Did you know that around 26% of people in the United States work from home? Working remotely is a great way for employees to be more productive and focused. But how can you manage remote teams?
Managing them is much different than managing employees in person. How can you keep track of everyone? How can you make sure that everyone is outputting high-quality work?
Keep reading and learn more about remote employee management below.
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Your Guide To Managing Remote Teams
The first step is setting boundaries and restrictions for your remote employees. Remote work is much more flexible than traditional work, but it shouldn’t be too flexible.
Some workers may procrastinate and might not get their work done until the last moment.
If you want your employees to work at specific times, state this explicitly. This keeps the employees active within a certain time slot.
This will also reduce the risk that employees will be late when completing projects or handing in reports.
If your employees work in different time zones, consider how this schedule might affect them.
It is also important to voice your expectations. Suppose you are used to a certain degree of quality from your workers.
That quality shouldn’t decrease because your employees are working from home. The quality should stay the same or increase. Specifying this to your employees will let them know what you expect.
Talk about what kind of work ethic you would like to see and what hours you would prefer them to work.
Address how deadlines should be met and how certain projects should be completed. This will leave far fewer questions for your employees while maximizing efficiency.
Communication And Organization For Remote Teams
Having a good communication system is also important for remote workers. Is email the best method of communication for your workers?
Or should you try something more direct like a group chat or video meeting?
What do you think will work best to manage and talk to your remote workers?
If you are managing several teams of remote workers, you may find yourself getting overwhelmed. This is why you should also get software to manage remote workers.
This type of software can increase productivity drastically. This is because this software does all the heavy lifting for you while you can sit back and focus on other important matters.
It will keep track of exactly which employee is doing what and at what time.
It will tell you when projects are submitted and when they’re late. This allows you to see what else needs to get done and when.
This kind of software easily groups together different teams and shows you the big picture.
This makes it easier to keep track of everyone and make sure that everyone is on the same page.
Consulting services can be a big help too. They prioritize organization and help you achieve the results you want.
How To Take Care Of Your Remote Teams
Letting your employees work remotely is great as long as you know how to manage them.
Managing remote teams is easy once you set your expectations and know how to communicate with them. Software and consulting services can help too.
To learn more, check out the other content on our website.
With a growing number of team leaders facing the challenge of managing remote teams, often with little in the way of previous experience, it can be important to understand what is needed for success and how the role differs from managing teams in a more traditional office environment.
If you’re just starting out with remote teams or if you’re looking for the latest tips on effective remote team management, there’s always a lot to learn and many tips you should be constantly adding to your management style.
Since managing remote teams is a lot more challenging than regular team management, more software and skills are required for the best results.
Here are 8 best practices that will help with effective remote team management in your business.
- Invest in the Right Remote Team Management Software
- Set Time Boundaries with Remote Workers
- Set Expectations Early and Clearly
- Encourage Independency
- Give Them Help When They Need it
- Embrace Diversity
- Brush Up on Your Online Communication Skills
- Learn about Everyone
How to manage remote project teams effectively:
- Put the ground work in first. …
- Trust the people you hire. …
- Promote frequent communication. …
- Hold team members accountable. …
- Maintain project visibility.
