Tips for Effectively Managing Several People Working Remotely on Different Projects was originally published on Ivy Exec.
An estimated 36.2 million people in the U.S. will be working remotely by 2025.
After all, more than 70 million Americans can probably do their work remotely already.
And there’s no shortage of benefits anticipated to come with this slew of remote workers—from the flexibility and better work-life balance to ensuingly increased engagement and productivity.
That said, while working remotely might seem breezier than turning up at the office Monday through Friday, managing people who are working remotely on different projects can be complicated—especially if you’re used to managing teams that are on-site or, at least hybrid. Managing remote workers requires strengthening certain skills and obtaining new ones.
With that said, here are some effective ways of managing your remote team and overcoming its challenges of it.
5 Tips for managing remote teams
Follow these five tips for effectively managing several people working remotely on different projects.
1️⃣ Fight the urge to micromanage your employees.
You might not even realize you’re micromanaging by constantly checking in a while working remotely.
But certain tendencies can easily fall into the category of micromanagement. Giving your team space to do the work they’re assigned to do is key.
Incessant check-ins not only create a culture of distrust but also takes away time that could be better well spent doing the work instead of talking about it. While tracking monitors and needing to be CC’ed on all emails might be necessary in some cases, make sure to be intentional with your management style.
2️⃣ Schedule time to check in with your employees both individually and as a team.
While daily calls may not be necessary, regular check-ins are essential (just make sure they make good use of time).
You might set up a weekly call with your team, a biweekly call with your department, and a monthly call with the company, for example.
Make sure that these check-ins have structure so they use the time optimally, as it’s easy to get sidetracked in meetings like these. Set goals for the meeting, create key takeaways, and respect everyone’s time by sticking to the schedule.
3️⃣ Set clear goals—and consistently communicate them.
Make sure that you’re constantly communicating your goals clearly and consistently.
This includes both short-term and long-term goals. Reiterating the company vision and values is important, as well, to help guide employees in achieving those goals. It’s also important that everyone on your team understands who they’re working with and why, so they know who they need to communicate with from afar, as well. This way, everyone can stay in their own swim lanes while working efficiently together.
4️⃣ Prioritize results over activity.
You might notice that someone seems quiet online.
If they’re quiet but getting their work done and hitting their goals, that should be your focus. Results are the end game. Unless someone seems to be inactive and never actually working, it may just be that they’re working independently and reach out only when they need help. Results matter more than activity because there can always be activity without results.
5️⃣ Encourage work-life balance amongst your employees.
Work-life balance is super important. In fact, according to data from the Forbes Health-Ipsos Monthly Health Tracker, which polled 1,120 U.S. 90 percent of the 620 currently employed respondents said work-life balance is “an important aspect of their job.” It’s up there with financial stability and consistent pay.
You can encourage work-life balance by leading by example. Don’t send emails after certain hours, and sign off Slack when the day is done. Don’t expect others to reply right away, either when you’re off hours. Engage employees in conversations about personal passions and interests outside of work, and promote any company initiatives that allow them to pursue these passions, like volunteer opportunities or family days.
Curious to learn more about improving remote work culture? Check out Ivy Exec’s tips on how to make remote workers feel appreciated.
You can also find resources on everything from team-management styles to leadership styles (and how to change yours if you want to).
