Onboarding new employees remotely can be a challenge to the forming of relationships built on trust. Communication is even more important in a remote environment, so be sure to share the ways your team communicates. For example, perhaps email is used for more formal requests, whereas instant messaging is better for more informal, discussion-based exchanges.

Here are some other ways to build employee relationships remotely:

• Share contact information for managers, IT support, and HR.

• Create a directory and organizational chart that includes photos, employee information, and fun facts.

• Schedule virtual “water cooler” chats, and encourage staff to share their non-work-related interests such as recipes or book and film recommendations.