The one super simple trick I've found that works really well to enhance my remote team communications is using GIF memes.
Why
Studies show that recipients often interpret work emails as more emotionally negative or neutral than intended. In a fully remote team, it's super important to overcompensate for this and work around the issue in your communication style.
A few years ago a colleague of mine helped me realize this.
He just joined our fully remote team back then. After meeting in person for the first time, he told me that in real life I came across as a completely different person compared to how he had imagined me based solely on our work interactions — which mostly consisted of written task tracker updates and code review comments on GitHub. All professional and formal.
Since then, every time I do a code review I almost always attach a funny, approving GIF — without being afraid of looking unprofessional or silly.
It keeps the interaction lighthearted and just fun on both sides of it.
GIFs for GitHub
One of my favorite browser extensions is GIFs for GitHub created by Nick Lockhart.
It adds a new GIF button to your GitHub comment box — to find and attach a GIF to your comments. Available for Chrome and Firefox.
I use it daily, and it saved me a shitload of time over the years.
Highly recommended!
Let me know what you think!
Have fun! 🖖
