Improve Remote Communication: The Manager’s Guide to Remote Communication
With 73% of business done via email, video meetings making up 42% of all business meetings, and nearly 70% of work offering some form of remote or hybrid setup, the message is clear: remote communication isn’t going away.
While most of us have been thrown into this digital-first world, very few have been trained on how to communicate effectively in remote settings. We’ve been left to figure it out through trial, error, and the occasional awkward feedback conversation (“Hey, where were you taking that meeting? There was way too much background noise”)
Communication is a skill. Just like learning how to write a persuasive essay or practicing speeches in a public speaking class, remote communication needs to be taught, modeled, and practiced. And if you’re a leader, your team is looking to you to set the standard.
Think about this: before 2019, more than 85% of workers were fully in the office. Fast forward just a few years, and now over 40% of employees are hybrid or fully remote
That’s a BIG shift in a short period of time and not everyone is adjusting at the same pace.
Leaders often assume employees know how to “do business online.” But the generational divide complicates things. For example, younger employees may feel at ease firing off a Slack message, while older generations might prefer an email or a phone call. Older employees may know what meeting etiquette is while younger generations assume video meetings are more laid back than they really are. Without clear norms, communication gets lost in translation.
Here are five ways leaders can set the tone for stronger communication in remote and hybrid workplaces:
1. Invest in professional development
In-office mentorship used to happen through observation and osmosis. Remote workers (especially younger ones) miss out on that. Leaders need to be deliberate about getting creative with ways to cultivate professional development and relationship building.
This can be as simple as scheduling team lunches or mid walk days or virtual “coffee chats”.
Or it can be more organized like a team outing to a sporting event, play, concert, etc. or even assigning new hires a “remote buddy” for their first 90 days.
2. Master Asynchronous Communication
Train your team on remote communication best practices!! Think through the expectations you have of your team when working remotely:
Should they have their camera on or off during meetings?
What should their background be?
What are their expected online hours?
What is response time urgency?
Which communication channel do you prefer to use? Email? Slack? Phone calls?
3. Champion Participation in Video Meetings
In person, you can see when someone is about to speak. On video, that signal is lost. Use the 7-second rule: when you ask a question, wait a full seven seconds before moving on. Yes, it feels awkward. But it gives introverts and slower processors the chance to join in.
Example: In a team call, instead of rushing to fill silence, say:
“I’ll give this a few seconds—jump in when you’re ready.”
That small pause can unlock valuable contributions.
4. Define camera culture
Not every organization requires cameras on, and that’s okay. What matters is consistency. If you’re meeting with clients who have cameras on, match them. If your internal culture is more “camera off,” don’t force it—focus instead on presence and engagement.
5. Protect boundaries to prevent burnout
One hidden cost of remote work? The loss of natural transitions. Without a commute, many employees struggle to turn “work mode” off. Leaders can set the tone by honoring Do Not Disturb hours on Slack, avoiding late-night emails, and explicitly communicating boundaries.
Try saying:
“I’m logging off now—will respond tomorrow morning. Please do the same if you’re wrapping up.”
When leaders walk the walk, teams feel permission to follow.
Remote and hybrid work aren’t temporary fixes. In fact, I would argue, they’re the new fabric of how we do business. But communication norms haven’t caught up. Leaders who fail to set clear expectations risk losing engagement, productivity, and trust.
The good news? With intentional practices like championing participation, modeling boundaries, and clarifying digital communication you can create a workplace where your team thrives, whether they’re in the office, at home, or somewhere in between.
Because at the end of the day, strong leadership isn’t about where we work. It’s about how we connect, communicate, and collaborate and those skills are more important than ever.
If you see the need to improve your teams remote communication, let’s work together on a custom communication training to address the norms and expectations within your organization.
