Since the pandemic, the trend of having a remote team has increased making it even more popular and preferred by employees, leaders, and companies.
Remote work and hybrid work are already one of the most sought-after favors when looking for a job or hiring, the challenge for recruiters is to offer benefits aligned with these and for companies to transform their new work methods.
However, leaders need to be able to meet these needs and, on the part of workers, align themselves with the responsibility that comes with working from home.
That’s why Bprosys brings you some tips on how to work from home productively.
1. Jump-start your communication skills.
Make an extra effort to keep remote employees abreast of company and department news. Schedule regular calls with project teams to assess progress on your objectives. Do the same with the entire team.
As a leader, you should provide feedback on any priorities that may be changing. Once this is done, welcome questions and comments.
2. Show empathy.
How does the team communicate with each other? How does the team manage daily interruptions? What tips can they pass on to others to make working from home easier or more productive? Frequently check on people’s well-being and their possible sense of being isolated.
3. Offer them flexibility.
Let your team know that it’s acceptable to adjust their working hours. Tell them it’s reasonable for them to leave a quick email saying they’re out for a short walk or to run a quick errand.
Flexible staffing should know this better and know how to manage the time, that’s why we also recommend running schedules by goals and not with working time.
4. Highlight the company’s resources.
Make sure essentials such as production calendars, project timelines, reference documents, and more are stored in a central online location – such as SharePoint, Smartsheet, Dropbox, Google Docs, or a wiki – that can be accessed by all the remote team.
A shared online calendar can guarantee that everyone on your team can share easily.
5. Keep an eye on employees’ technology tools.
Remote work can’t happen without technology. You should discuss on your regular conference calls how employees think technology helps or impedes their work. Ask them which tools and features they use to stay productive and connected.
6. Be extra supportive of new teleworkers.
People may feel especially disjointed or uncomfortable when they start telecommuting if they haven’t done it before. After all, the value of collaboration and teamwork in the workplace still holds for the remote team.
7. Keep in mind that trust is essential when it comes to managing a remote team.
Remember that remote employees can be just as effective as those you have on-site, but only if they have a boss who always has the team’s back. Don’t make the situation seem hopeless. After all, employees just need support and direction.
We hope you’d like our checklist and working on being a good remote team leader. If you want to read more about these topics, maybe you would like to know What are the Soft Skills a Teleworker Needs to be Productive.
