Six Steps to Success when Managing Remote Teams - Creative Word

The work-from-home (WFH) culture has soared to new heights during the Covid pandemic and while there are many perks to this (no commuting – to name just one), for managers, remote working can be full of potential problems.

For instance, it is much more difficult trying to motivate a team remotely, encourage communication, teamwork and ensure work is completed to the usual standards, when everyone in your team is working-from-home and only communicating via emails or the odd virtual meeting.

So, how can you manage your remote team successfully?

The answers can be found below in our six-step guide…

 

 

1. Communication

The main key to success when managing remote teams is good communication.

Good communication doesn’t mean just sending a daily email to your team saying “you’re all doing great, well done. Keep up the good work!” and throwing in an inspirational quote for good measure.

Good communication relies on a two-way dialogue.

You need to be able to clearly communicate with your team, explaining agendas, deadlines, expectations, and so on, but similarly, you need to be open to more involved discussions with individual team members, those struggling with WFH issues, or those feeling the isolation of remote working, will need particular attention in order to support, motivate and maintain objectives.

Make it clear to your team that you are there to support them at any (reasonable) time, check-in more frequently with those that you know need additional support, but don’t micromanage as this can have the reverse effect, pushing team members away and suggests a lack of trust or faith.

 

 

2. Organisation

A team manager must be organised.

They need to be able manage their own workload effectively while still being ‘available’ for their team.

So, when working-from-home, this might mean allowing flexible hours for your team, using objectives and goal setting methodology to guarantee everyone is working collaboratively, and ensuring regular contact with all team members.

Consider different methods for maintaining optimum organisation and use an approach that bests suits both you and your wider team.

They will rely on you to keep everything running smoothly which requires consistency, reliability, and flexibility on your part.

 

3. Empathy

Empathy, emotional intelligence, compassion, sensitivity, understanding – call it what you will, the basic concept is the same, and managers need to have this by the bucketload when managing a remote team.

This soft-skill is one that has become far more important with the rise in remote working and associated technology as it is easier to ignore our ‘humanness’ when we aren’t side-by-side or face-to-face.

Managers must be able to place themselves in someone else’s situation, offer empathy, suggest opportunities for resolution, and encourage their team to do the same.

You’ll need to be able to read between-the-lines, intuit stress levels (and potential fallout), understand problems and express compassion for your team when things go wrong, problems arise, team members are antagonistic, or someone is just having a bad day.

At the end of the day, we all have the occasional meltdown, the day where nothing goes to plan, or issues outside of work that affect our ability to function well and as managers we must understand this to ensure a successful team.

 

 

4. Trust

Working remotely requires a huge amount of trust – from both team members and managers.

Team members need to feel supported by their manager, that they are looking out for their best interests, and that they can effectively resolve problems.

Similarly, managers must trust that their team is motivated, engaged and productive, and that if there is a problem, they know where to go for help.

For some managers, it can be hard to resist the urge to micromanage their team, especially when we are physically absent from the workplace, but a manager’s role is to manage the business and work, not the team members themselves.

They don’t need to you to tell them how to do their job, just what work needs to be done!

Trust that they can perform the task set – you wouldn’t have hired them if they couldn’t.

 

 

5. Flexibility

Your team is made up of different people, each of whom will respond to direction in different ways.

So, you’ll need a flexible approach to managing a remote team as these variances are often more noticeable than when working from a central hub.

For instance, those team members who are home schooling their children during lockdown (while trying to complete their own work) are likely to be sharing a workspace with their family and may find video calls or meetings intrusive at times, while those who live alone, or with a partner, may need more engagement with others to help keep them motivated.

Being able to modify your approach to ensure successful management of your team will depend upon your flexibility and adaptability.

Plans may need to change to match reality, calls might be interrupted, solutions need to be offered, and new methods attempted, but your flexibility can ensure a smooth change and successful transition.

 

 

6. Appreciation

Real appreciation is highly prized – we all like to know that our work and efforts are valued and are recognised by those around us.

Positive recognition of a job well done is one of the easiest, cheapest, and most important tools, a manager possesses, so remember to thank your team for their efforts, show them you appreciate them, and make it personal whenever possible.

For instance, if you know one of your team has supported another team member in an additional way, consider sending a message of appreciation and a token of your thanks. This could be anything from a favourite bottle of wine to a voucher for a day out but make it personal and fitting to the recipient, where possible.

An effective way for improving appreciation between team members is to operate a monthly (or weekly) appreciation day. This consists of nominating team members who have gone above and beyond for someone else, with the ‘winner’ being the person with the most nominations that month.

 

All of the soft skills explored above can be learned and developed with effective training, time and patience.

At Creative Word, we offer invaluable courses in management and leadership, business, communication, marketing and more, with expert trainers who can advise you on suitable courses for your requirements.

Please contact us for more information or check out our range of courses here.