Creating a culture of community for remotely-based academics

Authors and presenters

• Annette Saunders, School of Nursing, CoHM

• Damhnat McCann, School of Nursing, CoHM

Abstract

Employing remotely based academics widens the pool of quality applicants and attracts staff with sought after specialised expertise. This has significant benefits for students who are taught by nationally recognised, clinically current experts, but can be an isolating experience for the remote based academic. While remote work allows for flexibility and has many benefits for individuals, it can also lead to feelings of loneliness: contributing to stress and impacting motivation and job performance (Montañez, 2024).

In January 2024 the School of Nursing employed a group of remotely based postgraduate academic staff with extensive clinical expertise but limited higher education experience. This lack of experience had the potential to magnify the effects of operational and affinity distance (quality of connection) that can occur when working remotely. To support these staff and address these potential concerns, we proactively developed a welcoming culture of community using a formal orientation program, mentoring, clear processes and regular virtual coffee drop-in sessions. This community of practice has now become a collegial and cohesive group: supporting each other in their ongoing professional development and reducing reliance on course coordinators. This presentation will cover how we created a community of practice to support a team of remotely based staff: drawing on feedback and real-life examples to highlight successful strategies.

Reference

Montañez, R. (2024, March 22). Fighting loneliness on remote teams. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2024/03/fighting-loneliness-on-remote-teams