As the calendar gets ready to flip to a new year, it’s important to take time and assess where you team is. Not just where they’re working (how many are remote, who’s in the office, who bounces around) but how it’s going and how they feel about their work and team. Do they feel empowered? Invisible? Confused about priorities? Having conversations about this can help you get 2026 off to a powerful start.
The first thing to assess is “information equity.”
That sounds more complicated and buzz-wordy than it is. It simply asks the question: Does everyone on your team have access to the same information at more or less the same time? Some people have access to hallway conversations, others hear everything secondhand.
Make sure your team has clear procedures for how decisions are captured and made. Meeting recaps are easier than ever using the AI tools in Teams/Zoom/whatever. Everyone should know where to access the information they need as well as who can answer questions if you or a subject matter expert aren’t available right that moment.
How are they doing with energy, focus, and time management?
Most good managers take time in their one-on-one conversations to ask how their people are doing. But a good end of year inventory goes deeper. Are people using their allotted time off and sick days? Check their communication with you. Is it clear they are not respecting their own time and boundaries? Finally, find out what is going on outside of work that may be impacting their work, energy or attitude. These conversations need to go deeper than just “how ya doing?”
How visible are they to you and their teammates?
One of the corrosive things on remote and hybrid teams is unequal visibility to their leader. Some folks you see all the time, others you hardly hear from. This isn’t a problem in itself. Some folks keep their heads down and do good work, others intentionally hide and want to be left alone while not performing at a high level. You and the individuals should agree on how much you expect to see and hear them on meetings, in online discussions. They need to interact regularly and positively with their teammates. This is not only helpful to the team, but by remaining quiet and less visible they are hurting their own chances for recognition, development and advancement.
Are they using the tools and tech available to them? What could they do differently or better? What do they think they need and don’t have?
Technology and access to information is at the very core of a distributed team. Are they using the available technology in a way that works with the rest of the team? What do they think they need that they don’t think is available. It very well could be that they just aren’t trained properly or aware those tools or features exist. A common source of tension is people not following protocol with naming and saving files, for example. Make sure everyone is on the same page.
How do they feel about their role on the team?
This can be a tricky question but the answer can impact team turnover, productivity and morale. This isn’t just about the work they do (although that’s important,) but do they feel they are listened to, heard, and valued for their work as well as their other (less visible) contributions to the team.
Taking time to survey your people will give you a good sense of the team’s overall strengths and areas to improve. You may not like what you hear. Congratulations, you’re a leader.
The end of one year creates an opportunity to plan for the beginning of a new year of high-quality work and repair any stressors that can interfere with 2026 being your team’s best year ever.
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