Making your team feel seen in the new era of hybrid and remote working

When your primary connection to colleagues is through Zoom and Slack, it can be hard to feel truly 'seen' in the workplace. Research from Joblist shows that feeling invisible at work can lead to burnout, imposter syndrome, loneliness, and, inevitably, poor performance.

In the past, it was easier to be visible.

For starters, physical proximity was on your side, given most of your coworkers were right there with you in the same office. There were more spontaneous moments to make connections, like an impromptu chat over coffee, in-office networking events, or casual team lunches. Of course, some people (you know who you are) took the need to be 'visible' to the extreme—leaving their jackets hanging over their chairs during lengthy lunches or sneaky half-days. Yes, Gen Z, that really happened!

Thankfully those days are well and truly over.

Now as we embrace what is arguably a healthier and better way of working, it's time to rethink visibility. For managers, this means being more creative, adaptable, and open-minded, while also actively creating chances for employees to feel seen, no matter where they work.

Here are some tips to put this into action.

Go beyond the surface level and take the time to get to know every team member.

What makes them tick, how do they like to work, what drives and motivates them?

Starting your calls with a simple question like 'How's your day going?' or 'Did you do anything nice over the weekend?' can go a long way in helping people feel seen.

As a people manager, it's important to lead by example if you expect your team to open up, so make sure you're doing the same.

It's the best feeling to be told you've done a great job in front of your entire team. As a manager, you can replicate this experience for remote workers if you get creative.

You could:

At Upscale and The Adaptavist Group, we have a public Slack channel for this. Here's Upscale's Head of Marketing, Chirag, sharing some of Dimtris'—our Senior Product Marketing Manager—accomplishments, on his one-year anniversary at the company:

Investing time in tip #1 will help you recognise when a team member is feeling unseen or unheard. Some telltale signs could include detachment during calls, hesitance to speak up, or regular self-criticism.

However, it can be hard to navigate situations like these as a manager. An effective way to start a conversation is to let them know you’re there to support them. It can be as simple as saying, 'It's a bit hectic right now, isn't it? I'm trying to take time for a walk at lunch to reset. Are you getting a chance to do the same?'

Ensuring your team members all know they have the flexibility to look after themselves is crucial to a strong culture.

The more senior the leader who takes this approach, the better. Here, this encouragement comes from the top. The Adaptavist Group CEO, Simon Haighton-Williams, put it like this in a recent interview: 'You have to turn up to meetings and do the things that matter around business, but you have to do the things that matter in your life as well. It's about finding that balance, and we trust our people and encourage them to find it.'

Proactively giving your team members permission to look after themselves goes a long way.

Remote work can leave team members feeling isolated, making it difficult to build valuable connections to further their knowledge and careers.

You can help by identifying others in your organisation who your team members could benefit from meeting. By opening the door to these opportunities, you enable your team members to expand their networks and gain visibility. For example, say, 'Let me introduce you to [person]; they have valuable insights from a similar project that you could both learn from.'

Here at Upscale, new joiners are encouraged to schedule meet-and-greet calls with people across the company. These calls have no set agendas and can be with direct team members or people from other areas of the company.

For example, our Content Marketing Manager, Georges, had around five meet-and-greets scheduled per week during his first month at the company.

Stepping out of your comfort zone can be daunting at the best of times, but remote work can magnify the fear. Lead by example and encourage your team to try new things—whether it's participating in events or sharing their achievements at team meetings.

Not everyone will feel comfortable right away, but starting with small wins can help build confidence and make them more eager to step up in the future.

For more insights on this topic, check out this interview with our Group CEO, Simon Haighton Williams.