Leading From Home: 4 Tips for Managing Your Team Remotely
Although many people are returning to work in the wake of the pandemic, 22 million Americans continue to work from home.
If you’re in charge of managing remote employees, you have your work cut out for you. Even the most capable workers need guidance and direction, especially during large home projects that require a lot of coordination.
Wondering how to manage a remote team successfully? Here are our best tips for managing remotely.
1. Emphasize Communication
Without a solid system of communication in place, you won’t get anything done. Your employees need to remain in the loop about new projects, deadlines, expectations, and resources. At the same time, you don’t want to be pinging them with messages every 30 seconds.
Talk with your team about the communication methods that work best for them. This could include a combination of emails, virtual meetings, and intranet messaging. You might also consider collaborative platforms like Asana or Slack to keep everyone on the same page.
Of course, resist the urge to micromanage, especially if you’ve got a great team that always gets their work done.
2. Know Your Leadership Style
Depending on your team or even the project, you’ll need to adjust your leadership style.
For example, you may be able to be more democratic in some situations, allowing everyone the opportunity to share their opinions. In other cases, you may need to take the reins and make big decisions for your team.
If you’re not sure how to approach certain scenarios, you can learn more about what type of leadership works best in different situations.
3. Adjust Meeting Times & Lengths
This one can be tricky, especially if your employees are in different time zones. What worked at the office probably won’t work remotely, so you’ll need to consider a number of factors when it comes to team meetings.
For example, rather than daily meetings, could you schedule one longer meeting at the beginning of the week so everyone’s clear on your expectations? On the other hand, if your employees are struggling with Zoom fatigue, it may be better to have shorter, less frequent meetings.
4. Provide Emotional Support
Working from home has its benefits, but it’s not without challenges either. Some of your employees may struggle to balance their work with their family obligations. Others may be dealing with health crises or financial concerns, or they may simply feel lonely.
Without prying, make it clear that you’re available to help them with anything they need. Be willing to work with them if they need some flexibility to care for personal matters.
If many of your team members live alone, you could also organize some virtual or real-life team-building activities to encourage social interaction. Even a virtual coffee break or pizza night could be a big boost to a lonely individual!
The Secrets to Managing Remotely
Managing remote teams can be a daunting task, but there are plenty of steps you can take to improve the process for everyone. Use the tips outlined above and you’ll not only be managing employees remotely but also effectively.
Now that you’re equipped for the challenge of managing remotely, what comes next? Our site has more great business advice for you, so stay right here and keep browsing!