Given how easy it is to communicate on a global scale, it’s easy to find skilled workers in every corner of the planet. In many ways, building a remote team is a sustainable and reliable endeavor that will push your business to the next level.
But, in many ways, it’s a situation that’s difficult to manage. It’s not like you can just call your team into your office whenever you like. In most cases, they’ll be in a different city, or even in a different country. You have to try and work around this issue in order to improve team morale, chemistry and cohesion.
So, to help you better manage and organize your team of remote workers, have a read of the following tips. It’s no easy task, but with enough time and effort you’ll be laughing!
Make time for video calls
via WikiMedia
Studies have shown that all communication is 7{71b550cbed0aca3fea2335d26076176dc834a5ad6e765af844b2cea64fe7483b} verbal, and 93{71b550cbed0aca3fea2335d26076176dc834a5ad6e765af844b2cea64fe7483b} non verbal. That means that video is incredibly important for fostering a strong relationship with your workforce. Even if you call them into the office once a fortnight, you should still have regular video calls.
In fact, you should get a conference room set up and have video conference calls with the whole team. This is a fantastic way to bring everyone together, and will make your remote staff feel like a complete team. Emotion is conveyed through body language and expression, so you need those visuals to create stronger bonds.
Simplify your office management
If your staff frequently work from home, then is that huge office cost-effective? Probably not. Running all those computers and lights when they aren’t needed is just a waste, so you have to know when to use them. By applying hoteling, and using hoteling software, you can dynamically assign seating to your staff on an as needed basis.
Alternatively, you can look at scaling down, or switching to leasing (if you’ve bought). It’s much easier to up and move when you’re leasing, because you aren’t tied into a strict contract. If your team is remote and doesn’t use the office too much, leasing a small space is more cost-effective.
Treat them like real employees
Because they aren’t mercenaries, just blindly doing the work for you. They’re humans too, with lives and families. All the stuff you’d do for an on-site employee, do for a remote one too. Sending them Christmas gifts and cards, and allowing them to move up within your company, for example.
You could even organize a staff night out. Sure, if you have someone in a different country they may not attend, but a lot might. But how does all this help? It creates a feeling of unison, and makes your remote staff feel like they’re not just a cog in the machine. It makes them feel respected!
Reply straight away
Look, I know this isn’t a romantic relationship or anything, but replying quickly is still imperative. Why? Because if your staff worked in your office, they could see you the next day if you missed a message. If they’re remote, they might never see you – and that feeling hurts.
If makes the remote employee wonder what they did wrong, or wonder if their job is in jeopardy. They can’t see you, and can’t read your body language and state of mind. They don’t know what’s going on. All they know is that you ignored them. Reply as quickly as possible!
