Remote working is increasingly popular for managers and teams working for organisations across multiple locations. Managed correctly, remote teams can be extremely advantageous; though things like keeping up with the team’s progress and keeping them motivated can be difficult when you don’t see each other in person on a daily basis...

1. Managing Remote Teams

2. Remote working is increasingly popular
for managers and teams working for
organisations across multiple locations.
Managed correctly, remote teams can be
extremely advantageous; though things
like keeping up with the team’s progress
and keeping them motivated can be
difficult when you don’t see each other in
person on a daily basis...

3. Here are some points to consider for
managing a team remotely...

4. Trust Goes A Long Way

5. Being able to trust your employees is vital to your
team’s progress. It is important that you can trust
your team to work with enthusiasm and
commitment, in the absence of a manager.

6. This is something that you
need to take into account from
the very start, when hiring your team.

7. When you are interviewing for your team, look for the people
who you believe are going to work well without constant
supervision.

8. Be Clear On Your Expectations

10. Ensuring that your team has a clear understanding of
exactly what you expect them to achieve is vital when
working remotely; after all you will not always be avail-
able to remind them, or keep tabs on their progress
directly.

11. It is important to outline your expectations of your
team; so that they have a clear idea of what they need
to be doing and what they need to accomplish before
the next time you catch up.

12. If you are in regular contact with your team by phone,
or if your are meeting with them intermittently, it is a
good idea to follow up conversations with emails out-
lining the next steps for any tasks that are agreed
upon; this way both parties have a record of the con-
versation and its outcomes to refer back to.

13. Check-in Regularly

15. Having regular ‘check-in’ calls or meetings with your team
members gives them an opportunity to update you on their
progress, and to make you aware of any challenges that they
might be having. Though a big part of managing a remote team
is that you trust your employees to be fairly self-sufficient, it is
still a good idea to ensure that you hold regular team, and one
to one, check-in calls or meetings.

16. Book a regular weekly or bi-weekly slot on your calendar that is
always used for thorough catch-up meetings. Catch-up meetings
should include updates on your team members’ progress, with a
round-up of everything that has happened since your last
contact, and an opportunity to outline the tasks your team will
be working on moving forward.

17. Utilise Technology

18. There is plenty of technology that can help with the various
aspects of managing a remote team. For example, sharing
calendars via outlook is a great way to keep up to speed with the
schedules and availabilities of your team, and also for them to
do the same with yours.

19. Additionally remote collaboration tools can come in very handy,
such as Google Docs, Dropbox and Asana, these can be
extremely useful in sharing information and assigning tasks
within your team.

20. Team meetings via conference calling or using video calling
software like Skype may be more effective for your team than
simply waiting to have a team meeting in person.

21. Build Personal Relationships

22. It is important for any manager to build personal relationships
with their team members, and this is no different in managing
remote teams.

23. This doesn’t mean you have to try to become best friends with
your team, but it does mean that you should engage with them
on a personal level, beyond simply talking to them about work
exclusively.

24. Keep this in mind whenever you speak with your employees,
whether it is in person, on a phone call or even just in an email.
Building personal relationships lets your team know that you
are human and not just a voice at the end of the phone, or an
email address; having a personal relationship can play a big part
in motivating team members to get the job done in your
absence.

25. Connect
For more tips on professional development and to see all of our latest opportunities,
connect with the InterQuest Group
InterQuest Group plc is an award-winning, specialist recruitment organisation
providing contract and permanent services within niche disciplines globally.
The Group is divided into specialist businesses, with each one aligned to one of the
following market sectors, Finance, Retail, Public Sector, Not for Profit or in an area of
technology such as testing, analytics, ERP or digital. These are augmented by other
businesses specialising in services which span the various vertical niches - such as
recruitment outsourcing or executive search and selection.
As specialists in contract, permanent IT and analytics recruitment, the InterQuest
Group trades as distinctly branded, individual, specialist recruitment businesses.