Virtual work is here to stay. Hence, managing remote and hybrid teams is becoming a responsibility of many managers. Richard Ghilarducci mentions that while remote working does have many advantages, managing remote and hybrid talent does not always come naturally. It takes time and practice. Business leaders who learn how to manage remote teams are likely to have an edge in the modern-day workforce.
Richard Ghilarducci underlines pointers that can help in leading remote teams
Technology has transformed how people work. With the help of fast connectivity, mobile devices and collaborative applications, it has become easy for people to work remotely. However, technology does cannot provide the leadership and real unifying force needed by the employees. Hence, business leaders should try their best to effectively lead and manage remote teams. Here are a few tips to do so:
- Elevate the communication efforts: Regular, information communication is vital for managing a remote or hybrid workforce. Business leaders must schedule calls with project teams on a regular basis to evaluate progress on their goals. An extra effort must be made to keep the remote employees in the loop on any departmental and company news. Business leaders must also provide their take any priorities that may be shifting. After providing employees with the necessary details and feedback, business leaders must ask for their questions and comments. When it comes to a remote workforce, video calls must be conducted on a regular basis. Apart from work video calls can also be used for celebrations like virtual birthday or work anniversary party. This can help build camaraderie.
- Show empathy: Business leaders must regularly connect with remote team members to assess their overall welfare and potential feelings of isolation. It is important to inquire about their communication methods within the team, and how they manage daily disruptions at home. Leaders may even provide any advice to improve productivity while working remotely. Business leaders must make it a point to share updates and tips, even if they are minor.
- Offer them flexibility: Leaders should let their remote or hybrid team members know that it is okay to vary their work hours a bit, whenever necessary. They should be provided with the freedom to go outside for a short walk or to run a quick errand, as long as they do not have any urgent work to complete.
- Shore up resources: Business leaders should see to it that all their remote employees have access to vital information like production schedules, project timelines, and background documents. Having a shared online calendar can help make sure that everyone in the team can view the latest schedule details easily. This simple step can make managing a remote team a lot easier.
Richard Ghilarducci mentions that even though consistent communication is crucial, it is also important to strike a balance and avoid micromanaging. Employees should feel trusted and confident that their efforts are valued, just as they would be in an office setting. This includes maintaining similar work hours and productivity levels as their on-site colleagues. Frequent check-ins solely for the sake of monitoring progress can create a perception of distrust among remote employees. Leaders must establish clear expectations and trust employees to manage their tasks efficiently without unnecessary interference.
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