With the opportunities of digital transformation in companies, remote management is already a reality for many organizations around the world. This management model is mainly due to technological advances and new work configurations that have been emerging in parallel with the globalization process.
A remote team needs tools to be productive, it needs clear and objective communication, regular alignment between those involved, and good management to facilitate and guide the team’s work.
Managing teams remotely is an increasingly common practice, as remote work offers cost savings for companies and mobility for professionals. Furthermore, it is part of the lifestyle that today’s talents most want to follow.
In this article, you will find out some tips on remote management to help your team get the motivation to work long distances.
What is remote management?
Remote management is a people management model that allows employees to work in a home office, being duly monitored by their managers and by HR.
It is a reality that can happen when you have workers working at home or in any other environment outside the company’s premises, daily or just a few times a week.
The desire for a less rigid routine exists among workers, and its consequences can be beneficial to employers as well.
Therefore, more than a concept that gained prominence due to a pandemic, remote management is a necessity for the future of companies.
Most professionals experiencing this model could continue to act remotely even after the end of isolation.
In any circumstance, remote management is what allows the company to be aware of employees’ actions and control tasks regardless of where they are.
The challenges of remote management
More and more, the focus of HR’s performance is turned to strategic people management, so that bureaucratic tasks do not consume all the time and efforts of the sector.
The idea of better understanding the profile and needs of each employee in order to align their expectations with those of the company, and vice versa, is challenging even when all this management takes place in person.
During the isolation that was established due to covid-19, we were able to understand that there are professionals who needed to learn the basics of digital tools to work in the home office.
We also understand that there are HRs and managers who needed to work out how to monitor, communicate and take their first steps in remote management.
Remote management: how to maintain team productivity
There are four objective tips to keep your team united, including aligning the company’s demands and purpose.
Adjust expectations
Help the team organize what they should be doing and create realistic expectations for their work. This also applies to you, manager.
Clearly state the tasks and motivations behind them, and help employees understand exactly how success will be measured. Define scope, deliverables, and dates for each project task.
And don’t forget about the feedback culture, remote management also needs to boost this habit even virtually.
Focus on team results
This new configuration of the labor market shows how not being able to manage all aspects of work is not the end of the world.
Focusing on the activity or the number of hours worked is no longer a management priority, but paying attention to results, using their success metrics supported by this.
In this way, you demonstrate to your team that autonomy has a lot to do with responsibility and focus.
Provide necessary resources
It is important to pay attention to whether the technological resources for your team are supplied, such as computers, software, mobile devices, or even broadband connection.
Remember that it is your responsibility to carry out this check, that you represent the company to them, its values, and mission.
Resilience and empathy
Good remote management, especially under current conditions, looks at the productivity of people with the most resilience.
Allow your team the freedom and flexibility to do the work in a healthier routine. Remember: the focus is on excellent delivery, not “hours”.
8 Tips for Remote Team Management
There are 8 tips for you to lead your team remotely and make the workflow better. You will see what are good distance management practices.
1 – Plan activities
Leave your teleworker’s team with all the necessary information about work planning. It is recommended that you create a schedule so that everyone delivers their results on time and on time.
In this case, team and task management programs are essential and can make all the difference in directing activities and deadlines.
2 – Keep all tasks set
You need to define the responsibility of each one, with a complete briefing of what must be done and the deadlines for delivering the work.
Don’t skimp on information, as every detail you miss can make a difference in the result of remote work. Communication must be clear, as it is not possible to call on the worker whenever he remembers a detail.
3 – Meet the team members
You must understand that each person fits a type of job. You’ll need to know more about your team members to make better decisions about their roles.
Therefore, it is necessary that you understand the needs of each one, always asking more details about the quality of life at work and what they need to perform their duties better.
4 – Keep the team’s involvement
The biggest challenge in remote management is keeping the team engaged and motivated. Aligning communication and goals is one way to get around this problem.
Promote get-togethers, awards, and forms of incentive so that everyone feels part of a winning team. Reward forms help the employee understand that they are doing a good job and create a posture of defender of their business.
5 – Hold regular meetings
You need to keep track of your team’s activities. To do this, have regular meetings to align strategies for the future.
You can have private or group meetings. Some of the tools for meetings remotely are Google Meet, Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, and even Facetime.
6 – Good internal communication
Do your best to have great internal communication. As we’ve talked about before, every detail you overlook can affect your remote team’s performance.
Therefore, use ways to increasingly improve internal communication with your team of remote workers. You can create an intranet, work on internal marketing, encourage communication between sectors, and much more.
Also use applications to facilitate internal communication, as doing everything via email can be tiring and unproductive.
7 – Use management tools
Use all the tools you can to manage it remotely. Use GitScrum’s best features to increase your team’s productivity at home.
8 – Invest in a customized workplace
Finally, this is an important tip: if you can, invest in a custom workplace. A workplace is a way to bring together all the necessary tools to manage your home office team remotely.
Through it, you offer employees an online workplace where practically all matters related to the company are dealt with. This can be a great way to keep your team together!
GitScrum supports your team to better results and improves your teamwork!
Set your workflow and board to guide your Agile team, assign Tasks, Subtasks and keep in charge of the whole process evolvements. Allow your Agile team to collaborate.