In this new hybrid world of work, there is a greater need than ever to manage remote and flexible teams. You can foster a flourishing working ecosystem and set your business up to thrive by focusing on technology, onboarding, and your team’s work welfare.
Onboarding is important. Take the time to thoroughly brief new staff and provide comprehensive information and resources. Assign an existing colleague to mentor them through their early weeks. All this helps new people dive right into projects and hit the ground running.
Maintaining a positive employee experience is critical for your team’s work welfare. By that, I mean whether projects are assigned to those with the most expertise in that area or if individuals work to their most productive ‘zones’ such as early risers versus night owls. Rostering shifts should be consistent but flexible to allow for work/life balance.
Devote energy to professional development, skill-building, and career progression. Upskilling and enriching the experience of your staff through training and programs help foster a high-performing, multiskilled, dedicated team. Your people are your greatest asset, and their morale is essential.
Lastly, and most importantly, is to prioritise tech. Invest in making sure your tech is updated and efficient. Productivity outweighs cost here. Ensure your team is well-resourced with equipment, subscriptions, intranet, and software.
Some hacks that have helped our efficiency and workflow enormously are tech-based. Consider switching from email to video messaging, such as Loom, to brief team members on projects or assign tasks and reduce email chains. Swapping meetings and calls for chat groups where possible increases time efficiency.
Using the cloud and collaborative documents such as Google Drive and Dropbox supports multiple staff working on projects to have real-time updated records, reports, and trackers. A good, user-friendly project management tool such as Asana or Trello is a game changer and again reduces email pollution, unnecessary phone calls, and meetings and allows all crucial information on a project to be housed in one space.
Each business has a unique culture, and it’s not always easy to run a remote team. There is trial and error, and it’s valuable to assess and adjust your systems regularly. Attention to these three main areas allows more flexibility and transparent communications to keep your remote team running smoothly. After a decade of remote teams, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
