Remote teams are more common than ever, with some companies operating completely remote and others hybrid. But how do they differ from traditional office-based teams, and does this change the way they should be managed? Here are seven tips for leading your remote team:
1. Support regular communication
It comes as no surprise that effective communication is critical to leading a successful remote team. Compared to an office-based team, opportunities for communicating naturally are significantly reduced. In some cases, this can increase productivity, especially for tasks that require periods of uninterrupted focus. However, ensuring employees can ask questions and seek support as and when needed is important.
With this in mind, you should consider the software systems you have in place to ensure remote teams can collaborate easily. For example, there are several ways for remote teams to keep in touch, such as instant messaging and call programs like Microsoft Teams and Slack, as well as classic video/teleconferencing platforms like Zoom and Skype.
Another suggestion is to create a reliable communication schedule that employees can plan around. This could be a team catch-up in the morning or a weekly team meeting to review project updates. Other internal communication methods can improve the connection between remote teams, including an all-company weekly newsletter or a digital noticeboard for sharing knowledge and employee announcements.
2. Maintain productivity in your remote team through organisation tools
Research suggests that productivity increases in remote workers. However, employees may struggle to organise their work and time if working from home is new for them. Maintaining a dialogue with your team to discuss workload, concerns, and expectations is essential.
Many collaborative task management tools can support a remote team to work together and progress tasks. Asana, Trello, Fellow and Monday are popular options. Take time to find the right platform for your team, Workable has a great list of collaborative task management tools for more inspiration.
3. Ensure employees have the equipment to work effectively
Part of managing remote teams well is ensuring they are fully equipped to perform their regular job.
As part of your onboarding process, you may conduct a risk assessment with your employees and check they have everything they need. This could include access to their work laptop/computer and phone, a printer if applicable, suitable broadband for working from home, and a workspace they can use at home. You can find a workstation checklist on the Health and Safety Executive website for employees working with Display Screen Equipment.
Importantly, keep this conversation open to ensure employees can discuss any equipment or supplies they need while working at home.
4. Create the structure for long-term success
Consider how your business operates remotely and how that impacts employees. Are there any guidelines that may need to be in place to facilitate your team to work from home? For example, what is the process for compensating employees for supplies like printing paper or ink? Will you be making any contribution to increased utility costs etc.?
You can capture these details in a homeworking policy for your employees to refer back to. Check out our free resource on how to draft a Homeworking Policy, including a template policy available to download. If you’d like support with putting together a policy for your organisation, please get in touch with our People Partners.
5. Adapt your onboarding process
The first week of a new job can be a daunting experience, even more so for a remote worker. How can you warmly welcome the latest member of your team remotely?
If possible, arrange an opportunity to work together in person during the first few weeks, as this can be useful for the new starter to get to know their manager and colleagues, and build rapport with the team. If this isn’t possible, we recommend scheduling daily video calls with a manager during the first week to discuss the day ahead and introductory calls with colleagues.
Another suggestion is introducing a central system where employees can access company policies, handbooks, and any internal training to make the onboarding process run smoothly. For more guidance, check out our guide to remote onboarding: Remote onboarding: A guide for employers
6. Support employee wellbeing
Remote workers may struggle with loneliness. To support your remote team’s wellbeing, managers could schedule regular catch-ups and try to use video calls where possible. This will help to maintain communication and reinforces the connection with the company.
Ensure you discuss how your employees are finding remote working, and encourage them to discuss any concerns with you. Nothing can replace the connection you can build as a team in person, so try and arrange opportunities for the team to get together where possible.
In addition to this, you can introduce employee benefits that support employee wellbeing, such as an Employee Assistance Programme. Find the right Employee Assistance Programme for your team with our guide: An Employer’s Guide to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
Top tip: Schedule regular one-to-one/check-in/appraisal meetings so your staff members can raise concerns privately. Why not schedule review meetings in person so meaningful conversations can be held face-to-face?
7. Keep reviewing the situation
Continue to review how remote working suits your team to ensure the current set-up is still working and see if any adjustments can be made. This will help to ensure that working from home is successful for you and your team.
A great way to keep a finger on the pulse is to conduct regular engagement surveys using an employee engagement tool such as WeThrive. You can identify areas for improvement, measure any changes over time, and share your findings with your team for further feedback.
If you would like support with managing remote teams, please get in touch with our People Partners team at 0330 223 5253 or office@fitzgeraldhr.co.uk. We would love to hear from you.
