Manage remote teams correctly
In times of globalization, the employees of many companies work together at different locations. This can create certain challenges in terms of communication. This is primarily the case when the employees of a team are located in different time zones. Accordingly, as a manager, you need to consider a few points if you want to successfully manage a remote team.
The challenges of remote working
Some of the challenges that arise when working remotely include distractions. This is because employees can be more easily distracted from their work at home. This is the case, for example, if there are small children in the household who need to be kept busy. But caring for elderly family members, pending housework or a pet can also cause distractions at home. In addition, not all employees have a fully-fledged workplace at home, so they work from the sofa, which can also have a negative impact on concentration.
If the team members are in their own homes, the employer has no overview of what the individual employees are doing. Employees know this too, which is why distractions are more likely to happen than they would be in the office. In addition to distractions, there are several other challenges you need to consider when managing remote teams, including
- Technical complications
- Problems with communication
- Lack of social and professional relationships
Technical complications
A major challenge in managing remote teams is technical issues. In order for the team to work together effectively from anywhere, employees must have access to a stable internet connection and appropriate hardware at their respective locations. While there is usually a stable connection in the office, this is not always the case for employees at home. In addition, employees in the office have the option of contacting local technical support in the event of technical problems – an option that is also not available at home.
Problems with communication
If something needs to be discussed in the office, the respective employee can be contacted directly. This is not possible in a remote team. Although the use of telephones or special messaging tools is an option, employees often do not receive an immediate response in such cases, which can slow down the process.
Lack of social and professional relationships
In the office, it is easy to build professional and social relationships with colleagues and superiors. If you want to speak to another employee or manager, you can simply knock on their office door and get the support or information you need. This is not possible in a remote team, which can lead to several disadvantages:
- Managers sometimes don’t know what is bothering the respective employee and what they are working on at the moment.
- This makes it more difficult to assess whether the employee is coping well or whether they are currently facing problems with which they need help.
- In addition, some team members may feel a sense of social isolation when they are no longer working in the office and have their colleagues around them.
Solutions for successful remote working
In order for the employees of a remote team to work together successfully, managers must provide clear guidelines that employees can follow. This way, there is clarity about which tasks need to be completed in which time frame and there are fewer misunderstandings.
Definition of communication rules
There are now a number of communication tools available, so it can be difficult to keep track of them all. Accordingly, you should set clear guidelines and provide your employees with a list of tools that they should preferably or exclusively use to communicate with each other.
In addition, company guidelines should be defined with regard to the most efficient communication possible. One guideline could be to divide the communication tools into “urgent” and “non-urgent”. If there is a need to talk, a message can be sent via a messaging tool, while if there is no high urgency, an email is sufficient. Employees are thus encouraged to reply to messages sent via the messaging service more quickly than emails.
Organization of working hours
You must also provide your employees with specific guidelines regarding working hours. If the employees in your remote team are spread across different time zones, you must specify whether they can work with a time delay or whether all employees should work synchronously with your time zone. You must also ensure that your employees know whether working time recording will take place and, if so, how it is to be implemented.
Definition of goals and milestones
Clear goals should be set so that employees at home do not lose track or deviate too far from the prescribed course. Discuss with your employees which tasks are to be implemented within a certain period of time. You can use predefined KPIs to measure the performance of employees and better assess their performance. To keep motivation high, the goals should be achievable and the deadlines realistic.
Tip:
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