frequency alone, plays a significant role in establishing trust within remote teams. For software engineering teams, where complex problem-solving and creativity are daily demands, establishing trust is a prerequisite for collaborative success.

As a manager, I build trust with my team by meeting with each person 30-60 minutes every single week. I aim to be as present as possible, not checking slack or email during our meetings, and making it about them as much as possible. I am happy to share about myself, but I am there to serve them. I help answer their questions, unblock them, and try to get them the resources they need.

Without trust, a manager can’t know if an estimate provided by an engineer is accurate. Are they padding time to slack off? Are they over-promising and we’ll be late? Mistakes can always happen, but without trust our thoughts can lead to paranoia, and we’ll be unable to give our stakeholders (relatively) accurate estimates.

Without trust, an engineer can’t know if they can share crucial information with their manager. What if the manager uses that information to fire them or hold them back? Or keep them from getting a project? I’ve worked on teams where someone was fired for getting pregnant! That did not instill trust in everyone else to share information with management.

My engineers need to be able to trust me with sensitive information, and I need to trust them to work hard and bring their best.

Challenges to Remote Software Engineering Teams

• Limited Nonverbal Communication: Without face-to-face interactions, managers and team members miss out on nonverbal cues that often help gauge sincerity and build rapport.

  • This can be a good thing, as a lot of these non-verbal signs are misunderstood, especially for neurodivergent individuals. I have heard “well they didn’t make eye contact” in interview feeedback as a way to signal lack of intelligence or confidence in a candidate, which is not accurate.

• Geographical and Cultural Diversity: Distributed teams may span multiple time zones and cultural backgrounds, which can lead to miscommunications or varying expectations regarding work habits.

  • This extends into holidays, where when region may be off while the other is working. These can be worked around, but diligence with a calendar is required.

• Reliance on Digital Tools: While tools like Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams facilitate communication, they can also create silos or information overload if not managed properly.

Research Insights on Trust in Virtual Teams

Academic research offers valuable insights into overcoming these challenges. For example:

• Communication as a Trust Builder:
  Jarvenpaa and Leidner’s (1999) seminal work found that regular, transparent communication is critical for building trust in virtual teams. Their research suggests that timely feedback and consistent updates help reduce uncertainty and reinforce a shared commitment to team goals.

• Quality Over Quantity:
  Purvanova (2014) argues that while communication frequency is important, the depth and clarity of interactions are what truly build trust. In software engineering, where technical nuances require precise understanding, clear and thoughtful communication is paramount.

• Leadership’s Role:
  Research by Gilson et al. (2015) indicates that effective virtual team leadership—characterized by empathy, clarity, and accountability—can significantly influence team trust. Managers who foster an environment of psychological safety empower team members to share ideas and admit mistakes without fear of undue criticism.

Strategies for Building Trust in Remote Software Engineering Teams

Drawing on research and practical experience, here are 5 actionable strategies for engineering managers:

1. Enhance Communication Practices

• Regular and Structured Meetings:
  Implement daily standups, weekly reviews, and one-on-one check-ins. These meetings not only keep everyone aligned but also create regular touchpoints for relationship building.

  • Be careful with meeting fatique. I am not recommending a constant stream of meetings, your team needs time to do work! But these are some options available to you.

• Clear, Written Communication:
  Encourage the use of detailed written updates, whether through emails, project management tools, or dedicated communication channels. Clarity in documentation can prevent misunderstandings and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

  • A follow up email after a meeting summarizing the key takeaways is a way for someone to go “oh, I didn’t actually agree on that”, which can save time, and help eliminate classes of problems.

  • Bonus tip here, have someone who is heading towards staff/management do meeting summarization and be a note taker for meetings. It’s a great way to improve communication skills.

• Video Conferencing:
  Video calls help humanize remote interactions by allowing team members to see facial expressions and body language. Whenever possible, opt for video over voice-only calls to foster connection.

  • Not everyone is comfortable with having their video on. I don’t require this for everyone, but I do encourage it. Find the balance that works well for your team.

2. Establish and Communicate Clear Expectations

• Define Roles and Responsibilities:
  Clearly delineate what is expected of each team member. When everyone understands their responsibilities and the broader team goals, trust increases.

• Set Milestones and Checkpoints:
  Break down projects into smaller, manageable tasks with regular progress reviews. This not only keeps projects on track but also provides opportunities to celebrate achievements and address issues early.

3. Foster Informal Interactions

• Virtual Water Coolers:
  Create digital spaces—such as chat channels or virtual coffee breaks—where team members can discuss non-work topics. These informal interactions build personal connections and can help bridge the gap created by physical distance.

  • I’ve struggled with this one with my teams, but if you can pull it off it can be very effective. My struggles are that my engineers are not that interested in having a weekly time set aside. We’re still working to find “virtual water cooler” moments.

• Team-Building Activities:
  Organize virtual team-building exercises or online games that encourage collaboration and help team members learn about each other beyond work tasks.

  • We have a quarterly “offsite” where we get together for half a day to do something fun together. We did team cooking led by a professional chef, virtual escape rooms, “DIY” where you bring your own project and we work separately—together, origami, etc.

4. Empower and Support Your Team

• Encourage Autonomy:
  Trust is a two-way street. Empower your team members with the autonomy to make decisions and manage their workloads. Autonomy fosters ownership and, in turn, reinforces mutual trust.

  • You can go too far towards autonomy, or too micro-managy. You need to find the balance for each person on your team, and what you’re comfortable with. I lean towards too much autonomy, and need to check in to make sure my team isn’t floundering with too many options/freedom.

• Provide Constructive Feedback:
  Regularly acknowledge achievements and offer supportive, constructive feedback. Creating an environment where team members feel safe to experiment and even fail can lead to greater innovation and trust.

  • If you are only giving constructive feedback, you will lose trust. You need to give positive feedback as well. That way when you give constructive feedback, it doesn’t come off as too-critical. Your report knows you call out the good stuff too, and so you’re saying something because it’s impactful.

5. Leverage the Right Technology

• Use Collaboration Tools Effectively:
  Adopt tools that facilitate both project tracking and informal interactions. Integrated platforms can help ensure that information flows smoothly and that every team member has access to the resources they need.

• Monitor and Adapt:
  Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of your communication and collaboration tools. Solicit feedback from your team and be prepared to adapt your strategy as the team’s needs evolve.

  • It’s okay to not know the right thing to do, so try something out, and see how it works. Even if something has been working, things and people change, so keep an eye on everything. Or if you’re past the basics, delegate these things to your team! Empower them to improve the processes and monitor the success of the team. They are the ones doing the work, they know best what’s working and what isn’t.

Looking Ahead

As remote work continues to define the modern workplace, the strategies for building trust will evolve. Future research is expected to delve deeper into the nuances of virtual collaboration, further illuminating how technology, leadership, and communication intersect to foster trust. Engineering managers must remain agile, continuously adapting their approaches to meet the dynamic needs of distributed teams.

Conclusion

Building trust in remote software engineering teams is a complex, ongoing process. It requires a deliberate mix of clear communication, structured interactions, and genuine human connection. By leveraging research insights and adopting best practices, engineering managers can create an environment where remote teams not only function effectively but also innovate and excel. The journey to building trust may be challenging, but its rewards—increased collaboration, higher productivity, and sustained team morale—are well worth the effort.

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References

• Gilson, L. L., Maynard, M. T., Young, N. C. J., Vartiainen, M., & Hakonen, M. (2015). Virtual Teams Research: 10 Years, 10 Themes, and 10 Opportunities. Journal of Management, 41(5), 1313–1337.

• Jarvenpaa, S. L., & Leidner, D. E. (1999). Communication and Trust in Global Virtual Teams. Organization Science, 10(6), 791–815.

• Purvanova, R. K. (2014). Face-to-Face Versus Virtual Teams: What Have We Really Learned? The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 17(1), 2–29.

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Life Updates

For the new folks, hello! I am building a course for new or aspiring engineering managers, taking you from nervous/anxious to confident leaders!

Even though I am still writing the content for the course (I passed 13,000 words! That’s more than the “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”), I’ve started recording. To de-risk the process, I am going to do a full module end-to-end to see what I can learn from the process. I would hate to write all the content for every module, only to realize I need to redo a lot of it once I got through the first video.

One thing that I found truly interesting was how easy it was to sync up multiple audio sources.

I record video on a standalone mirrorless camera which has a built in microphone. I also recorded audio on my Audio-Technica AT4040 microphone, which has a very deep and rich sound, directly to my PC.

In DaVinci Resolve I just pressed a button to sync them together, and it was perfect. I could mute one track while it was playing and unmute the other and it was perfectly aligned with my lips. Playing them both at the same time was weird, but fun I guess?

In life I remain very busy, so while progress on the course is slow, it marches forward, and I am very excited about what I am building. I am very happy that after almost a year of starting to go to the gym, I am still going! I have changed the cadence from 3 times a week down to 2. I am still seeing great progress, and this works better for all the other things I want to do in my life, like build a course for new engineering managers!