11 Tips On How to Lead and Manage a Remote Team

The COVID-19 pandemic has made working from home the new norm, with many of us having to quickly adapt to this new way of working. One group that might be finding this sudden adjustment challenging is managers. Leading and managing a team isn’t easy and having to do it all remotely makes it all the more difficult. In this article, we will advise managers on how to continue leading, managing, and inspiring their team remotely.

1. Daily Check-Ins

This might seem like too much, but it’s difficult to gauge how someone is feeling through messaging platforms or an email. Face-to-face video calls will help you strengthen your relationship with your team and give them an easy opportunity to reach out to you should they need anything. Daily check-ins don’t always need to be about work too. It’s harder to build a bond with people remotely, so take some time to get to know people on a more personal level and spend time listening to how they’re feeling.

2. Provide Communication Options

Everyone is different and will have their own unique way of wanting to communicate with their team and manager, so let the team know there are different ways they can communicate with you other than email. Video conferencing is great for combating isolation and makes it easier to collaborate, let your team know they can reach out to you whenever they need anything. Should you need anything to help improve communication within your team, it’s worth reaching out to whoever can provide this equipment.

3. Manage Expectations

New tasks, different work environments and other impacts of this sudden change we have all had to face can impact ability and motivation. It’s important, now more than ever, to set clear expectations and request feedback to ensure alignment. Don’t simply presume the team knows exactly what they should be doing.

4. Provide Resources and Training

The new demands of working from home may require certain resources or training. Don’t set tasks without the knowledge that your team have everything they need to do the job properly. Managing a team working remotely means overcoming new challenges such as poor Wi-Fi, communication and more. This could mean investing in headsets, webcams, keyboards, or anything else that is deemed to be a critical tool.

5. Offer Encouragement and Emotional Support

It can be harder to monitor the productivity, motivation, and emotions of the team when they’re working from their bedroom. With this sudden shift to remote working and everything else that’s going on at the moment, managers need to listen to employees’ anxieties and concerns. Ask them what works best for them when it comes to remote working, is there anything you can provide as a manager that helps offer encouragement and emotional support? This could be a simple as a flexible lunchtime or a daily chat about anything but work.

6. Be Flexible

As we mentioned above, you need to be able to be flexible with your team to help them work to the best of their ability. In the office, everyone was on the same clock, but working from home means everyone has a different office environment. Some will have spouses and children, some won’t. Some will have a private home office, while others will be making do with a shared workspace in the living room or kitchen. You need to consider unique circumstances and help make the working day as easy as possible for both you and your team.

7. Share Your Routine 

It’s important you also do what you can to make sure you’re productive and happy working from home. Share with your team how you like to work so they know the best times and methods for reaching you should they need anything. For example, if you prefer to start and finish early, your colleagues will know they have to send you a message before certain times. This will help with communication and is a simple way of effectively managing remote employees.

8. Remove Internal Challenges

There are a lot of challenges and distractions that come with working from home, whether it’s home-schooling, Amazon drivers banging on the door, or the neighbours getting a new kitchen fitted. Do what you can to protect the team from any obstacles at work, helping them remain as focused as they can on their immediate responsibilities.

9. Focus on Outcomes

No one likes to be micro-managed, particularly if it means being disturbed when working remotely. Another way to manage remote teams is to clearly define goals and results and then allow employees the freedom to develop their strategy and execution. This can inspire creativity, ownership, and improve motivation and morale because your team will feel trusted to do their job effectively remotely.

10. Mentor Over Manage

All the best managers and coaches in any industry mentor more than they manage. Remote working and all the challenges that come with it won’t change the fact that your team want to learn and grow in their role. It’s important to provide direction and training to employees when they require it, this will help motivate them to develop their skills. This may require outside help, new initiatives or making extra time. Employees who feel they’re moving forward with their career are more likely to be happy in their role and stay long term.

11. Remote Socials

It’s good for the team if employees continue to interact socially despite the changes to the way we work. Do what you can to plan social activities and encourage team get-togethers. This can lift morale and help build stronger working relationships.

We have provided some tips on how to manage a remote team, the rest is up to you. It’s important that you and your employees also have the right work environment at home to effectively do your job. If you’re looking for home office supplies, we sell a range of home office desks, chairs and fitted furniture on our website.