5 Tips for Managing a Remote Team During COVID-19
Running a remote team has always been linked to doubts about inefficiency. But the sudden Coronavirus outbreak forced businesses to put those worries aside and face this new normal.
But everyone’s still trying to figure out how to navigate this work setting. Even pre-pandemic remote teams are struggling to stay structured in this crisis.
Lucky for you, our company hires remote professionals for business teams. So we’ve got first-hand success tips from remote managers on how to manage remote teams during COVID-19.
Create an Organized Remote Team Collaboration Structure
A house building project without a blueprint is a recipe for disaster. Just like a remote team without a collaborative system.
Right now, we’re all adjusting to disappointing alterations in our lives. The least you can provide your team is a sense of certainty by giving them direction.
Organize a workflow structure that enables your team to work seamlessly together. It’s like office interactions, but virtual. Get a project or workflow management tool to serve as your virtual workspace.
Set Expectations to Make Remote Team Management More Efficient
Expectation kills, they say. But not if you’re setting them for your remote team. Your collaborative system isn’t complete without some expectations.
These are the basic frameworks of when and how things should be done in the team like the following:
Work schedule
Meeting schedules
Feedback process
Task prioritization
Don’t forget to ask your team about their ideal arrangements. You want to set expectations that can improve collaboration without demotivating your team.
Establish an Effective Communication System to Keep the Team in Sync
Communication can be challenging when your team is distributed across the world. You need to establish a set of communication rules with respect to your team’s time zones and personal time.
But first, decide on the platforms you’ll use for group chats, video conferencing, instant messaging, screen sharing, and file sharing. Slack, Zoom, Telegram, and WhatsApp are some of the common apps used by the teams we build.
Don’t forget to assist your team in getting used to how the apps work. That will make setting communication protocols easier.
Trust Your Team to Get the Job Done
Remote management cardinal rule: never micromanage your team. That’s the point of building collaboration and communication systems.
Provide your team a process they can trust so you can trust them to get the job done. Yes, the formula is that simple.
Don’t Forget to Host Virtual Celebrations
Office parties are one of the exciting things about working. Don’t deprive your remote team of that experience.
Host celebrations for your work milestones or anniversaries, birthdays, career goals, engagements, becoming a parent, and more. You can do virtual game nights or happy hours.
We’re sure you’ll come up with more creative events along the way. Just remember that the main goal here is to show that you appreciate your team’s efforts.
It’s a lot harder to stay motivated during this time. Virtual meetups like this are a good way to recharge your team’s energy.