Credit: Pixabay

Managing people is not always a walk in the park, more so if you have to do it remotely. You have to inspire, motivate and lead your team to accomplish the goals you’ve set for the organization. Here are some managing remote teams best practices you should consider.

  1. Communication
Credit: Pixabay

You won’t be bumping into each other much unless you plan on having regular physical meetings. That being the case, you need to keep everyone in the loop about ongoing projects, deadlines and goals. Provide regular feedback and have an open communication policy. It’s a great idea to have a chat room open constantly. It creates the impression of being together and gives the team some sort of camaraderie.

  1. Provide the Right Tools
Credit: Pixabay

You will need to select the right tools for your team to achieve the intended goals. They need to share files, information, deadlines, updates, news and more. Tools such as Trello and Asana can come in handy as they help keep everyone in sync and accountable. You also need to pick tools for communication. You will need email, chat programs, video chat and other job specific tools. Think through this carefully and pick the tools that will match the kind of job being done. If your business handles installs, repairs, and services work equipment, then you’d do well to install a field management software system.

  1. Set Expectations
Credit: Pixabay

This is all too easy to forget, but you need to start setting expectations as soon as possible. Be clear and consistent about what the deliverables are and have goals with timelines. Hold your team accountable for their work. Failure to do this could lead to apathy and eventual failure.

  1. Build Positive Working Relationships
Credit: Pixabay

You need to know your team members individually. Take time to talk to them over the phone or through video call regularly. Get to know them on personal level as it will help build rapport and create a better working relationship.

  1. Reward Good Work
Credit: Pixabay

One thing managers often forget to do is to reward good work. Something as simple as a compliment will go a long way in making your team feel appreciated. They are bound to work harder if they know their hard work is going to be rewarded at some point.

  1. Delegate to The Right People
Credit: Pixabay

Make a point of delegating work to specific people. If something needs to be done, pick the best guy for the job and be clear about the deliverables.

  1. Allow Flexible but Consistent Working Hours
Credit: Pixabay

If your team is working from home, then it’s okay to let them work their own hours. However, you should schedule times for regular virtual meetings with the whole team. This gives the team a sense of structure and avoids a situation where things seem erratic.

  1. Keep Track of Output
Credit: Pixabay

You must measure every team members output. Have key indicators for each job and make it known to the person tackling the job. This allows you to find out who is slacking off and where you need to make improvements.