Advancements in communication technology have led to a new shift in how people work. Traditionally, millions of employers and employees made their way to the long-established “office” from Monday-Friday, 9-5. With the invention of smartphones, laptops, and fast home internet connections, a growing number of people now telecommute to work. As remote work becomes increasingly more commonplace, more businesses are forming distributed teams across states and countries. However, as the remote workforce grows, questions arise: What is the best way to keep remote teams connected and remote employees accountable?
Remote Team Management: 6 Helpful Tips
Employers and businesses’ main challenges when working with remote teams are lack of productivity, time management skills, and social interaction. If you have cultivated a robust remote workforce and want to ensure that they can keep up from remote locations, then read on to learn how to keep remote teams connected.
1. Work with the Cloud
Cloud technology allows all of your employees and managers to access company documents and communication tools via the internet. As such, the cloud encourages sharing of content and collaboration in real-time and sending group or individual updates out to your team, setting reminders, updating tasks, and more.
2. Use Social Media
Social media networking sites offer your team the chance to show off their creativity and collaborate effectively. You can find a whole list of niche social media networking sites that offer your team a platform to showcase their work, communicate, and collaborate. Social media is an excellent tool for global remote groups working because it allows them to maintain contact despite their various locations.
3. Stay Connected with Virtual Phone Numbers
If your team works remotely, consider using virtual phone numbers to maintain connectivity. Virtual phone numbers route calls over the internet and come with various virtual communication features. Users can use a virtual business number from any location and any device.
Therefore, if you are dealing with similar clients, you can provide one virtual phone number for them to call, and you can then have the call forwarded to an available person on the team. This is especially important for employees working from different states or countries. Since virtual lines are local, callers will not have to pay a hefty international fee to make a business call.
4. Plan Gatherings and Get-Togethers
If resources allow, meet in-person from time-to-time. In-person meetings are a great way to get a bunch of employees to work as a team. Whenever possible, bring everyone together for a face-to-face meeting. It doesn’t have to be all about business either; plan special outings together like an annual trip or a bonding expedition.
5. Train in Time Management
It is vital that your remote team works in an organized way and consistently meets or exceeds expectations. If possible, set up an opportunity for your remote team to take part in a time management training session to learn tips on organizing and planning out their workdays.
You shouldn’t assume that just because someone is right for the job, they are good at managing times. And for employees who have mastered managing time, it wouldn’t hurt to participate as they may have the opportunity to learn new tips and tricks to make them even better at what they do.
6. Using Technology to Interact Socially
Set a time to check in with your remote employees; daily, weekly, or monthly phone calls. You can also keep in contact through email or chat. When you have to schedule meetings and some workers cannot travel to the location, be sure to set up a video conferencing call so your remote employees can feel as if they are in the same room. Use content and project management systems so that everyone can stay up-to-date on the progress of projects.
Revisit Remote Management Techniques
Managing a remote team comes with its own set of issues. It is essential that as a manager of a remote unit, you have a strong and trusting relationship with your employees. This can be hard to cultivate when employees do not work close to one another. The best way for a manager to keep their long-distance relationships healthy is to train your managers on the remote working tools. Some examples include connecting via virtual phone numbers, chat tools, and video conferencing. A manager should also be in charge of setting up digital networks, helping employees bond with one another over personal stories or sharing relatable memes. It may not seem like remote workers need this kind of connection with their coworkers, but a good relationship with management and others can keep a great employee with your company for a long time to come.
For more information about virtual phone numbers and remote working tools, speak with our experts at United World Telecom. Call us at 1 (877) 898 8646 or chat with us online!