Building an efficient working team in one location can be pretty challenging, and even more so when you’re putting a remote team together. However, in the current climate of social and physical distancing, working from home is more acceptable for employers and staff. Studies have proposed that millennials consider remote work more flexible, with 76% indicating preparedness to stay with their present employer in such settings. This working style offers numerous efficiency and productivity benefits but has its challenges, which is why you should consider these tips to build a more effective remote team.
1. Effective Communication Is Vital
Like any great relationship, communication is vital for remote work to be done successfully. However, it isn’t easy when you don’t have everybody in one location. Fortunately, you can promote excellent communication via a mix of tools and processes. Compared to phone calls, videoconferencing offers more interactive experiences where everybody can see others’ facial expressions, body language, and other non-verbal communication signs.
Zoom, for instance, has made videoconferencing much more accessible, with few businesses implementing policies that demand keeping your camera always on. Clearly defining communication protocols ensures remote staff is accessible and on the appropriate medium when needed.
2. Nurture Meaningful Relationships
Humans need connection, and it’s essential to utilize every opening to create and build real connections among your remote staff. In such work settings, developing genuine interpersonal relationships can be an uphill task. It’s convenient to make a call and immediately jump into specifics and agenda. However, experts have advised team leaders to establish a routine to check on staff individually to find out how they’re faring. You must likewise encourage your team to open up and share their experiences, whether personal or work-related. Equally, enable your staff to use their real photos rather than an avatar for their profiles.
3. Be Thoughtful When Recruiting
Recruitment is a vital business process to handle carefully. When building an effective remote team, the need for a disciplined, reliable, and skilled staff is comparably greater because remote work should be significantly autonomous. After all, staff may not have that direct supervision or the system support level available in the traditional office settings.
It’s advisable to pay more attention to specific areas like field expertise, proven communication skills, and quick response times during the recruitment process. You may also review your current approaches to find the right talent to strengthen your team. For instance, you can engage a medical staffing agency for the right human resource staff if your business is in the health industry.
4. Promote a Workplace Culture
Implementing and maintaining a workplace culture is significant for accomplishing success in every business. Like other things, distance can prove a challenge in building a business culture, especially across remote teams.
Despite the availability of several tools, the best approach to achieving a good culture among remote teams is integrating it into every workplace activity or process. Ingrain the culture in one-on-one interactions, group meetings, and other offsite activities and functions. Additionally, ensure that every remote team member is aware of the business’s core values and beliefs, and remember to lead by example. Emphasize a good workplace culture when hiring your teams to ensure they’re ideal for your business. It’s simpler to promote a specific culture when everybody employed appreciates and can align with it.
