Managing a team you work with in the same building is already challenging. Making it a team who work remotely is even more challenging for you to manage. However, it is not impossible for you to do it effectively if you pick the right methods. Remote work has become a normalcy today that even if the global pandemic is fully contained, it is predicted to stay. There are many perks and challenges of remote work, including in managing team remotely.
Develop strong remote management
As leader and manager of your team, it is your responsibility to manage the team to work harmoniously. However, it will only work if everyone share the same goals. And it is challenging because you need everyone to know how to play each role and how to fulfill their responsibilities without direct supervision. And here are important elements needed for managing remote team more effectively
Clear expectations
You need to make sure that everyone is on the same page by stating clear expectation of each team member. Make sure everyone knows what their role and responsibilities are as clear as possible. This is a great start to prevent misunderstanding. With clear expectation, everyone doesn’t have to keep asking you this and that since they know which direction to head to. They may need your guidance from time to time but with clear expectations, they know how to be responsible themselves.
Open communication
Communication is the key to any type of work setting. In remote work setting, communication is vital because you have major hurdle to overcome together. Being remote from each other, a team can get lost without proper communication. Hence, build a communication method that works for everyone. Make sure that you choose communication methods that allow everyone to stay connected with each other without invading each other’s privacy. Provide communication tools and facilities that are accessible for everyone as well.
Employee autonomy
Encourage employee’s self growth and development by supporting employee autonomy. Allow your employees to have their own personal goals and build their own pace to achieve them without disturbing the flow of the team. This way everyone can build their team and personal objectives harmoniously. Given the freedom to self-growth and development, your team won’t feel limited with their creativity to work efficiently and excellently.
Positive company culture
Even though you work remotely, you still have to establish positive company culture to allow everyone to work efficiently while still being allowed to live their lives as human beings. Make sure to give your team space to enjoy their personal lives as well. Be clear with when they can and cannot be contacted. Always promote work-life balance to your remote team.
Deadline
It is important that you make sure everyone in your remote team meet the deadlines. Hence, be clear about deadlines when assigning tasks. However, let them complete it with little intervention. You don’t have to keep asking them about their work progress every two hours or so. Let them work peacefully and meet deadline as assigned.
