Whether your team is fully or partially remote, remote management must account for various challenges dispersed employees face.
A remote team refers to employees who telecommute to work from various locations spread across cities, countries, and even continents. Today, a significant part of the global workforce consists of remote teams.
Remote teams offer an array of benefits for both enterprise and employee. However, if your shift to digitalization is still in its infancy, you are likely to encounter many challenges.
Even with modern technology at hand, you and your team are bound to face difficulties adapting to new protocols and procedures involved in remote work. In addition, managing employees who are new to remote work will undoubtedly be challenging for you.
But when handled well, remote teams can be equally efficient and productive, if not more, than their office-based counterparts.
Wondering how to manage remote teams? We have got you some tips for managing a remote team:
1. Schedule regular check-ins
Trust remote employees to work autonomously, but be aware that staying connected is important too. So be sure to get in touch regularly. Ask them about their day, how they have been feeling lately, and whether they face any challenges.
2. Create an easily accessible go-to playbook
Document and share processes in one centralized location, so employees always know where to look for information.
A playbook ensures that employees are motivated towards success. This guidebook also helps employees feel more connected to work and abide by the set of rules.
3. Set the clear expectation early
Set your expectations from every employee and establish a clear purpose to give your team a direction at work.
Set clear expectations for Working hours, Communication tools, Timely meetings, Key projects and deadlines, Roles and responsibilities, etc.
4. Focus on outcomes, not individual activities
Measuring outcomes is the best way to evaluate their productivity with less visibility into employees’ day-to-day work. You can conduct online one-on-one meetings. It’s a great way to give and receive constructive feedback.
5. Help employees feel connected to your culture
Organize virtual team-building activities and games so the whole team can get together beyond work. 69% of employees say they’d work harder if they were appreciated. This is why you must create an online recognition system for your remote employees.
6. Build strategic lines of communication
Teach employees to be responsive online and schedule regular virtual meetings to share key information with the team quickly.
7. Invest in the right tools and technology
Technology and tools can help remote workers to overcome communication barriers. First, choose a specific team communication tool such as Slack or MS Teams to simplify remote communication.
8. Hone your remote communication skills
When you work remotely, your colleagues can only hear you on calls and talk to you over Slack or e-mail. There’s no physical interaction. Therefore, you must hone your communication (verbal and writing) skills to avoid ambiguity and help people understand more effectively.
9. Clarify remote work rules
Since your employees are working remotely, your organization might want to cover some expenses regarding their services. While employees have trouble understanding what’s covered and what’s no, make sure your remote work policy defines it suitably.
