Remote working has been on the rise in recent years, and it is easy to see why because it can bring many benefits for both the company and the employee. Today, millions of people around the world are having to work from home due to Coronavirus pandemic which can be challenging even for those that regularly have remote workers as managing an entirely remote workforce is quite different and obviously under challenging circumstances. Learning how to manage a team working remotely could make a massive difference to the entire business, mainly as it seems that many people expect remote working to be “the new norm” in many cases. Here are a few tips for managing a remote team.
Have the Best Tools Available
While there are several perks to remote working, it does have its challenges. It is quite different from working in the office where it is easy to communicate, collaborate and share information. This means that you need to have the right tools available, which might include:
· Videoconferencing
· Screen sharing software
· Cloud computing
· Instant chat apps
· Project management software
Outline Expectations but Allow Staff to Work Independently
One of the greatest challenges of managing a remote team is simply letting staff get on with work. It is easy to imagine them slacking off, watching TV while working or not even being at the computer, but if you have recruited the right kind of people, then you should trust them to get the work completed. The key is to outline expectations and then trust that they will meet these.
Learn How People Prefer to Work
Following this, you will also need to discover the ways that different people prefer to work. It is tempting to have a “blanket” approach where you maintain communication in the same way for everyone, but you will find it more effective to learn how people prefer to stay in touch. Some will want to have regular communication throughout the day, some may prefer a video call at the end of the day, and others may be happy simply with email conversations.
Use People & HR Analytics
It can be hard to gauge how employees are feeling and what issues they might be having are when teams are working remotely, which is why it is a good idea to use people and HR analytics in the form of a Pulse survey. These surveys allow you to monitor and gauge employee wellbeing and will help you to identify what steps can be taken to improve morale, productivity, and engagement.
Encourage Interaction & Provide Support
One of the biggest problems with remote working is that it can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness – this is particularly true during the pandemic and lockdown where people cannot socialize as much. This is why you need to encourage informal social interaction between staff and provide emotional support. This could be through online after-work drinks, playing online games during breaks and allowing time for non-work conversation during meetings.
These tips should help you to manage a remote team more effectively, which should help you to get more out of your employees and take the business forward.
Founder Dinis Guarda
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