How can you make sure your team is productive while working remotely?

To me, the first step is creating the time and space to focus on building team culture. Once everyone recognises the environment they are part of, it allows individuals in the team to understand what the expectations are and how their actions contribute to achieving team goals. It’s only when the “why” is clear that the “what” in terms of expectations and delivery becomes easier to manage for both the team members and the team lead. In such teams, leaders don’t have to be micro managers and can instead act as a team coach.

In my experience- remote working can do wonders if the employee feels welcomed. We were predominantly a remote team of more than 150+ employees when Covid visited. The foremost step we as management, took was to make sure that every employee had the essential equipment to work. A few other things that have resulted in our organization seeing efficient productivity are: - Clearly communicate what is expected in terms of responsibilities and tasks. - Weekly catch-ups. - No micro-managing. - Fun catch ups - Regular feedback. - Building a culture of inclusion. - and funny memes on WhatsApp :) But- more importantly, hiring people who can align with an organization's purpose. Like mindset is important to celebrate overall success. -

First expectation, trust is given. Set deadlines for your mobile employees and let them manage their time to deadline. We don't need to see what people are doing if they get the job done in an ethical manner.

The first thing is to make sure that every team member knows what their deliverables are and the respective deadlines. Secondly, follow up on the progress and what challenges they may be facing. Thirdly, create a reward system for the teams. Everyone is bound to go the extra mile when they can see the end goal and the benefits that come with that.

Check in with your team. If you leave people alone, many will become de-motivated. They won't think you care what they're doing.

Essential tools: - project management tools like Asana, Trello, Airtable, or even Excel so the whole team can track progress. - collaborative document creation like Google docs or Microsoft. - internal chat - intranet or slack communication is essential throughout the day - video conferencing - collaborative comms tools for social media and design collaboration- like Sprout Social, Figma, and Canva.

📌Leading remotely? Spark lively online discussions! Face-to-face is irreplaceable, but as a leader, ignite team engagement through virtual tools. Encourage open dialogue and leverage technology to foster vibrant interactions.

Selecting the optimal communication and collaboration tools is essential for the effectiveness of remote teams. It’s not just about having the right tools though but also ensuring the team is proficient in their use. This involves training sessions, establishing best practices, and setting communication etiquette for each tool. I have implemented tools in my agency that have not worked due to lack of team adoption (regardless of how they could have helped solve the problem). When the right tools are in place and properly utilised, they act as enablers of seamless communication, fostering collaboration and boosting productivity among remote team members.

For efficient team communication and collaboration, I recommend using the following tools: 🗣 Asana - is a project management tool that helps teams plan, track tasks, and monitor progress. It offers features for discussions and file sharing, making it ideal for effective teamwork. 🗣 Miro - is a digital whiteboarding tool for brainstorming. It facilitates visual collaboration, allowing teams to organize ideas, create mind maps, and share feedback in real-time. 🗣 Microsoft Teams - combines communication, meetings, and file-sharing capabilities, providing folders to save documents and factsheets. It creates a unified workspace for seamless team collaboration.

To enhance productivity in a remote work setting, it's essential to become proficient with your project management software and ensure all tasks are tracked through it. This approach allows you to maintain oversight of all projects, irrespective of your team's location. During one-on-one or group meetings, refer to your project boards as a basis for discussion to keep everyone informed about the current status and progress. Additionally, these meetings provide a valuable chance for team members to seek assistance if they find themselves overburdened or if tasks are exceeding their capacity.

I have found that regular check-ins with team members are key to keeping staff on track and productive. Younger staff tend to need more check-ins and supervision; they also need company, so we have co-working sessions where people can park in a Zoom or Google meet and just work together. It's not a meeting, it's just co-working.

However, avoid overcommunication. Microsoft reports show 40% loss in productivity because of useless emails, teams, chats, meetings. Avoid the tendency to spend all day in meetings. A company I worked with in 2022 established a rule of no meetings over 1h and with more than 10 persons. A justification is required. They also cancel 50% of regular meetings. Most of them are not productive and a simple shared doc can be used to communicate updates.

Instilling a consistent communication cadence is vital for keeping remote teams cohesive, engaged, and on track. This entails setting a regular schedule for various types of interactions, from formal meetings and updates to casual check-ins and spontaneous chats. It's crucial to account for team members' time zones, availability, and communication preferences, striking a delicate balance between real-time (synchronous) and delayed (asynchronous) exchanges. This rhythm supports a workplace culture that values transparency and inclusivity, making remote work more manageable and fulfilling for everyone involved.

When working remotely one of the most difficult things to address is connectedness to colleagues and people in different departments but this is critical for success. Making sure to have regular check-ins and ways to foster cross-functional conversations on a regular basis by encouraging team members to do this and making it a company priority will reap huge benefits for your team.

- Avoid too much communication but at the same time let them know that you are available in case of need to talk. - We can automate feedback forms. This way unnecessary meetings can be avoided, time zone differences can be tackled, yet they will be heard without getting noticed by peers. - Clear communication is most important. - Understanding the psychology of the employees can be pivotal to roles and responsibilities delegation and continuous improvement.

I'm going to state the obvious - if your team feels you're spying on them or checking in to catch them out, they'll go underground. Regular Agile-style brief check-ins with authentic interest in how your individual team members are doing - at work and out of it - are essential. Teams know a fake check-in from a genuine one. Be real, empathetic and admit your own shortcomings and challenges and they will too. Stop 'managing' and start listening. It's not hard.

I'm a big fan of remote. As an employee, I am more productive and I work at times when I can genuinely focus--so while I'll tend to put in more hours than I would in a traditional office, I find they are much more productive hours. When it comes to managing people remotely, I'll champion this: Treat your team like adults (ie, trust them so they can trust you) and they tend to act like adults. There are rare exceptions, of course--but as a rule this has been true for me and those I've managed. If you find yourself compelled to manage hours of "arses in seats," that's a red flag. Sure, it could mean you have a problematic team member but it could mean you're micromanaging and feel out of control or over your head. Look at you FIRST!

Never Micromanage your team. Once you have entrusted them with a task, end the message or meeting instilling that you are confident in them to complete the task timely and as per the requirements. But in order to keep track, keep a reasonable meetings to take updates on the task, whether they have any creative ideas on how to deal with the task or if they are dealing with an issue. Meanwhile, even if you think there's a better way, discuss it with them rather than enforcing it. This makes them feel their opinion and their skill is valued.

Trust is essential with any relationship, including those of colleagues and teams. Levels of trust must be built to ensure that team leads are not micromanaging their colleagues, but also that team members understand clear expectations related to their projects and daily responsibilities. In a remote setting, try to establish virtual team builders where fun and rapport are centered but also where you can gain and push subtle updates. Additionally, maintaining frequent communication touch points with team members will ensure leaders aren’t spinning the wheels and team members are working towards their goals.

Host regular in-person offsites. These should include team building activities and socials. Let the team relax in each other's company. Once relationships are built in person, virtual communicaton is so much easier.

Adapting and improving is crucial for the survival of your business and team. It is easy to become laxed to the completion and what is happening around you when you are working from home in isolation Make sure you undertake market research every 6 months and do some competitor analysis Continuously assess your workflow and be open to adapting your tools based on evolving needs. Foster a proactive attitude toward learning Embrace a mindset of continuous improvement so that you can adapt your service and beat the competition

Remote or not, to adapt and improve is essential to creating culture, or to leveraging culture — because as much as we want to think we create culture, often culture creates us. I have found it useful to approach remote work as something very different than working “offsite” or “from home.” It’s a customized culture that depends upon collaboration and commitment to shared goals. Input from all stakeholders is invaluable. Establishing rules of engagement is important — but not in a vacuum. Keep lines of communication open. Set priorities and non-negotiables clearly. Leading a team? Ask yourself how you can adapt and improve— as a person, as a project lead, as a business partner. Leaders set the tone. They can also hit the reset button.

Recognizing the dynamic nature of team needs and situational contexts, continuous improvement becomes a mandate. Avoid assumptions that a successful strategy for one scenario will universally apply. Regularly assess communication effectiveness, seek feedback from your team, and implement enhancements. This iterative approach ensures that your communication remains relevant, timely, and impactful in the ever-evolving landscape of remote team dynamics. Insight: Embrace a culture of continuous improvement - KAIZEN by fostering an environment where team members feel empowered to suggest and implement communication enhancements. Regularly revisit and refine communication strategies to stay attuned to the evolving dynamics of remote work.

Simply put - some people need more checking in than others! This isn’t good or bad, but different based on the individual and their work styles. What someone is used to in their previous role or work pattern might not be what the rest of the team is used to. Use new ways of communicating as a pulse to see what works and what doesn’t. Feedback is key here.

To ensure remote team productivity, adaptability and continuous improvement are crucial. Here are two examples: Flexible Work Hours: Embrace flexibility by allowing team members to work during their most productive hours. It accommodates diverse schedules and enables individuals to optimize their performance. Regular Feedback Mechanisms: Implement periodic feedback loops to gather insights on remote work challenges and successes. It facilitates learning and adjustments, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

As long as teams are meeting their goals and attending whatever scheduled meetings do occur, I would rather they work at the lake, their basement or between their kids’ basketball games than being less productive inside a cubicle or fighting two hours of traffic stress. The world has changed. Allow teams flexibility to be their best.

A less obvious and perhaps unconventional tip is to encourage your team members to schedule screen breaks and wellbeing sessions in their calendars. Taking regular breaks from intense projects or working hours can prevent burnout and boost productivity.

O trabalho remoto é frequentemente defendido por proporcionar flexibilidade, melhorar a qualidade de vida, reduzir o tempo de deslocamento e possibilitar um ambiente mais personalizado. Além disso, muitos argumentam que pode aumentar a produtividade, permitindo que os funcionários escolham os momentos em que são mais produtivos. No entanto, desafios como a necessidade de uma boa disciplina pessoal e a comunicação eficaz precisam ser abordados para garantir o sucesso desse modelo.

Effective Communication is the key to manage the remote team. Have regular touch base meetings to discuss the milestone progress. Develop skill matrix to effectively leverage on their strengths and to identify the training requirements.

In team management, it is important to maintain engagement and motivation through organized virtual interactions like coffee breaks and challenges, alongside regular check-ins. Clear communication ensures everyone understands their tasks, timelines, and available resources, with designated points of contact for guidance. A collaborative and supportive atmosphere creates a professional yet dynamic remote work environment where everyone feels empowered and motivated to succeed.