Who said a manager couldn’t become successful when supervising a remote team? Currently, most organizations have appreciated the significant role played by the remote working approach. Although the trend became widespread after the pandemic, remote working started before; hence, remote working is not as new as many think. Both new and veteran managers need to apply the following tips to manage their remote teams successfully.
Prioritize on outcomes rather than activities
The productivity of remote teams is only measurable through outcomes and not the activities and time they spend. Focusing on outcomes also helps in the empowerment of employees and increases creativity within the team. Lastly, managers should ensure they mentor employees rather than managing them.
Training of remote employees
Remote working is a new phenomenon to most employees, hence the need to train them on carrying out their duties far away from the office with less supervision. Through effective training, remote teams can gain new skills and knowledge to help them cope with challenges related to remote working.
With the presence of newbies at work, some employees may be highly skilled than others. The margin creates the need for training and cross-mentorship.
Make the remote team aware of their objectives and expectations
How would a remote team be productive without knowing their manager’s expectations and the organization’s objectives? Managers should set clear expectations and expound on individual roles and responsibilities to ensure everyone is on board. Managers should also set clear guidelines to be followed by their remote teams to ensure they perform their tasks as planned. Lastly, managers can ensure their teams are aware of the values of the company. For instance, they can have the values written down and employees sign against them.
Enhancing team bond
Effective managers should create a robust inter-personal bonding with their teams and enhance a solid bonding among employees. Since it’s impossible for teams to meet physically for teamwork events and drinks, managers should develop new ways of ensuring employees bond.
Enhancement of team bonding can also be through clear and regular communication. Managers should ensure that the members interact through the various internet tools, such as chats, individualized video calls, and video conferencing. Managers should have daily check-in and face-to-face interactions through video conferencing and calls.
Automate management of tasks
Management of remote teams becomes effective with the use of remote work technologies. Successful managers use various automated tools to track their teams and ensure they meet the set goals. The apps are designed to ease communication, facilitate collaboration, and manage projects.
Out there, there are many pieces of advice. However, failure to observe the above tips will make managers experience highly challenging.
