Many companies have opened their “doors” to remote tech workers to find the talent they need regardless of the employee’s physical location. But managing remote workers presents new challenges many managers haven’t encountered previously, and different skills are needed when leading a distributed workforce.
To help you manage your remote team effectively, here are some tips regarding methodologies and best practices.
Develop a Communication Plan
Since remote employees don’t work in the same location, it is critical to create a concrete communication plan from the beginning. This needs to include points regarding the tools that will be used as well as the frequency at which they must check in regardless of whether they need outside input.
Having all your remote tech workers use the same platforms and meet the same communications standards ensures operations can run smoothly whether the team predominately completes duties independently or cooperatively. It also simplifies progress tracking while ensuring everyone is available to assist other members of the team should the need arise.
Include Face Time
At times, meeting face to face is the best method. While getting together in person might not be feasible, video conferencing can serve as a reasonable substitute. This approach gives everyone the chance to see the person behind the other forms of communication and can create a stronger sense of belonging within the team.
While every communication doesn’t require video, it is wise to make it a regular occurrence. Consider coordinating all team meetings as video conferences, and definitely use the solution for tasks like employee evaluations.
Create and Track Goals
The lack of physical proximity means there won’t be casual conversations about progress and goals. This means you need to take an active role to make sure things are moving forward. Work with each employee to form goals and assign milestones for them to work toward. Then, follow up regularly to see how things are progressing, if they are on track, or if something is holding them back.
This allows you to stay on top of their activities while also staying informed should challenges arise. Then, if intervention is required, you can manage the issue early in the process to get things moving again.
Be Proactive With New Information
Another challenge with managing remote employees is the potential for a disconnect when new information is received. In an office, you can call a quick meeting to share details when something changes course but, with remote workers, you have to use other mechanisms. This could require connecting with each employee individually, depending on their work schedule, or arranging a virtual meeting with all remote workers in attendance. Additionally, you need to make sure any activities directly affected by the change cease immediately if the information requires a different approach or a change in priorities.
The Bottom Line
Managing a remote tech team doesn’t have to be difficult. Often, it simply requires the use of appropriate tools and additional planning to keep this running smoothly. Then, you can rest assured knowing your team is hard at work.
Are you looking to add top IT talent to your team?
If you are looking for new employees to join your remote tech team, the professionals at Resolution Technologies have the experience to help you find your ideal candidates. Contact us today to see how our services can help you reach your hiring goals.
