While remote work offers flexibility and efficiency, it can also lead to disconnection and disengagement if not managed with care. In the push for productivity, the human side of remote and hybrid teamwork is often overlooked. Small shifts, however, such as creating space for personal connection and trust-building, can make a big impact.
Here, 18 members of Forbes Coaches Council share strategies for managing remote and hybrid teams. Their recommendations below can make teamwork not just more efficient, but more human.
1. Use Reflective Questions To Build Presence
One way to begin meetings is with a simple question such as, “How are you arriving?” and close with, “How are we leaving?” These small invitations spark curiosity, foster presence and create space for authenticity and care. Over time, they invite deeper connection and reflection on how we’re growing and what we’re learning about ourselves and one another. – Angela Cusack, Igniting Success, LLC
2. Incorporate Informal Virtual Social Activities
A hybrid environment is much easier to humanize. You have exponentially more in-person time to maximize the human condition of your team. You should think about fun, non-work-related team-building opportunities. For all remote environments, I have had great success with virtual “potlucks.” Folks share what they “brought” as they break bread in different places together. You can sprinkle in virtual happy hours, and voilà! – Kevin Leonard, Executive Advantage Powered By Emerald Bay Performance
3. Start Meetings With Genuine Human Connection
One way is to start every meeting with a minute of real talk, not just KPIs. Start by asking how people are doing, celebrate small wins and share a laugh. It’s simple, but powerful. In remote or hybrid teams, human connection doesn’t happen by accident—you have to design for it. Efficiency keeps things moving. Humanity keeps people staying. – Anastasia Paruntseva, Visionary Partners Ltd.
4. Build Belonging, Not Just Systems For Efficiency
Hybrid isn’t the problem; disconnection is. We build systems for efficiency, not belonging. People don’t do their best work when they know they are being watched. They do it when they’re trusted. You should make space, invite play and test something new. The teams who feel human will always outperform the ones who feel optimized. It’s crucial to optimize priorities, time spent and your questions. This is a good start. – Julien Fortuit, Julien Fortuit Agency
5. Add Playful Prompts To Virtual Team Calls
You can bring fun to virtual team calls to increase team engagement. You could start by asking everyone to wear something on their head (a hat, baseball cap or scarf, for example) or wear their favorite color, and then ask them to comment on the item. You could also have them show something from their desk that defines who they are (such as a stack of folders or a book they like to read). These activities deepen team connection and boost morale and collaboration. – Shelley Hammell, Sage Alliance, Inc.
6. Design ‘Digital Pause Points’
A good idea is to build “digital pause points”—like check-in buffers and ritual closures—to counter burnout. It’s not about tech tools; it’s about trust rituals. Humanizing hybrid means designing for rest and rhythm, not just Zoom fatigue. You should normalize asynchronous empathy. – Dr. Ari McGrew, Tactful Disruption®
7. Share Personal Wins And Challenges In Meetings
One way is to spend time in meetings allowing team members an opportunity to share personal challenges, wins and hobbies to build a human connection, a support system and their own sense of family. When one person has a wedding, a funeral to attend or a win in their hobby, everyone can feel the loss or gain of that situation and feel more connected to each other. – Mark Samuel, IMPAQ Corporation
8. Schedule Dedicated Time For Personal Check-Ins
Humanizing hybrid and remote team management means prioritizing dedicated “connection time” beyond task-focused meetings. This includes setting aside moments for informal chats and micro check-ins that build trust and psychological safety. Leaders foster a coaching culture—focusing on growth and connection rather than just problem-solving and task completion—which boosts engagement and collaboration. – Elif Suner, MBA, M.Ed, MCC, Enrichia
9. Anchor Teams With Rituals That Foster Belonging
You should anchor your team in small rituals. The practice of sharing both professional achievements and personal setbacks creates a sense of rhythm, which develops team belonging. People gain reassurance through this practice because they understand they face their challenges and achievements independently. You must be intentionally available. – Rachana Adyanthaya, Cr8mychange
10. Use Multi-Level Pairings To Deepen Engagement
One way of making the hybrid team more human would involve the strategy of multi-level pairing or engagements. Doing this frequently for different teams’ assignments can help team members self-assess where their strengths and weaknesses lie and what they see as threats or opportunities. Virtual engagements should be done with cameras on for sight and sound so they connect with humanity. – Festus Erewele, Excel and Grace Consulting
11. Introduce Movement And Mindful Prompts
Hybrid teams often default to productivity over presence. A powerful, underused reset? Movement. You can try a stretch break or walk-and-talk, paired with prompts like: What was a high point today? What are you proud of this week? What surprised you? These micro-shifts foster trust, renew energy and affirm that people are more than just task-completers. – Cheri Rainey, Rainey Leadership Learning
12. Host Informal ‘Context Calls’ Without Agendas
To make hybrid teams more human, you can create “context calls,” which are brief, informal chats where you ask about the stuff that shapes their day instead of project updates. We’re obsessed with managing productivity while forgetting we’re managing actual humans. These conversations build the peripheral vision you’d naturally have in an office. The goal isn’t another meeting; it’s remembering that behind every camera is a person worth knowing. – Antonio Garrido, My Daily Leadership
13. Budget For Regular In-Person Meetups
It’s important to meet in person at regular intervals. All hybrid and/or remote teams should have budget lines for “online” social activities and a more significant budget line for regularly scheduled live meet-ups. There is no substitute for developing trust through real-life connections. – Antonia Bowring, ABstrategies LLC
14. Build Trust With Purposeful Team Experiences
Making hybrid or remote teams more human and efficient begins with building trust. Trust is built when you use your budget to gather the team to build a foundation. A foundation of understanding could be built through a team assessment; a foundation of purpose could be built through a vision and values exercise. You should conduct trust building twice a year and use the off months to reinforce what you have built. – Jill Helmer, Jill Helmer Consulting
15. Use Personality Assessments To Boost Connection
One way to humanize remote work is to use personality assessments with your team. Personality-based workshops give remote and hybrid teams a chance to really understand each other: how they communicate, make decisions and approach work. When teammates feel seen and appreciated for who they are, collaboration gets easier and trust comes faster. These sessions create a more connected, human experience. – Megan Malone, Truity
16. Open Meetings With One-Word Emotional Check-Ins
You can start and end meetings with a one-word emotional check-in. Each person shares one word that captures how they feel—no context required. It takes 60 seconds, but it opens the door to empathy, not just efficiency. In a remote world, it reminds us that behind every screen is a human being with a pulse, not just a project to complete. That moment of emotion enhances awareness of humanness in teams. – Arthi Rabikrisson, Prerna Advisory
17. Include ‘Non-Agenda Time’ To Share Personal Stories
One idea is to create “non-agenda time” in meetings where team members share personal wins or challenges before diving into work. This intentional space for humanity mimics the spontaneous hallway conversations of office life. You can follow up privately on personal shares, remembering that leadership happens in moments of genuine connection, not just during formal discussions about deliverables. – Jonathan H. Westover, Ph.D., Human Capital Innovations
18. Replace Updates With Audio-Only ‘Walk And Talk’ Calls
To make remote teams more efficient and human, you can replace the weekly update meeting with a “walk and talk” call—audio-only, done while both people are walking. It doesn’t involve slides or screens, just movement and conversation. It lowers pressure, builds connection and ideas flow differently when bodies are in motion. Bonus: It sneaks in wellness without preaching it. Over time, it turns status updates into genuine relationships. – Alla Adam, Adam Impact Institute