With teams now operating from various corners of the world, remote work has reshaped the way businesses function. As with everything, leading remote teams has its challenges, but overcoming them is very rewarding. This piece offers valuable pointers on how to lead virtual teams without compromising on productivity, engagement, or cohesion.

What is a Remote Team?

These include people who, while working for a specific company, are based in different locations but come together in a virtual workspace. Unlike traditional teams that have physical offices, remote teams leverage communication and coordination technologies extensively.

Virtual Teams vs. Traditional Teams

Several key differences exist between remote teams and traditional teams:

Work Norms and Expectations

Due to remote working, people now come from different cultures and areas which leads to vastly different work norms. Different as they may be, traditional teams also have unqiue work cultures, but they are more homogenized due to geolocation proximity.

Dependence on Technology

Unlike traditional teams, remote teams rely more on digital tools and platforms for communication.

Requirements Of Leadership:

Team managers in a virtual setting are often faced with higher demands as staff do not spend commuting and are amenable to more work. In conventional teams, leaders tend to be more lenient owing to the presence of employees in the physical office.

Accounting Remote Teams Obstacles

While there are advantages of remote work, there are also some difficulties. Here are some of the most common challenges along with possible solutions:

Assessing Employee Performance:

It is easier to assess productivity of an employee who works in an office compared to a remote employee. Any of the new software available, such as Time Doctor, Harvest, or Top Tracker can capture work progress in order to avoid wasting time. Having daily set goals for team members and measuring outcomes at the end of the day can help improve concentration levels.

Constructing Communication:

Virtual teams are facing a critical problem when it comes to communication. Messages can be contextually changed, leading to deadlines being either missed or not achieved at all. Establishing some minimum communication requirements such as daily reports or weekly meetings via Zoom, Slack, or Google Hangouts is important.

Building Trust:

It’s harder to build trust in remote teams. Managers can improve trust by ensuring transparency in the work environment, regularly engaging with the employees, and strengthening relationships over video calls. Some informal trust building activities like coffee breaks or virtual happy hours will allow members to connect better.

Time Zone Coordination:

Conducting meetings in various remote locations can be tricky. It is important to schedule meetings during the time that most team members are comfortable with, or to rotate meeting times so that everyone gets accommodated.

Distractions and Focus Issues:

Distractions from household activities and personal obligations tend to affect remote employees as well. Suggest the formation of private areas which can help employees concentrate on their work, leading to improved productivity.

Best Practices for Managing Remote Teams

These are some tips that can help mitigate the issues presented with remote teamwork so that it can be executed more efficiently:

Set Ground Rules for Communication:

Put in place regulations regarding how to contact one another remotely. Hours of collaboration should be agreed on, and expectations of response time clarified. This way remote employees understand when they are expected to communicate with the rest, and no one feels neglected.

Choose Appropriate Communication Tools:

Equip your team with necessary communication tools to increase productivity. Using Zoom for meetings, Slack for messaging, and Microsoft Teams for management can help increase engagement and improve communication among team members.

Scrolling:

Remote employees often go long periods without social engagement associated with being part of a team. Online interactions like playing games or just having fun video chats can help employees feel better about being part of a larger group.

Develop an Organized Office Space:

Your team members need to have a designated area in their homes they can associate with work. Assigning work a dedicated location within the house greatly improves attention and reduces boredom.

Implement Work Monitoring Tools:

Applications like Harvest or Time Doctor allow you to monitor your employees’ productivity more actively. This helps in checking who worked on what, progress of various projects, and tracking overall accountability among coworkers.

Conduct Regular Check-ins:

The effects of remote work can at times be daunting and that feeling of loneliness is very normal. It becomes extremely important to reach out to team members from time to time, especially when they are overwhelmed or stressed, to understand their issues and to provide assistance with those issues, thereby creating a more positive working environment.

Case Study: Real Life Example has its own definitions.

As previously stated, people-friendly policies are easy to foster in remote working structures, as exemplified by Zapier – a company with no physical offices and employees based in over 17 time zones including Malia, Ireland and even Ghana. From a fledgling business, Zapier has grown to become a $1.2 billion dollar valuation company all in less than 10 years! Although it is quite inspiring, its booms within less than a decade reminds us of how valuable remote work can be, if done right.

Conclusion

Remote teams do not require a lesser form of leadership, instead, they require a different kind that is more tailored and specialized to meet the unique challenges that remote work brings forth. Zapier’s routine check-ins with their employees, team bonding activities, and open communication have proven to exacerbate productivity levels, where employees feel comfortable around the firm.

The adoption of these means will enable you to easily develop and manage remote teams regardless of the geographical area they are located.

Categories: Team Management Skills