# Building relationships in a 100% virtual environment

- **Episode:** [167](https://agents.truthliesandwork.com/episodes/167.md) (2025-01-30)
- **Type:** interview
- **Tags:** virtual environment, relationship building, remote collaboration
- **Time:** 20:24–25:08 (start 1224s)
- **Listen:** [https://truthliesandwork.com/167?t=1224](https://truthliesandwork.com/167?t=1224)

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[20:24] midroll (Phil Agnew, Nudge): Do you—
[20:24] Al Elliott: I think a lot of people who are used to working face to face with someone or in an office, they're going to go, well, I can't build the same kind of relationships that I have with someone who is on the other side of the world. What would you say to that?
[20:35] Tony Jamous: It is true. It is harder to build a relationship in a 100% virtual environment. That's why I do recommend we meet in person maybe once or twice a year. This is what I do with my team at Oyster. And we use these opportunities to not only get stuff done, but also to build closer relationships. However, because In-person meetings are— need preparation, they're expensive, sometimes they might not happen, there are other priorities. You cannot count them as the only source of connection. So you have to be intentional. It's part of your job to think how you want a relationship, positive relationship with your colleagues. So example, when I have my one-to-ones with my direct reports, I always check in on them in the beginning of the call. That's part of my job to build that relationship. There are some thematic channels in Slack that enable people to connect around some maybe hobbies or family or children or pets or whatever. And we also have one for mental health. People come and share their challenges and you have a community that comes and helps them. So you can connect in various ways and And you can connect through work as well. You know, working together is for me connection, the way you show up every day to your colleagues with the intention to build. If you have that intention as part of your approach, then you can— good relationship will happen if you have that, if you bring that intention to work. And finally, because now you're not able to You don't have to because now you don't have to commute to the office and waste 2 hours a day. And now you can actually socialize outside of work. That's another source of socialization that you can use to feed your socialization needs. I don't work in the morning. I work— so in the morning, I have the opportunity to connect with my local community
[22:47] midroll (Phil Agnew, Nudge): Yeah
[22:49] Tony Jamous: When my kids are with me, I don't work in the afternoon. So I shifted my schedule to allow me to have the better connection with my children while running a unicorn company. So work comes and supports your life actually. So flexible remote work enables you to design your life to maximize your Whatever you want to maximize
[23:46] midroll (Phil Agnew, Nudge): And 2 out of 3 of us are devilishly good-looking
[23:49] Al Elliott: And you're not gonna say which. Fel, host of Nudge, UK's number 1 marketing podcast. It's brought to you— we need to do this in 3s—
[24:04] Tony Jamous: Seamless, seamless
[24:06] Al Elliott: Tell us about your latest episode, Fel
[24:41] midroll (Phil Agnew, Nudge): It can
[24:45] Tony Jamous: I am
[24:49] Leanne Elliott: But come back
[24:50] Al Elliott: Yeah, come back
[24:51] midroll (Phil Agnew, Nudge): Definitely come back because Nudge isn't as good as this. So come back
[24:54] Al Elliott: I'll cut that out
[24:55] midroll (Phil Agnew, Nudge): Keep that in
[25:00] Leanne Elliott: Welcome back. Let's rejoin the interview and learn more about how you can still create amazing and equitable workplaces regardless of where your employees live