How can you effectively manage remote teams?

Managing remote workers involves a mental shift, especially for managers who are used to working in a more traditional setting.

Initially, corporate leaders may find the change to remote work unfamiliar and burdensome since they are used to monitoring productivity based on workers' "desk time" and observable activity levels. Employees, too, may first feel disoriented as they get used to new routines and schedules.

That's quite reasonable. Although most people understand the term "work from home," hardly everyone has actually done so. Working from home has both advantages and disadvantages.

Here are some tips for managing and engaging remote teams. 

Create a set of explicit guidelines for communication

As a remote worker, it's tempting to let communication fall by the wayside and allow your team operates almost entirely on their own. 

That, on the other hand, is something you want to avoid at all costs. 

Creating a virtual team where everyone feels at ease is essential. Remote workers may feel that they have been overlooked if you don't set up excellent communication routes.  

• Be clear and concise in communication - When communicating with business partners, it is important to be clear and concise in order to avoid miscommunication. Get straight to the point and provide all relevant information in a direct manner.
• Avoid using jargon - Jargon can be confusing and off-putting, so it should be avoided when communicating with business partners. Instead, use clear and easy-to-understand language.
• Listen attentively - Active listening is important in any communication, but it is especially important when communicating with business partners. Make sure to give your partner your full attention and really listen to what they are saying.
• Respect differing opinions - It is inevitable that there will be times when you and your business partner do not see eye to eye on something. It is important to respect differing opinions and work together to find a compromise that works for both parties.
• Keep communication channels open - keep the down open and allow employees to feel free to communicate at all times.

Be aware of the difficulties that remote teams encounter ​ 

If you get this knowledge, you'll be better prepared to deal with any issues that may arise when managing a remote or hybrid workforce.

No matter where your employees are situated, you need to know how to keep them engaged. 

There are a few things to keep in mind at the outset.

However, working remotely can also pose a number of challenges. One of the most significant challenges is communication. It can be difficult to coordinate schedules and keep everyone on the same page when team members are in different time zones or cannot meet face-to-face.

Additionally, remote teams may have difficulty building trust and developing positive relationships with one another. 

Without regular in-person contact, it can be harder to build rapport and establish mutual respect. 

Finally, remote teams may also struggle with structure and accountability. 

Without a designated workspace or set work hours, it can be tricky to stay focused and productive. 

Despite these challenges, remote teams can be successful if they take care to manage communication and build strong relationships.

Set explicit productivity goals for remote workers

When discussing productivity norms with a remote workforce, it's crucial to set clear expectations. Some company-wide productivity norms may vary, while others may be job-specific.

Even if it is done informally, it is necessary to assess and document each norm. As an example, you and your teleworking team may have decided that each developer allocated a project must submit code ready to be tested within five working days and that 48 hours warning must be given if a deadline is missed.

Meanwhile, a call center staff may be responsible for resolving 10 client calls every hour while making sure no screaming babies can be heard in the background. To fill five positions per month, a recruiter might have to do 20 phone interviews.

Provide the right tools after assessment

In order to effectively manage a remote workforce, it is imperative that all necessary tools be readily available. Leaders and teams may have to figure out how to make it easier for employees to switch to telecommuting in order to meet this need.

In order for remote workers to be able to use the same resources as their onsite counterparts, they must have the following access:

• Manuals of policies and procedures
• Templates and resources for doing presentations
• Stationery and mail supplies
• Intranet applications
• Credit card issued by a company for its employees

AgilityPortal's intranet platform may be the ideal solution for digital transformation and remote teams. Remote teams can benefit from this tool because it has all the capabilities they need to be productive and engaged.

New technologies for remote work

A computer, internet connection, phone, and headset are all that are required for the majority of remote work. 

However, if you want to keep your employees productive, you should consider the following additional tools and resources:

• An intranet such as AgilityPortal.
• Printer for photocopying
• Laptops for company use
• Access to a reliable internet connection or a co-working facility
• Intranet with video calling features

There can be security concerns, or just because it's more efficient, you and your remote employees may have to complete some tasks in the office. When working on a project or within a larger division, you may be required to accept the limitations of remote work.

Implementing a remote work strategy for groups

Many businesses are now implementing remote work strategies in order to remain productive during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

However, there are a few key things to keep in mind when transitioning to remote work. 

First, it is important to have a clear and concise remote work policy. 

• This policy should outline expectations for employees, such as daily check-ins and set working hours. 
• It is also important to provide employees with the necessary tools and resources to work remotely, such as access to company files and secure remote desktop software. 
• Finally, it is essential to maintain open communication with employees as mentioned before to ensure that they are stay on track and meeting deadlines. 
• Six months prior to going live, new remote employees should receive training on the latest remote technologies and standards.
• An initial four- or 24-hour test run may disclose unexpected flaws in an otherwise sound remote work plan, no matter how soon the shift is expected to occur (or how long it has been anticipated).
• In other cases, you may only have one or two members of your team playing.

Ensure that all members of the team are working together effectively

Re-creating water cooler chatter in a remote workplace may need some extra effort. When there is both onsite and off-site personnel, remote supervisors should take advantage of team-building events to incorporate everyone.

Encourage your remote workers to communicate with you and the rest of the team on a frequent basis – and the other way around. Whether or not "frequent contact" is required depends on the job and the responsibilities of remote workers.

Here are a few pointers:

• Show everyone respect. 
• Champion polite disagreements. 
• Always explain in full details. 
• Communicate in brief and clearly 
• Remove rid of toxic people.
• Give very one the chance to provide input

Make it easier for your employees to get to know each other

Remote communication necessitates the use of email, instant messaging, and phone or Zoom video calls. If you want to take it to the next level, an intranet can help.

Employees might benefit from keeping their workday schedules up to date on a single platform or application. During regular business hours, "away" software notifications and out-of-office email replies are also beneficial. To a large extent, these seemingly insignificant measures serve as effective countermeasures against those horrible communications bottlenecks.  Learn more about : 8 Best Software for Remote Teams: Training Programs and Strategies.

To cut down on the back and forth communication is totally remote offices, encourage team members to call or schedule brief video calls.

Here are a few great tools:

• ContactMonkey -  is an all-in-one internal communications tool to help you supercharge your internal emails and newsletters. Using ContactMonkey, you can get measurably better email interactions and employee engagement.
• AgilityPortal -  Digital Workplace Software and Intranet Software to manage remote teams, connect your people and transform your company with an Employee Communications Management Platform.
• Slack -Employee communication is an essential part of any business, but physical distance can make this a challenge. There are numerous applications available for business communication, but our favourite choice has to be Slack.
• Teams - Similar to Zoom, Microsoft Teams offer a robust platform for video conferencing with your remote employees. Similar to Slack, Microsoft Teams offers text-based chat options in addition to its video conferencing capabilities.

Make sure to stay in contact

The frequency with which a manager should check in with remote employees isn't something that can be standardized.

However, the most successful one-on-one calls aren't only about keeping track of how much work is being done. They can also serve as a strong way to keep remote workers motivated and engaged.

Although managing remote teams is more difficult than managing onsite teams because of the complexities of virtual work, the leadership position isn't all that different. No matter where they work, all managers face the same basic issues when it comes to managing others.