Tips for managing a successful remote workforce

With the majority of those who can still working from home due to COVID-19 many employers have found themselves having to adapt their working style entirely. Some managers may feel like they have no control over the situation or find that gaining a trust level with a remote team can be a bit of a challenge. Here are our tips for managing a successful remote workforce:

Communication Strategies

Managing a productive team remotely begins with a strategy for communication. First, arrange for the appropriate number of weekly formal “report-ins.” Second, set guidelines about daily needs. Some people work better with a shopping list of questions and thoughts while others like a flow.

Set clear expectations

Make sure you have clear expectations from those you working with. For example, showing examples of string calendars can help. Everyone has a different idea of what doing something “quickly” or “well” means.

Regular communication

Using different channels to communicate can help engage your employees. Scheduling meeting over the phone or via video call can help interaction and make the employees feel part of the organisation.

Trust your team

Sometimes, companies are not willing to embrace a remote workforce because there’s an uncertainty about whether or not the work will get completed at the same level as if they were in the office. To combat this belief, set up work-from-home guidelines, such as emails must be responded to within 24 hours, use text for urgent matters, and no calls between certain hours to make sure teammates are not working around the clock.

Focus on your goals, not activity

Manage expectations and stay focused on goals when embracing a remote workforce. Don’t worry as much about what is being done. Instead, concentrate on what is being accomplished.If you are meeting your goals, then great. If not, you need to look into the situation further.

Build community

Use technology to create dedicated spaces for celebrating special days for example birthdays, company milestones and months or years of service. Being intentional about creating community helps develop a corporate culture that inspires connection.