Six effective ways to successfully manage remote teams.

Managing remote teams can be hard, so here are 6 tips to successfully manage remote teams:

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1. Establish strong communication and collaboration channels

Communication is crucial for managing remote teams. It fosters engagement and aligns team members with companies’ goals and values. Companies that use effective communication experience little to no organizational silos, zero errors, and great interactions amongst team members. Emphasizing the importance of communication, a recent study by McKinsey shows that teams with strong communication and collaboration channels increased productivity by 25 percent compared to their counterparts:

This means that managers who invest in effective communication and strong collaboration tools, set their teams up for success. In the same way, team members equipped with the right tools stay more motivated, engaged, and highly efficient.

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To establish great communication and collaboration for remote teams, consider the following channels:

• Video conferencing - Zoom, Google Hangout
• Virtual calls - Google Meet
• Text messages - Slack
• Scheduling platform - Buffer
• And finally, voice messages

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Ensure you experiment and see what works for your team. This will help you create a seamless flow of information within your workforce.

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2. Set clear and realistic goals

When managing remote teams, managers should ensure to clearly state their expectations. First, define what your goals are and what is expected of each remote employee. The problem with having unclear expectations is that it negatively impacts the skills and abilities of your team members. A top performer slows down  and eventually suffers a decline in performance.So, if you’re about meeting deadlines, sticking to company culture, or perhaps interested in constant communication — make it clear. According to Effectory, remote teams with clear expectations perform better at work by 25% and are more satisfied at their jobs compared to those with unclear expectations.

To set clear goals for your team, create a framework that details your priorities, milestones, boundaries, and performance expectations. That way, everyone can find their way around their jobs and focus on what’s important.

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3. Encourage breaks and vacations

Stress and burnout are the after-effects of heavy workloads and brainstorming. Unfortunately, they lead to poor performance amongst remote team members.While there’s streams of never-ending brainstorming and piles of work to do, managers can encourage breaks and vacations to manage the situation. According to studies, vacations have a significant effect on team members' productivity. Supporting this, the survey reveals that 80 percent of team members prefer vacation as better activity for unwinding from work.

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Team members who go on holiday perform better at their jobs than those who don’t.

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Well, beyond offering vacations, there are other ways to help team members de-stress and recover from burnouts.

Here are excellent ways to re-energize your teams:

• Offer medical insurance benefits
• Encourage breaks
• Support physical exercises
• Show empathy

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4. Remove work friction

Work friction are chunks of unnecessary and unproductive activities associated with work. They are tasks that seem to be relevant to work but in the real sense affect productivity adversely.

Most common work friction found in organizations are:

• Lengthy meetings
• Unnecessary documentation
• Excessive decision making
• And information hoarding

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Any of these can cause organizational drag — and adversely affect employee productivity. According to a survey by Harvard Business on the impact of long meetings, over 70 percent of the respondents agree meetings are unproductive.For most remote teams, lengthy meetings sap them of energy and hinder deep thinking. However, managers can tackle this challenge by:

• Terminating lengthy meetings
• Reduce documentation
• Eliminate needless decision making
• And encourage information circulation

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5. Avoid micromanaging teams

It’s natural for managers to want to control how their teams work but this can result in productivity decline. Remote team members prefer creative freedom and fluidity. For some, working in the mornings is optimal compared to nights. While on the contrary, others may prefer working at night. Whichever it is, there are no right or wrong times provided managers don't micromanage.

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In a recent survey published by Harry Chambers, 85 percent of respondents said micromanagement negatively impacted their self-esteem. Meanwhile, another 73 percent affirmed job dissatisfaction while 38 percent changed jobs because of being micromanaged:

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When managers micromanage teams, they force remote team members to lose interest in work. The central point here is — never to micromanage teams. Allow your workforce the freedom to do their jobs. And finally, trust them enough to meet deadlines irrespective of how they choose to.

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6. Track and evaluate work progress

The only way to measure success amongst remote teams is to evaluate work performance. First, understand that you must track key metrics and important goals to ascertain work progress.

Below are common performance metrics to assess work progress:

• Employee work quality
• Customer satisfaction
• Employee time management
• Team collaboration strength
• Customer retention
• Customer feedback

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These metrics are necessary for performance management in teams.

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Apart from measuring metrics, you’ll also need tracking tools to oversee workflow and employee activities. Common tracking tools for remote teams are:

• Email tracking tools - Mailtrack, HubSpot
• Time tracking tools - Clicktime, Clockify
• People & Performance management tools - Beam
• File repository tools - Google Drive, Dropbox
• Productivity tools - Notion, Airtable, Evernote

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These tools are super easy to use and effective in managing remote teams. Managers should leverage them to maximize productivity amongst remote teams.

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Key Tip for Success

Performance management for teams is essential for business success. Thus, managers must master effective tips to successfully manage remote teams. The tips discussed in this piece are excellent to incorporate into the workforce.Remember you don’t have to use all the tips at the same time as this may be weighty. However,  we encourage you to experiment with each of these tips and stick to those that best suit your team.

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FAQs

How can managers keep remote team members engaged and motivated?

Managers can employ several strategies to keep remote team members engaged and motivated. Regular one-on-one check-ins help maintain a personal connection and provide opportunities for feedback. Setting clear goals and expectations and recognising and rewarding accomplishments can boost motivation. Fostering a strong team culture through virtual team-building activities and informal social interactions can help maintain engagement.

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What tools are recommended for remote team communication and project management?

Regarding communication and project management tools, numerous options are available, and the choice often depends on the team’s specific needs. Popular communication tools include Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom, facilitating instant messaging and video conferencing. Tools like Asana, Trello, and Monday.com are widely used for project management to track tasks, deadlines, and progress.

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How can managers address time zone differences and cultural diversity in remote teams?

Addressing time zone differences and cultural diversity challenges requires thoughtful planning and flexibility. Managers can schedule meetings for all team members at reasonable times or rotate meeting times to share the inconvenience. Clear communication and setting expectations around availability and response times can also help. To embrace cultural diversity, managers should encourage an inclusive environment where team members feel valued and respected for their unique perspectives. Providing cultural competency training and encouraging open dialogue about cultural differences can enhance team cohesion and effectiveness.