Advice for managing remote teams

In the last year, remote teams became more than a trend; it was a necessity for companies all over the world. As a result, there were thousands on managers and business owners who found themselves suddenly managing a completely remote team.

Today, many businesses are still enabling their staff (or some of their staff) to work from home. Here are some top tips to set yourself and your team for success:

1. Communicate a lot

It goes without saying that you should be in regular communication with your team. This is more important in this circumstance, especially if your team are used to an office environment, as a sense of loneliness and isolation can set in.

Remote teams need to see people, and you need to see them. Services like Zoom or Microsoft Teams enable face-to-face interactions to be organised easily.

2. Manage expectations

Create realistic expectations for your team. Set yourself and your team up for success by clearly stating the tasks with the reasoning behind them, and help your team understand exactly how you will measure success. Define the scope and deadlines for each project.

3. Increase recognition

Effective recognition not only motivates the recipient, but serves as a strong signal to other employees of behaviours they should emulate. It doesn’t need to be monetary. Consider public acknowledgement, development opportunities and low-cost perks.

4. Encourage innovation

There is a natural hesitancy among employees during disruptive times to be afraid of trying something new. But during this time, innovation is even more important for employee engagement and organisational success. So provide opportunities to share successes. Make an effort to highlight the value of employees who are continuing to scale their activities, and ensure that risks are worthwhile.

5. Be flexible

Understand that your team has a lot going on. That’s not an excuse for not getting things done, but it is a reason to reconsider what productivity really means. Regular work hours are probably difficult for most people. Trust your team and give them the freedom and flexibility to get their work done during the times they are most productive. That’s good for your team in the long run.