Setting clear work expectations when managing remote teams is of the utmost importance. While this might seem obvious, how you communicate them has an immense effect on whether or not they’re followed through on.
Great managers understand the importance of prioritizing process over people in terms of management efforts. GitLab uses a handbook-first approach for its documentation so everything is covered fully without room for misinterpretation or interpretation issues.
1. Establish Clear Expectations and Goals
Remote team members need to understand their roles and objectives within a company. Setting clear expectations enables them to align their work with organizational goals and increase productivity.
Establishing clear roles and responsibilities, developing a deliverable timeline and setting clear metrics are effective ways of setting realistic expectations for remote workers. Furthermore, providing consistent feedback and coaching will increase their productivity.
Since remote employees may find it more challenging to ask questions directly, it’s essential that documented procedures for everything from project management and basic office functions like scheduling and time tracking (hubstaff at uSERP is used here) be put in place so there are no misunderstandings that may hinder team members from performing as expected and prevent feelings of alienation among employees; it also ensures employees can quickly reference these documents when necessary. Ideally these should be accessible across platforms such as Slite or Teamwork Cloud so employees can easily refer back to them as needed.
2. Establish a Performance Tracking System
Monitor performance is key in any management role, and when employees work remotely it can be particularly challenging. Managers may not always have an overview of how well their team members are performing which can lead to miscommunication, missed deadlines and priorities that don’t align.
One way to ensure remote employee productivity is to create a system for tracking their progress and providing regular feedback. This will allow managers to address issues as they arise and make course corrections to keep projects moving forward, while giving employees a clear picture of their performance so they can pinpoint areas for improvement.
Recognizing top performers and those that exemplify company values is also key. This can be accomplished during team meetings, individual conversations or through an internal Slack channel dedicated to employee recognition showing your gratitude for an employee’s hard work and contribution towards ensuring its success is an effective way to show appreciation.
3. Foster Collaboration
Collaboration is at the core of remote teams success; yet de-escalating conflict among team members with differing viewpoints may prove challenging when everyone works from home.
In order to prevent this situation from unfolding, remote managers should encourage and support collaborative discussions among employees. This can be accomplished through providing multiple outlets for feedback as well as organizing regular check-in meetings. In addition, informal communication channels should provide employees the opportunity to discuss work related or personal topics freely.
Finally, remote teams should develop transparent and efficient operating procedures in order to promote transparency and efficiency. This process should be created either by the team itself or management depending on its preference, with updates made as needed and documentation completed as a permanent record for future reference. By taking these steps, remote teams can foster a sense of community and shared purpose that strengthens relationships within them.
4. Encourage Feedback
Feedback for remote teams is crucial to maintaining productivity and meeting individual needs. Make regular checks with team members individually to gauge how they’re feeling about their workload; encouraging candid conversations if anyone feels overburdened may provide insight into which resources or support are necessary in order to manage it effectively.
For larger projects, regularly organize meetings or one-on-one calls with individual team members or group representatives in order to discuss progress and set expectations for the upcoming week. These gatherings also serve as an ideal time to showcase any key accomplishments from last week, which helps foster a more positive work culture overall.
Be sure to provide an appropriate combination of positive and constructive feedback for remote team members, in order to encourage their development as experts and professionals. This can be accomplished through mentorship opportunities, training programs, or learning and development programs; open dialogue on virtual communication channels is another means of creating an inclusive, nonjudgmental atmosphere.