Ever since humanity went through the era of lockdowns, the trend of remote work has been on the rise. From reducing business costs to saving countless working hours, it has reshaped the business landscape as a whole. More and more companies are adopting a system of teams distributed across several locations and time zones.
But, while the benefits are many, it also has its challenges. Some examples include distorted communication channels and reduced collaborative possibilities. To tackle these potential threats to productivity and efficiency, businesses must lead distributed teams by taking steps like leveraging smart tech and leading with an unwavering focus on team culture.
In this article, we’re sharing some game-changing tips on leading and managing distributed teams effectively. Let’s jump right in!
1. Foster Open Communication
First things first: communication. It’s the one thing that the inner workings of any organization banks on, and it becomes even more crucial in the case of distributed teams.
Communication lines should be open and clear with messages and replies being exchanged promptly. Since there aren’t any face-to-face interactions, employees and managers must convey every bit of relevant information digitally to avoid omissions and misunderstandings.
Leaders should set up timely zoom meetings to make sure the team is all caught up with each other. Everyone should understand the main objective as well as their individual roles in achieving it. Protocols should be established to determine how and when the staff would communicate so that they’re always on the same page.
The key is to foster a culture of transparency that helps each member of the team feel included, heard, and needed. Managers and team leaders should aim to set the tone for openness by encouraging the sharing of project progress, company updates, as well as any challenges faced by members.
2. Set Clear Expectations and Goals
Distributed teams often face the hurdle of time zone differences and varied work hours. This leads to the risk of people not being in tune with what exactly is expected of them in terms of objectives and responsibilities.
Leaders must look to ensure that the metrics for gauging the team’s performance are clearly defined, and every member knows the exact deadlines for their particular deliverables. There should be a clear timeline and roadmap for the team’s short- and long-term aims so that everyone involved feels a sense of accountability.
ATracking project progress and task completion in real-time is made much easier these days with team-based remote working tools like Trello, Asana, Monday.com, and ClickUp. Use such platforms to make sure the whole team stays updated and collaborates smoothly.
3. Prioritize Trust and Accountability
Since employees will be working from home without the direct supervision of managers or leaders, remote working mostly relies on mutual trust and believing in your seniors, subordinates, and juniors.
When you can’t see them physically, it’s necessary to inherently believe in them and trust that they’ll do their part. Remote working team leaders that lack this will end up micromanaging their employees, which only leads to stress, burnout, and worse results. Instead, value output over input and focus on deliverables.
But with that said, this certainly doesn’t mean throwing accountability out of the window. There’s no team success without it so hold regular check-ins with individuals assigned with specific responsibilities to get updates on the progress and help them out with any troubles they may be facing along the way.
4. Embrace Technology to Overcome Distance
Without technology, there’s no remote work. So, making the most out of smart devices and software is the backbone of any functioning system distributed teams.
As a leader, you should make sure that everyone on the team has access to the relevant tools for seamless communication, collaboration, and project management. These include video conferencing software, cloud storage subscriptions, team messaging apps, as well as specialized tools depending on the project such as developer tools or cloud hosting etc.
5. Build a Strong Team Culture
Going days or even months without seeing each other in person can naturally lead to lower team morale and a lowered sense of connection and camaraderie among colleagues. The threat of reduced productivity due to this is very real, which is why leaders should actively counteract by building and maintaining a positive team culture.
The environment should be highly inclusive which can be achieved through steps like hosting team-building activities, regular calls to catch up, as well as virtual gatherings.
Employees shouldn’t feel that their hard work and effort goes unnoticed. Even in a digital setup, some praise and recognition goes a long way in motivating teams to continue doing their best.
6. Offer Flexibility, But Maintain Structure
Flexibility is what remote work is all about, but it should never lead to a loss of structure. Alongside flexibility in locations and work hours, managers should ensure that a balance is always established. Some ideas to do so include holding weekly stand-up meetings which everyone must join, no matter where they are. These can be set up in hours that aren’t too odd for any member based on their timezone. Such meetings go along with keeping distributed teams well-aligned and jointly focused on their shared objectives.
7. Measure Team Performance and Adapt
As a leader, it’s your responsibility to keep a regular check on your team’s performance. This entails a period review of key performance indicators (KPIs). Comparing these over a period can tell you if there’s been a positive trend in metrics like productivity, engagement, and overall job satisfaction in employees.
After all, even if you’ve effectively implemented the right processes to properly manage distributed teams, there’s always room for improvement. Taking a look at specific KPIs can tell you where your team may still be lacking.
You can leverage tools like performance dashboards, one-on-one meetings, and employee surveys to gather valuable insights about the team’s functioning.
Summary
Remote work is a highly appealing format for businesses working in fast-paced industries, but it brings with it a fair share of challenges. The most prominent ones among them can be tackled through strengthening the team’s foundations by ensuring clear two-way communication, making use of smart tech, and cultivating a positive culture of trust and openness.
All members should feel strongly connected and integrated as a unit despite being miles apart. If implemented properly, distributed teams can yield sky-high levels of job satisfaction, productivity, and engagement!
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