May 2025

Remote and hybrid work have opened doors to efficiency, flexibility and new ways of collaborating across distances. But as technology keeps teams constantly plugged in, many employees find themselves feeling more isolated. Those spontaneous hallway chats and unplanned lunch meetups that often forged the strongest workplace bonds are few and far between these days.

In a virtual setting, it is easy to slip into a transactional mode, where tasks and metrics matter most and personal connections recede into the background.

Are there still ways for employees and leaders to spark a genuine sense of belonging in this setup, or is this the inevitable change we have to accept as part of remote work life?

Related: How to Build Emotional Resilience in a Remote Environment

The dynamics of disconnection in remote teams

In traditional office settings, camaraderie often happens organically. Casual small talk and spontaneous interactions usually give a significant source of support and connection. Hybrid and remote environments, on the other hand, commonly eliminate these chance encounters and leave many employees feeling like they’re marooned on an island.

One of the dangers of this isolation is how it can hide in plain sight and feel “normal.” Your team members may appear fine on screen, but that brief video call might be the only point of contact they have all day.

Over time, employees who lack in-person engagement often feel “out of sight, out of mind” — essentially invisible until they turn in their output, especially if some team members work on-site while others are scattered across time zones. This subtle form of disconnection erodes morale and can even impact career opportunities, as remote individuals may not receive the same spontaneous coaching or visibility that in-office peers do.

The first step in breaking this cycle is acknowledging that remote setups can feed isolation. When employers acknowledge this challenge, their teams can take deliberate actions to reach out, check in and ensure that work relationships thrive in any environment.

Related: 8 Remote Work Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Simple ways employees can reconnect

Employees often wait for managers or HR initiatives to foster social connection, but small personal actions can significantly counter isolation. Be more intentional. Instead of just pinging someone on Slack, suggest a quick virtual coffee to chat about things beyond work. Even a short 15-minute video catch-up or an audio-only call while stepping out to take a walk break can brighten someone’s day and trade sterile text for an actual conversation.

Joining or starting interest-based groups like a book club, a fitness channel or a virtual volunteer team can build a sense of community that goes beyond daily deliverables and KPIs. Setting personal goals for social connection each week helps too, even something as simple as reconnecting with one former colleague or inviting a teammate for a casual catch-up.

Leadership strategies for fostering team well-being

Leaders wield tremendous influence in shaping workplace culture, particularly in remote or hybrid settings. Because isolation can be so easy to disguise, managers need to stay observant for subtle signs such as declining engagement, missed deadlines or a noticeable shift in tone during communications. If an employee seems more withdrawn, initiate a confidential, more compassionate conversation.

Connect with your team actively and regularly. Don’t wait for them to initiate conversations — that usually puts them in an uncomfortable situation. Start the dialogue by asking questions that actually spark real conversations. Perhaps something as straightforward as “How was your weekend?” or “How are you holding up recently?” can create the space needed for deeper discussion.

Leaders should also normalize conversations about mental well-being. Openly discuss mental health in team settings so people feel safe sharing personal challenges without fear of being negatively judged. Train managers in mental health allyship to equip them with tools to recognize emotional distress and respond effectively when needed.

Additionally, taking care of your own mental health is important not only for your well-being but also because it enables you to care for others. After all, “you cannot pour from an empty cup,” which means if you are running on empty, it is virtually impossible to offer genuine help or to be present in the moment when colleagues, friends or family members are in need of support.

Related: 4 Lies We Are Telling Ourselves About Remote Work

Creating safe spaces in the workplace

Companies flourish when their people feel free to bring their whole selves to work, wherever they happen to be. However, being yourself at work shouldn’t mean oversharing or ignoring professional courtesy. It means expressing who you are within professional boundaries and showing consideration for those around you.

Regular conversations about mental well-being, starting from onboarding and continuing through weekly 1:1s and quarterly reviews, further reinforce the message that being “not okay” is human, and seeking support is perfectly normal. Offering flexibility in how work gets done and providing benefits that meet actual employee needs, like EAPs, meditation apps, wellness funds and access to care navigation resources, are effective ways to support employees and demonstrate that you are about their holistic well-being.

When employees feel genuinely connected, they move beyond mere transactional interactions and toward deeper collaboration. Ideas flow more freely, morale rises and trust becomes a guiding force in every team. This sense of connectedness and belonging can prove especially valuable during periods of transition or challenging times for a business.

It’s often in these times that you get to see resilience in action, as every team member draws strength from mutual reliance. It highlights a key principle — that each team member’s strength and positive engagement compound the team’s overall effectiveness, and ultimately, the success of your organization.

At Speno’s Lawn Care in Raleigh, North Carolina, lawn care involves more than landscaping — it’s also about building trust with customers and showing up for them when it matters most. For owner Sam Speno, growing a reputable local business comes down to one clear mission: making the customer happy as soon as possible.

“My biggest thing is to respond quickly,” Speno says. “Sending quotes quickly means a lot. I’ve noticed in the past couple of years that people really do appreciate that.”

Related: She Runs a James Beard Award-Nominated Restaurant. Here’s Her 2-Step Process for Hiring the Best Employees.

Many of these responses occur through Yelp’s Request a Quote feature, which allows customers to send job requests to a specific business or multiple businesses at once. Speno and his wife actively monitor incoming requests and aim to reply within minutes. It’s a timely touch that makes a notable impact on consumers looking for fast and reliable assistance.

“It makes it a lot easier for the customer,” Speno says. “And it’s good for us. We do pretty well on Yelp from our reviews, and [Request a Quote was] how that started.”

Responding quickly is just the first step in building customer relationships. Speno also prioritizes clear, honest communication in his messages and discussions onsite. He says that project quotes should lead with transparency, rather than attempts to upsell: “In any field, not just lawn care, everybody appreciates honesty. I think that is what helps people trust you as a business. I’m not going out trying to force people to spend all the money they can — I just want to do what’s right and be completely honest if you don’t need to spend more.”

Speno’s reputation for honesty has further shaped the way he does business, allowing him to transition from full-time landscaping to managing a team he trusts. With dedicated crews for maintenance and landscaping, he’s able to spend more energy on operations and scaling the business.

“ I meet up with the crews in the morning at the shop, and we go over the plan. I’ll meet them again at the job and make sure they have everything and know what they’re doing. Then I’ll go out and focus on the business,” Speno says. “It’s easier for me to focus and keep fueling the business instead of staying on the field at a customer’s house trying to get the job done.”

Related: This CEO’s Paint-Your-Own Pottery Business Has 130 Locations — But Anyone Can Use Her Tips for Creating a Customer-First Experience

This transition came with a learning curve, especially around scheduling. Early on, Speno found himself driving all over town, zig-zagging from one project to the next. Once his wife took over route planning, the pieces fell into place. “The hardest part of the business is trying to schedule. I was all over the map every single day, and this doesn’t make sense. My wife took over planning the routes, and now we’ll put every single customer on our map, and then we’ll divide each one. I’m really thankful for her,” he says.

Efficient scheduling and honest service help Speno cultivate lasting customer relationships, which often lead to repeat work or referrals. These smaller, recurring maintenance jobs lay the groundwork for larger landscaping projects.

“You don’t get to the big clientele until you start with the lawn maintenance,” Speno says. “It may only be $60 to cut someone’s lawn, but they might have a $2,000 landscape job that they need done down the line. Even if it’s not that customer, if you do a good job for them, they’re going to refer you to another customer. It’s brand awareness. You’re spreading your name from such an easy service to do.”

This small but mighty approach extends to how Speno thinks about reviews. He keeps an eye on customer feedback and sees every review as a learning opportunity.

“Reviews are what are going to fuel your business,” Speno says. “A review I learned from was when I didn’t respond quick enough, and they gave me one star, but it actually helped me learn because ever since then, I try to keep my response time within 10 minutes. If you do good work, you’re gonna get good reviews, your business is gonna speak for itself, the reviews are gonna fuel the business, and business will keep coming in, especially from places like Yelp that [help] do that for you.”

Even now, Speno says he never gets tired of reading a 5-star review: “ I’m always super happy to see 5-star reviews because it’s nice to see the appreciation the customer has when you do something, and it makes their day. To us, we do it every day, so we’re like, ‘All we did was mulch a yard.’ But it’s so cool to see that you’re willing to take the time out of your day to leave us a review.”

Related: The Training (and Business) Philosophy That Sets This Self-Defense Studio Apart

A thoughtful approach, a timely team and a business model built on honesty have helped Speno’s Lawn Care foster a loyal customer base. For business owners aiming to do the same, consider Speno’s key principles:

• Speed builds trust. Responding to inquiries quickly — especially through tools like Yelp’s Request a Quote — establishes credibility and professionalism from the initial interaction, which helps win jobs.
• Transparency over transactions. Offering honest, thoughtful recommendations (even when they might lead to less immediate revenue) shows customers you’re on their side and builds loyalty long term.
• Structure is fundamental for growth. Organizing routes, delegating tasks and investing in a competent team allows small business owners to scale without compromising quality.
• The job isn’t done until the customer is happy. Flexibility and follow-through, even for minor fixes, leave a lasting impression that can turn one-time customers into repeat business.
• Reviews are a roadmap. Both positive and critical feedback can be an opportunity for growth. Learning from customer reviews helps your business consistently improve.

Listen to the episode below to hear directly from Speno, and subscribe to Behind the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday.

Editorial contributions by Alex Miranda and Kristi Lindahl

This article is part of our ongoing America’s Favorite Mom & Pop Shops™ series highlighting family-owned and operated businesses.

Most people feel personally and emotionally connected to the small businesses in their communities, but they underestimate how widespread small businesses are on a broader scale.

That’s according to a new report released Wednesday by digital marketing and automation platform Constant Contact. The report gathered responses from over 8,000 people in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Only 19% of U.S. respondents correctly identified that there were 33 million small businesses in the U.S. Many respondents underestimated the number “by millions,” the report noted. Meanwhile, more than two in five Americans said they would feel “devastated” if their favorite small business closed.

Related: ‘Applications Are Surging’: Small Business Administration Reports Significant Growth in Loan Approvals

Constant Contact CEO Frank Vella said the numbers showed most consumers have “a blind spot” in their awareness of the number of small businesses that exist.

Vella told Entrepreneur in an email that small businesses create a “personal” relationship with their customers. Customers aren’t just buying a product or service, they’re building a relationship.

According to the report, the most popular types of small businesses globally were restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, retail shops, locally-owned franchises, and personal care or wellness businesses.

“Many of us feel a personal connection to our favorite local businesses, but our research shows a significant awareness gap regarding the prevalence of these businesses,” Vella said. “Failing to recognize small businesses and their critical role in our communities and economies creates a blind spot, which makes it easy to overlook their impact.”

Related: Small Business Owners Are Taking 3 Creative Actions to Achieve Their Goals, According to a New Report

On a global scale, 40% of consumers said they visit a small business at least once a week, and over 80% agreed that small businesses positively affect their lives.

Customers said they supported small businesses because they enjoyed the quality of products and services, the personal customer service, and the local impact. They also said they chose to shop at small businesses because of the sense of community these establishments provided.

Another small business survey released last month from Goldman Sachs found that most small business owners in the U.S. (69%) are optimistic about the financial health of their businesses, and 78% plan to grow their businesses this year. Of the 1,188 businesses surveyed, nearly half (46%) said they expected to create new jobs this year.