Nowadays remote teams can be a great resource for business because teams can be composed of members who have the expertise and talent that may not be available within the organization’s walls, i.e., in the same city or the same time zone. Needless to say, effectively managing remote teams can be quite a challenge for those managing them, indeed!
So, this blog will uncover a few interesting facts about remote employees and some of the most effective ways to manage the same.
Facts About Remote Employees -
- According to Cisco, approximately 69% of employees served higher productivity when working remotely.
- Remote work has grown by 140% since 2005.
- According to Owl Labs State of Remote Work 2019 report, 42% of remote workers have plans to work remotely more often over the next five years than they do now.
Managing Remote Teams is an ART - you can too learn it
Remote team management can come with challenges as well. Here are a few pointers on how to manage remote teams effectively-
- Create a remote work policy
Create the same policy for the remote team as you have an in-house policy when it comes to your company’s work environment and expectations.
This way, you can set standards that every employee will have to meet, thus ensuring the timely delivery of what is expected from them.
Besides, the fair work environment will ensure that your team runs like an efficient, streamlined, and modern-day digital assembly line. - Communication should be simple
Multiple communication channels should be available i.e Slack, Zoom for video call, teams, Skype, etc. It should be as simple as much as possible. It is the best way to minimize overhead. - Fix some meeting or daily stand up call
To work in a highly moderated management, the remote employees need to get indulged in the small conversations. If there is a deadline to maintain or have a quick meeting to attain, all things require a small discussion or chat, to help in clearing the doubts and fast indulgence for executing the tasks. - Track their performance and take feedback from them
It is very important to track your employees' performance whether your team is virtual or not. They have the flexibility but do not leave them on their own. Companies can use software to track their attendance or login/logout time.
It can be taken into consideration during the implementation of any new rule or change in policy. - Managers should appreciate their contribution
Working remotely can make employees feel isolated at times. In that case, you can create a warm, welcoming remote work environment where team members feel connected.
Give kudos to your team members and say thank you whenever possible. - Allow flexible working hours
With work from home (WFH) becoming a priority today, employees should be given some flexibility with their working hours. An important aspect to manage remote teams, flexibility though should also ensure teams’ availability through virtual tools to keep them connected for resolving any sort of issues, anytime! - Fun is also important
Don’t forget to have some fun with your remote team!
Think about the ways you can make a fun game, quiz, song, etc. However, make sure everyone knows to keep these conversations work-appropriate. If you or they wouldn’t like to send these messages in-house at a corporate office, they shouldn’t be sent virtually too!
Eventually, it will be all remote - are you ready?
Working remotely is gaining more traction than ever before, especially due to the current pandemic situation. However, to assume that a remote employee is the same as one working in on-location, it’s not right!
Remote employees have different types of challenges which as a manager or employer, you need to understand to manage them effectively.
Implementing the given tips is not an investment in your team only but in you as a manager also.
The more you understand the needs and challenges of managing remote employees, the better manager you’ll become!
Happy WFH!
