--- title: What Does Being a Good Remote Team Member Mean? description: It can be hard to integrate into a new remote team. Learn what it means to be a good remote team member and how to get there in our in-depth article. image: https://blog.nexton.dev/hubfs/Blog%20Posts/2110%20-%20Blog%20Post/BP1/remote%20team%20operations%20.png --- [![Nexton Hubspot](https://blog.nexton.dev/hubfs/Nexton%20Hubspot.png)](https://nexton.dev/) [About](https://www.nexton.dev/about) [Contact](https://www.nexton.dev/#letsTalk) [For Talent](https://www.nexton.dev/talent) [For Companies](https://www.nexton.dev/) - Menu Item 1 - Sub-menu Item 1 - Another Item - Sub-menu Item 2 - Menu Item 2 - Yet Another Item - Menu Item 3 - Menu Item 4 [ABOUT](https://www.nexton.dev/about) [CONTACT](https://www.nexton.dev/#letsTalk) [FOR TALENT](https://www.nexton.dev/talent) [FOR COMPANIES](https://www.nexton.dev/) [Remote Work](https://blog.nexton.dev/tag/remote-work) - [Productivity](https://blog.nexton.dev/tag/productivity) - Tue Oct 5 2021 # What Does Being a Good Remote Team Member Mean? [![Nexton](https://blog.nexton.dev/hubfs/Stamp%20Nexton.png) Nexton](https://blog.nexton.dev/author/nexton) Companies are relying on remote teams more than ever before. And while working from home sounds like a dream come true for many, it definitely comes with its challenges. As organizations continue to branch out their remote teams, maintaining strong company culture and a cohesive, collaborative workforce becomes increasingly difficult.  In this article, we’ll shine a light on some of the main challenges facing remote teams and show you how to overcome them to become an invaluable remote team member at your company. ## Common challenges facing remote engineering teams In today’s fast-paced, digital world, standard 9-5 desk jobs are becoming a thing of the past. Today, more people from across the globe find themselves working at home than ever before. Software engineers, in particular, are among the most common [remote team members at leading US companies](https://blog.nexton.dev/how-to-double-your-salary-working-remotely-for-us-based-companies-as-a-software-developer). ![team work](https://blog.nexton.dev/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Posts/2110%20-%20Blog%20Post/BP1/team%20work.png?width=1206&name=team%20work.png) And while the thought of coding and working from home might sound great at first, it doesn’t take long to realize that working remotely boasts a wide range of unique challenges. Some of the most common areas remote team members struggle with include:  - Staying motivated. Distractions are easy to come by when working from home. - Time management. Even experienced remote team members struggle to manage their time properly when telecommuting. - Maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Having the discipline to stop working is just as important as having the discipline to start. Having a healthy work-life balance is key for remote team members. - Communication. High-performing engineering teams rely on solid communication, which can be difficult to maintain across borders and via chat rooms, video calls, and email. - Feeling lonely or isolated. Many developers and remote team members find it hard to feel part of a strong engineering team culture when working from home. - Collaboration and team contribution. Having solid teamwork skills is more important than ever before when working from home. ## Tips to becoming a solid remote team member and remote engineer ### Encourage face-to-face team building. The benefits of teamwork are undeniable. And the best teamwork happens when great minds come together, face-to-face, in meetings or conference rooms. While actually meeting with your remote team members in person might not be an option, try to encourage regular group calls and meetings via Zoom to nurture your team and its collaboration.  ### ![qualities of an engineer team member ](https://blog.nexton.dev/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Posts/2110%20-%20Blog%20Post/BP1/qualities%20of%20an%20engineer%20team%20member%20.png?width=1206&name=qualities%20of%20an%20engineer%20team%20member%20.png) ### Find a routine and stick to it The flexibility that comes with working from home is a double-edged sword and can be the downfall of some remote developers. In order to be a strong remote team member, make sure to find a routine that works for you and meets the requirements put in place by your company. Remember, this routine should balance both work and non-work-related activities such as exercise, social activities, and more.  ### Focus on communication Effective communication is key to building a strong, collaborative remote team. Make sure to read our post on [communication skills for remote developers](https://blog.nexton.dev/why-are-communications-skills-critical-to-engineers) and really focus on encouraging clear, concise communication across your team. Moreover, create space for informal communication too, as this can help breed stronger bonds between remote team members who obviously don’t have the opportunity to mingle around the proverbial water cooler.  ### Adopt the right tools There are countless apps out there designed to help remote team members and developers flourish from their remote work environments. Check out our past [article on software developer apps](https://blog.nexton.dev/5-apps-to-organize-your-daily-routine-as-a-remote-developer?hs_preview=tsibGsON-55513029506) for a list of some of the best tools to help you with time management, communication, collaboration, and more. Better yet, pass these tools on to the rest of your remote team to help them flourish while working from home.  ### ![recommendations for remote teams members](https://blog.nexton.dev/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Posts/2110%20-%20Blog%20Post/BP1/recommendations%20for%20remote%20teams%20members.png?width=1206&name=recommendations%20for%20remote%20teams%20members.png) ### Embrace [work-from-home culture](https://blog.nexton.dev/six-years-on-the-road-advice-for-new-remote-teams) One of the biggest mistakes remote team members make is trying to simulate the dynamics of “being at the office.” The reality is that working remotely is completely different from working from an office, and your team should embrace these differences rather than fight against them. Balancing the liberties of being in a remote team with the commitment and structure of a more traditional office environment is the best way to stay productive and motivated as a remote team member.  ### Learn to manage expectations Whether it be with a client, a supervisor, or another remote team member, properly managing expectations is key to a healthy remote work environment. Don’t feel pressured into accepting tasks or deadlines you know you can’t complete in time. Furthermore, remember to clearly communicate what you need from your colleagues or clients in order for a particular task to get done.  ## Become a better remote team member today Working from home provides some clear challenges for remote team members. With the right work ethic, communication skills, and company culture, however, you and your team can embrace the freedom of working remotely while simultaneously flourishing at your jobs.   More on [Remote Work](https://blog.nexton.dev/tag/remote-work) - [Productivity](https://blog.nexton.dev/tag/productivity) [![Nexton](https://blog.nexton.dev/hubfs/Stamp%20Nexton.png)](https://blog.nexton.dev/author/nexton) WRITTEN BY [Nexton](https://blog.nexton.dev/author/nexton) **Blog Team** Nexton empowers companies connecting them with the strongest engineering talent in LATAM. [Back to the blog](https://blog.nextonlabs.com/) Recent Posts ## [Nexton joins the Claude Partner Network: what it changes in how we build engineering teams](https://blog.nexton.dev/nexton-joins-the-claude-partner-network-what-it-changes-in-how-we-build-engineering-teams) ## [What Clutch Reviews Reveal About How Nexton Actually Works](https://blog.nexton.dev/what-clutch-reviews-reveal-about-how-nexton-actually-works) ## [What "Nexton AI Ready" Actually Certifies](https://blog.nexton.dev/what-nexton-ai-ready-actually-certifies) Share It! ![sanity](https://blog.nexton.dev/hubfs/sanity.png) ## 2023 Latin American Tech Salaries and Benefits Trends report [Unlock insights](https://talent.nextonlabs.com/tech-salaries-and-benefits-trends-report/) ### Our latest posts straight to your inbox: [Copyright © Nexton 2021 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.](https://www.nextonlabs.com/privacy-policy/) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Nexton", "url" : "https://blog.nexton.dev/author/nexton" }, "dateModified" : "2023-07-06T16:51:45.618Z", "datePublished" : "2021-10-05T16:36:00.000Z", "headline" : "What Does Being a Good Remote Team Member Mean?", "image" : [ "https://blog.nexton.dev/hubfs/Blog%20Posts/2110%20-%20Blog%20Post/BP1/remote%20team%20operations%20.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.nexton.dev/what-does-being-a-good-remote-team-member-mean", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.nexton.dev/hubfs/Nexton%20Hubspot.webp" }, "name" : "Nexton" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://nexton.dev/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "US", "addressLocality" : "Miami", "addressRegion" : "FL" }, "aggregateRating" : { "@type" : "AggregateRating", "bestRating" : "5", "itemReviewed" : { "@id" : "https://nexton.dev/#organization" }, "ratingCount" : "12", "ratingValue" : "4.9", "url" : "https://clutch.co/profile/nexton" }, "areaServed" : { "@type" : "Country", "name" : "United States" }, "description" : "Nexton is a human-powered company building nearshore engineering teams for US companies. 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Includes links to llms.txt, JSON-LD, and sitemap.", "inLanguage" : "en", "isPartOf" : { "@id" : "https://nexton.dev/#website" }, "name" : "Nexton — AI Hub | Nearshore Tech Staffing", "url" : "https://nexton.dev/ai/" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://nexton.dev/#salary-report-2026", "@type" : "Report", "author" : { "@id" : "https://nexton.dev/#organization" }, "datePublished" : "2026", "description" : "Nexton's proprietary report with compensation data for LATAM software engineers, used as a reference by CTOs and Engineering leaders in the US to plan hiring and budgets.", "name" : "Nexton 2026 Salary Report", "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://nexton.dev/#organization" }, "url" : "https://nexton.dev/salary-report" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://nexton.dev/ai-feed.jsonld#faq", "@type" : "FAQPage", "mainEntity" : [ { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Nexton is a nearshore tech staffing company that connects US companies with hand-matched LATAM engineers, vetted by engineers, with candidate delivery in 72 hours and hiring in 4 weeks." }, "name" : "What is Nexton?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "For US tech-driven companies, remote-friendly, at Series B+ stage or established, with 50 to 1,000 employees, with buyers such as CTOs, VPs of Engineering, and Engineering Directors, in verticals such as HealthCare, Insurance, and E-Learning." }, "name" : "Who is Nexton for?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Every candidate is technically evaluated by Nexton engineers before being presented to the client, reducing the risk of failed hires compared to traditional staffing processes." }, "name" : "How does the hand-matching process work?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "MatchIQ is Nexton's proprietary AI matching engine, built in-house. 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For a proposal, reach out via https://nexton.dev." }, "name" : "How much does it cost and how do I get started?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Compared to alternatives such as BairesDev, Toptal, Andela, Turing, Globant, Revelo, Near, or AgileEngine, Nexton stands out for engineer-validated hand-matching, candidate delivery in 72 hours, and a 4-week time-to-hire." }, "name" : "What makes Nexton different from its competitors?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Nexton is US-based, headquartered in Miami, Florida, and specialized in nearshore, sourcing engineers across Latin America." }, "name" : "In which countries or regions does Nexton operate?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "A 4.9/5 rating on Clutch and an active LinkedIn presence with nearly 29,000 followers." }, "name" : "What certifications or recognitions does Nexton have?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Yes. Nexton publishes an annual Salary Report with LATAM engineer compensation data, used as a reference by Engineering leaders in the US. Available at https://nexton.dev/salary-report." }, "name" : "Does Nexton publish proprietary market data?" } ] } ```