How to Manage Remote Teams Effectively

If you are not a business owner or an HR personnel looking for tips on how to manage remote teams successfully?  I’m really curious as to why you are here. Either way, you are welcome to proceed. 

It’s no news that the COVID-19 pandemic changed the idea of work and forced many companies to have their employees work remotely. Even in the best of circumstances, leading a high-performing team can be a challenge, not to mention team members working from home, scattered geographically, and separated culturally. You’d agree with me that there’s one or two you need to learn. In this blog post, I’ll take you through 9 tips to lead your remote workforce like a pro.

Ready? Grab your pen and notepad, and follow me if you’ve got a minute.

9 Tips for Managing Remote Teams Effectively

1. Find the right people

2. Set clear structures and expectations

3. Schedule daily check-ins

4. Communicate some more

5. Opt for shorter meetings

6. Focus on outcomes, not activities

7. Encourage social interaction

8. Lead with empathy

9. Celebrate success

1. Find The Right People

Not everyone can work well in a remote environment. Read that again. You really need to be careful with the kind of people you bring on board. Yes, employees will always need direction and supervision, but they should be able to complete their tasks and deliver with minimal supervision.

I understand it could be a hassle to identify the right employees. Well, CareerBuddy to the rescue! Another option is to hire multiple people temporarily for a few tasks and analyze their skills. Then you can choose permanent staff from that pool.

2. Set Clear Structures & Expectations

The worst mistake you can make when leading a remote team is to assume they know what’s expected of them. Chances are, they don’t. Give your workforce clear instructions on how to complete the tasks needed to achieve your company’s goal, as well as the roles that each team member is expected to play.

Your meetings should have a clear schedule, and employees should be aware of what other people are doing so that they can see where they fit into the process. 

3. Schedule Daily Check-Ins

This could take the shape of a series of one-on-one calls if your employees operate more independently from one another, or team calls if their work is extremely collaborative.

As long as the calls are regular, and they serve as a platform for employees to communicate with you and have their issues and questions acknowledged, either of the two forms is just fine. I should let you know that where email, phone, and texts may have sufficed in the past, managers who have been successful in their remote leadership attempts are increasingly using video conferencing to develop face-to-face communication that is now lacking. You should adopt that too.

4. Communicate Some More

Your business will fail if you don’t communicate effectively with your remote team the same way your relationship will fail without communication (please forgive me for intruding in your personal affairs).

Beyond simple daily check-ins, conveying the team’s tasks, responsibilities, deliverables, deadlines, and desired outcomes is important. I hinted at this earlier, but it bears repeating. The communication tool you use matters a lot. Tools like Zoom, ClickUp, Google Hangouts, Slack, and Microsoft Teams have been relevant in the remote workforce just for getting stuff done!

5. Opt For Shorter Meetings

Long hours of can you see my screen can be tiring. In the long run, short daily scrums will help you stimulate communication, spot problems sooner, act on them faster, become more agile, and build a good cadence, compared to two-hour-long meetings. The goal is to leave your team energized and not all fagged out after a work call, yeah?

6. Focus On Outcomes, Not Activity

Sadly (or maybe not), you won’t be able to monitor your employees when they work remotely as you could if they were in the office. Now that’s why you have to ditch trust issues to lead your remote workforce successfully. Define the goals and expected outcomes clearly, then allow employees to develop a plan of execution. That way, you enhance creativity and ownership.

Be flexible! It shouldn’t matter whether your team works in the morning or the evening, as long as the work gets done and is of good quality.

7. Encourage Social Interaction

Chill out, boss! It doesn’t all have to be about work. You can set aside some time at the start of team calls for non-work-related matters like catching up with one another. Just like an in-office team, you can gather your remote team together virtually for a happy hour, games, pizza party, or other team-building activities. Just to help reduce feelings of isolation and promote a sense of belonging.

8. Lead With Empathy

Do you know you could be a thorn in the flesh if you don’t accept the fact that, even though your team works remotely, they aren’t available 24/7? Please, maintain communication within reasonable hours unless it’s urgent.

Pay attention to your employees. Recognize stress, listen to their anxieties and concerns, and empathize with their problems. Do this and watch your team’s collective confidence, creativity, and productivity rise.

9. Celebrate Success 

Did you know that when you celebrate, your body creates oxytocin and endorphins, that help you relax and strengthen your immune system? Now that you do, I hope you’ll take celebrating successes with your team seriously. You should also commend team members who are doing well.

Bottom line

You probably gave me more than a minute of your time, but I’m sure you got value for it. Yes, each of the tips above falls into the category of simple but not easy. But you’ve got this! Pay attention to all nine and you’ll get at least three thank yous — from your team, your company, and yourself.

Read also: How to onboard new remote employees