Can a Remote Team Really Feel Like a Team?

When I started my bookkeeping practice, one thing I knew from the outset was that I didn't want a traditional office. At the time, that probably raised a few eyebrows. After all, how do you build a team if nobody sits together? How do you collaborate? How do you create a company culture?

Perhaps most importantly, what do people actually do all day if they're working from home? (Spoiler alert: it's not endless episodes of daytime television.)

The truth is, we've always been a remote business, and looking back, it's one of the best decisions I've made. Not because it's trendy. Not because it saves me a commute but because it allows us to build a business that genuinely reflects our values and because, despite what some people still believe, a remote team absolutely can feel like a team.

Why we chose remote working

For us, remote working wasn't simply about where people sit while they work. It was about creating flexibility.

As a mum who had children long before I had a career, I've experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to balance work, family life and everything in between. School runs don't stop because you've got a meeting. Children don't only get poorly outside office hours. Life doesn't neatly fit into a traditional nine-to-five schedule. When I started building my business, I wanted flexibility to be more than just a buzzword. I wanted it to be genuine.

Remote working allows us to offer exactly that. Our team can work around:

• School runs

• Caring responsibilities

• Medical appointments

• Family commitments

• Life's inevitable surprises

  
  

But... and this is important, that flexibility exists alongside accountability. The reality is that when people are trusted, valued and treated like adults, they generally don't take advantage. They take ownership. And that's exactly what we've found.

Proving the doubters wrong

I've lost count of the number of times I've heard people say:

"You can't build culture remotely."

"People aren't as productive at home."

"You need an office to create a proper team."

Our experience has been the complete opposite. What we've discovered is that culture isn't created by sharing a building. It's created by sharing values. It's built through communication, trust, support and collaboration.

You can put twenty people in an office and still have no team spirit. Equally, you can have people working miles apart and create a genuinely supportive environment. I'm incredibly proud to say we've achieved the latter.

Communication is everything

One thing remote working doesn't allow is silence. When people aren't physically together, communication has to be intentional. We make that a priority. Every Wednesday we have a short team meeting. It's only around fifteen minutes, but it's enough to:

• Discuss workloads

• Raise client queries

• Share updates

• Check if anyone needs support

• Have a general catch-up

It's amazing how much can be achieved in a quarter of an hour.

Then once a month we hold a longer team meeting. These sessions allow us to discuss:

• Training

• Capacity planning

• New procedures

• Process improvements

• Business updates

They help ensure everyone remains informed and involved in how the business develops.

The virtual water cooler

One thing I've learned is that teams need opportunities to connect as people, not just colleagues. In a traditional office, that happens naturally. People chat while making coffee. They discuss their weekends. They share stories.

Remote teams need to create those moments intentionally. One of our favourite ways of doing this is our Question of the Week. It's simple, but surprisingly effective. Questions might include:

• If you won £200 million, how would you permanently change your life?

• What would your walk-on theme tune be?

They're fun, occasionally ridiculous, and often reveal things you'd never otherwise know about people. More importantly, they spark conversations. Sometimes the discussion lasts far longer than the question itself. It's become our version of the office water cooler. Just without the awkward queue for the kettle.

Staying connected throughout the day

Alongside meetings, we use an app called Zenzap to communicate and collaborate. It's where we ask questions, share updates, solve problems and support each other. The reality is that bookkeeping can sometimes feel like a solitary profession. Most of us spend our days looking at numbers rather than people. Having a space where the team can quickly ask "Has anyone come across this before?" or "Can someone sense-check this for me?" makes a huge difference. Nobody feels isolated. Nobody feels stuck and nobody has to figure everything out alone.

The unexpected benefits

When people talk about remote working, they often focus on flexibility. That's certainly a huge benefit but it's not the only one. We don't have expensive office premises, our overheads remain lower. That allows us to:

• Invest in our team

• Keep our pricing competitive

It also means we're not restricted by geography when recruiting. We've been able to build a team based on skills, values and attitude rather than postcode. That's incredibly powerful.

Coming together in person

Despite being remote, we still value face-to-face time. Every year we have a Christmas party, and this year we're planning a summer family get-together too. Nothing formal. No awkward team-building exercises. Just an opportunity for everyone to spend time together away from screens because while remote working works brilliantly, it's still nice to occasionally share a meal, a laugh and remind ourselves how tall people are in person.

What I'm most proud of with our remote team

Of all the things we've built as a business, the team is probably what makes me proudest. Not because we're remote but because of how we work together:

• People genuinely help one another. Knowledge is shared.

• Questions are encouraged.

• Success is celebrated.

• When somebody needs support, it's there.

• When somebody needs flexibility, it's understood.

Despite never sharing an office, we've created a culture that feels connected, supportive and collaborative. That's not something that happens by accident. It's something we've worked hard to build.

Final thoughts

Remote working isn't right for every business but for ours, it's been transformational. It has allowed us to create a business that reflects our values, supports our team and delivers great service to our clients.

Most importantly, it has taught me that culture isn't about where people work. It's about how people work together because a team isn't built by sharing an office. It's built by sharing trust, respect and a common purpose.

Everything else is just geography.