Building remote teams, in a different country to where your main business is based, or indeed remote teams anywhere in the world, requires a clear plan, effective oversight and a human touch. By making sure your remote teams feel connected to your business, you can create a sense of purpose from them, earning trust and delivering effective, and cost-effective, working solutions.
Industry research from Gallup in the years before the pandemic said that just 13% of employees globally felt that they knew what was expected of them from their employer. With the paradigm, and permanent changes to the working world that we have experienced since, the disconnect has continued. Gallup US research from 2023 said that 34% of US employees were engaged in their work with a sense of purpose, and that the number of actively disengaged employees stood at 16%. Managing the disconnect with remote teams can of course be hugely challenging, working across time-zones and cultures to ensure a cohesive movement in the same direction to deliver business objectives. So what are some of the habits and initiatives that work fro both remote teams, and your business?
Establish Expectations
With such a high percentage of professionals not understanding what’s expected of them, it’s very important to establish business norms, so remote teams know the way of working that’s expected within your business. This could be how projects are delivered, or how to communicate effectively. Harvard Business School Professor Anthony Mayo, in an article on their online education site, says that a formal launch or kickoff process is especially helpful for remote teams. “Even if a face to face meeting isn’t possible, it’s critically important to be deliberate and intentional in launching the team and collectively agreeing upon norms to govern the work you do together across locations. Through this process, team members get to know each other in a meaningful way, and that helps lay the foundation for working together more effectively in the future.”
Face to Face Beats Email
Research, conducted by the Harvard Business Review, found that face to face or video communication was 34 times more effective than email. If remote team members just receive a list of instructions via email, they can feel very disconnected. Tools like Teams, Slack or Trello are great for fostering real-time interaction. According to Forbes, who surveyed more than 300 industry executives, 62% said that video communication “significantly improves the quality of communication compared to audioconferencing tools, and 50% said it increases the level of understanding.” While video tools are part and parcel of how we work, using them effectively can deliver real results, not just in terms of engagement, but also in how projects are being delivered by your remote teams.
Communicate Constantly and Transparently
In the book Leadership Principles, Professor Anthony Mayo says that it is a general rule that managers and leaders often feel that they are communicating enough, but their teams often feel they are getting insufficient communication. These regular methods of communication can include the following formats:
Daily check ins: At the start of each day, check in with your remote manager and, if it’s a small team, get them all on the call to discuss what was achieved yesterday, what the priorities are for the day and what are some of the problems that need resolving or are lingering without resolution. This instills accountability and engagement and makes remote teams feel supported.
Weekly check ins: If your remote team is small meet with each member, if it’s a large scale remote operation, meet with the team managers to review the goals and progress for the week and what is working well and what isn’t or who is working well and who is not and who may need more support. This provides a forum for constructive feedback and coaching.
Regular feedback: Whether it’s via a call or an end or start of week email, don’t wait for important meetings to provide feedback. An email, a chat message or a brief call to give praise where it is due or constructive criticism where its warranted is helpful to both you and your remote team. Use any opportunity to explain how things could be done better and be open to feedback on how you could be doing things better too. Also, work with your team to establish specific, measurable goals and timelines for each project and task. Review these regularly in your meetings. On a HR level, make sure you’re in compliance with any local laws and requirements and ensure that your team feels supported in that regard.
According to Jim Harter, Chief Workplace Scientist with Gallup, for remote working to effectively deliver, you must have very capable managers. “The manager must now hold one meaningful conversation per week with each employee, 15 to 30 minutes at a minimum,” he wrote in a report for Gallup.
Key Performance Indicators
Identify a select number of key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the progress towards your goals. From a technology perspective, these KPIs could include:
- Number of tasks/projects completed on schedule
- Client satisfaction scores
- Code quality
- Project timelines
- Revenue generated
Regularly review these KPIs, weekly is possible, with your team to determine if any adjustments are needed to enhance performance.
Meet Problems Head-On
Address problems as soon as they arise—don’t let them fester. Use direct and open communication to tackle any challenges, questions, or concerns. Your remote team will appreciate your promptness and commitment to finding solutions. Unresolved issues can impede progress, lower morale, and negatively impact project and financial results. Therefore, make continuous improvement a joint effort with your remote staff and ensure that its effectively implemented and monitored by team management.
Building an effective remote or remote team involves keeping communication open, offering constructive feedback, tracking key metrics, and optimising processes. Consistent improvement is crucial for long-term success in remote work. By working together and regularly refining your approach, you’ll create a management framework that benefits both you and your remote team.
For expertise and information on building the right remote team for your business, get in touch with us at IT Experts Europe.