You might be suddenly going through tough times due to unpredictable circumstances. Thanks to today's technology, some have the possibility to work from home. We established 5 actionable tips to manage a remote team effectively.
Organise a daily huddle
Besides weekly meetings with departments and one-on-ones, have a short huddle each morning where everyone jumps on a (video)call and quickly sums up one thing they accomplished yesterday, one thing they will do today and if they are stuck with anything. It's also a great opportunity to give a shout-out or kuddos to someone in your team who accomplished something extraordinary. At Team Building Asia we do this at 9.18 because it is a memorable time, most won't forget to dial in. Make sure this is a brief and powerful meeting.
Determine fixed communication flow: communication is a two-way street
With the probability of a communication overload due to limited resources, it's important to determine a fixed communication flow. Don't be afraid to use technology: with a collaboration tool, you can neatly organise to do's, with timelines and assign it to the person responsible. Invest in reliable Set clear goals and determine a realistic timeline together with your employee.
Give space and show trust
According to a 2019 study by Buffer, remote employees struggle the most with unplugging after working hours. Make sure you trust your employees to do their work and manage their own time, and make sure they know that you trust them. Try to not micromanage and give them space to do what they're supposed to while at the same time keeping track of their achievements in the previously discussed collaboration, communication and planning tools.
Be inclusive
The second biggest struggle of remote work is loneliness. There are multiple tactics to combat this feeling, not by constantly engaging with your employee, but by being inclusive and giving them a sense of belonging. If possible, connect them to another colleague, like 'buddies', with who they set up a call weekly at a fixed time to chat about all and nothing, work, life, other struggles. In addition to this, try to get together to do fun things and to get to know each other, for example bring the team together somewhere cool twice a year, organise a team building, even if it's remote.
Make sure they know when and how you're available, just for them. Help and support frequently
We've already discussed the difficulties in communication when working remotely, but one of the biggest communicative struggles is to not being able to actually verbally talk with each other, thus losing the human connection. When you manage a remote team, let them know when and how they can reach you. Every day, twice a day, three days a week, it doesn't matter, as long as they know you're there if they need something or if they just want to have a quick chat.
So get in there, connect with your team daily, build a communication strategy, use tools if necessary and make sure there's trust, inclusion and support.
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Would you like more advice or a personal coaching, click here to get in touch with us at Team Building Asia.
