3 HR Tips to Manage Remote Teams Effectively

With the irrevocable advancements in technology, in the last couple of decades the possibilities for telecommuting or teleworking, or working from anywhere other than an office – at home, at a coffee shop, on a bench in the park – grew exponentially, and today, it has become a common practice for millions.

This working style slowly spread across many industries, including IT, translation, finance, sales, human resources, recruitment, etc. In a way, giving rise to new types of lifestyles, such as the concept of digital nomadism.

Thanks to this possibility, many companies survived or even thrived during the pandemic. To continue with their business, they had to switch to remote work. Thanks to that, countless companies and employees around the world have realized the importance of this shift.  Both remote-only and hybrid work comes with many opportunities and benefits, including cutting costs and more flexibility.

There is a difference between having a few people working for you remotely and managing an entire team. Subsequently, several teams work to accomplish a common goal and successfully finish projects together.

Here Are 3 Tips To Help You Lead And Manage Remote Teams:

Managing a team of remote employees is not at all an easy task to master. There are so many things that a remote manager needs to remember. Therefore, things can feel too much to handle at times.

However, there is some method to this madness of managing remote teams. Here are some of those methods. Therefore, follow along to learn more about some of the most impressive techniques used by remote managers to improve the work efficiency of their remote employees.

Let’s go!

1. Monitor Your Employees the Right Way

Monitoring employees is much easier in an office but thanks to technology it can be done efficiently when you are managing a remote team also.

Using employee monitoring software you can hold your remote employees to high work standards, ensure that tasks are done well and on time, mistakes and misunderstandings are avoided, and all deadlines are met.

When you are managing people that work from home or someplace else, it’s also important that you don’t overdo the control, and allow some autonomy.

This type of technology will allow your employees to have autonomy and help you avoid an environment of mistrust – while still holding them accountable for their projects.

Being able to track and analyze remote workers’ efficiency, behavior, and productivity will not only help you manage remote employees and improve your overall results but also understand how you can improve your employees’ experience.

2. Promote Transparency and Open Communication

Regardless of the distance between each member of the team, whether you are all in one office, or scattered across the world in many home offices, regular communication is crucial for efficiency and success. When it comes to remote teams, however, communication can be more challenging.

To avoid misunderstandings or conflicts, and minimize wasting time on repeating the same tasks and common mistakes, you must find the right tools you can implement to ensure transparency and uninterrupted internal communication.

Invest in tools designed to facilitate communication for remote teams, and organize videoconferences, training, and face-to-face meetings. It’s also important to leave space for informal communication.

Working from home, there are no coffee breaks, jokes, small talk, or chit-chat. Employees are physically alone, far from their fellow workers, which can make it hard for them to feel like a part of a team.

Informal communication is crucial for employees’ well-being, and it builds trust, which makes for a great work environment and strong teams.

To inspire such connection among the employees, you can leave some time at the beginning and the end of video meetings for some casual conversation, or Slack channels for subjects unrelated to work.

3. Motivate Your Employees

With so many opportunities for remote work, people decide to leave a toxic job. Or if they aren’t satisfied with the work conditions.

As a result, many companies are facing high employee turnover. Unfortunately, finding new employees and training them is not only expensive but can also harm your business.

On top of that, finding skilled remote employees is a complex process. This is why you need to develop a strategy to improve employee retention.

The first thing you should do if employees frequently decide to leave your company is to identify the reason behind it. Law pays, a lack of opportunities for advancement, and non-flexible hours, are some of the most common causes of high turnover.

Some practices that can help you improve remote job satisfaction, and boost motivation, creativity, and productivity include:

• Recognizing a good job.
• Rewarding employees.
• Supporting work-life balance and mental health.
• Encouraging team building.
• Asking for feedback and listening to your employees.
• Providing opportunities for professional development.

Honorable Mention: Some More tips

Managing remote teams is a nuanced job that requires understanding and some specialized skills. Therefore, the aforementioned skills can help you, but you also need additional help. Here are some more tips for managing remote teams that you need to know for managing remote teams:

• Provide resources: Working remotely can be challenging if not enough resources are provided. Therefore, provide whatever resource your team is asking from you. This will enable them to do the job with more ease and seamlessness.
• Define purpose: Slogging without an ulterior purpose is excruciating. Therefore, motivate your employees and clarify the overall purpose to improve teamwork and efficiency. Otherwise, employees might feel exploited and overworked.
• Focus on results: Do not micromanage your employees just because you are struggling to keep track of their hard work. Shift your focus and concentrate on the results. This will help you get the job done with more clarity.

Conclusion

As more and more businesses embrace remote working, making it an inevitable reality of the present, companies must adapt and learn how to manage their teams with members located in different parts of the world.

This can be a huge challenge even for the best managers, whether you are just starting a business or you are transitioning from an established one to remote work. These tips will help you elevate your remote teams to the next level.

Read Also:

• 10 Concerns Your Employees Might Have About Their Job
• How to Tailor Optimal Solutions for Your Remote Workers
• How to Manage The Risk Of Remote Employees