A major downside of remote and hybrid working is that it can quickly chip away at connection, camaraderie and team culture. When everyone’s remote, those spontaneous coffee chats and inside jokes fade, and with them, a bit of trust and team spirit. In fact, recent surveys show over half of people feel disconnected from colleagues because of remote work. So if flexible work is eroding our sense of “team”, how do we get it back?
🧠 LEARN something.
The problem isn’t that leaders don’t recognise the impact remote and hybrid work has on team culture and togetherness. They most definitely do; and clients bring it up all the time. But the real issue is that they’re overcomplicating things or trying to shoehorn in-person social situations into virtual settings, and it just feels awkward. Old-fashioned after-work drinks down the road don’t translate well to “virtual drinks” on Zoom. No one wants to have a beer in front of a screen while their kids run around in the background. Yet that’s the kind of stuff we often focus on. Take Jake, for example, who leads a remote team spread across the country. He’s tried Kahoot quizzes, online cooking classes, virtual drinks and a bunch of other things… but nothing stuck. In fact, his team started to resist, and he almost gave up. When I met him, I asked one question: What are you trying to achieve? His answer: Connection.
That’s where the power of team rituals can help. These are small, repeatable behaviours that build trust, a group or social identity, and that sense of togetherness. No grand gestures, techy hacks, online gimmicks or another group chat. Just simple psychology and consistent actions that get results. I saw this first-hand for 18 years in the military, which is rife with team rituals. Today, remote and hybrid teams need rituals more than ever. The last three years taught us that many teams didn’t realise they had informal rituals until they vanished. When offices went remote, people suddenly felt adrift — not just because they weren’t in the same room, but because the little practices that bonded them were gone. Smart teams responded by creating new rituals. Others are still struggling and overcomplicating it. Whether it’s a Monday morning meme or a Friday 5pm “creative sign-off” – the key is consistency. Because in an age of hybrid and remote working, where we’re connected and yet isolated at the same time, these moments are gold.
🤔 REFLECT on an idea.
“In the absence of a shared lunchroom, teams need shared moments”
(Adapted from Priya Parker)
This quote, adapted from Priya Parker (author of The Art of Gathering), captures the core idea of rituals and connection: it doesn’t happen by accident, it happens intentionally. When we lose the physical spaces to connect regularly, we have to be more intentional about creating those moments in new ways. It’s not about forcing fun. It’s about connection through shared moments.
😊 SMILE a little.
Nothing builds trust like being asked to turn your camera on at 8:01am 😂
✅ DO IT to get results.
Rituals can be anything, as long as the whole team’s involved and they give people moments to connect. If you want to spark connection beyond the day-to-day work, here’s a simple ‘day of the week’ rhythm I’ve used myself. It creates quick, meaningful touchpoints that help teams engage rather than just transact.
- Mood Check Monday – One word for how you’re feeling.
- Tip for Tuesday – Share a quick tip or insight worth knowing.
- Wins & Wobbles Wednesday – One win, one wobble from the week.
- Think Big Thursday – Drop a bold thought or question.
- Feel-Good Friday – Sign off with something positive.
🌱 How we can support you.
We provide strategic leadership solutions tailored to align with your business strategy, size, and budget. We can support your with:
- 1:1 Leadership and Performance Coaching
- Team Coaching, for high performing teams
- 1:1 Health & Lifestyle Coaching for busy stressed leaders.
- Workshops, offsites and team development.
- Or our flagship individual Leadership Coaching Programs.
Kia pai tō wiki
Kenny Bhosale
CEO & Founder, The Bridge Leaders
