Once, carrying out more or less complex daily activities with employees working remotely all over the globe would have been a losing battle for most companies, especially if they are not used to working with smart methods.
As technology has evolved and the business world has embraced the conversion to digital, remote workers have become more and more.
But effective tools are not enough to lead a team towards success and productivity: you need leadership that is effective and empathetic.
To get the best performance from remote employees, as the leader of the company, you will need to understand the differences involved in working remotely and find ways to meet the needs of your team members.
By taking advantage of a few tips, you can lead your team towards shared success.
Remote teams need a different leadership
For those who work remotely, the working day has a very different look, feel and rhythm than those found in a traditional office environment.
The workload might be the same, but the stimuli are different.
Employees who work remotely can enjoy certain conditions that their colleagues, constrained by having to go to the office, look upon with envy.
Working remotely allows you to have fewer distractions from colleagues, more flexible hours, the comfort and convenience of dressing casually or working from a comfortable chair.
But this is not the only reality.
Those who work from home are subject to other potential distractions, such as family, pets, or unexpected visitors.
Furthermore, one of the problems that a good leader should analyze is the state of mind of employees.
There are those who may find it difficult to feel part of the team, given that distance and connections may not strengthen the relationship between colleagues.
But how do you make your collaborators feel confident with the rest of the team?
Did you know that there are techniques and tools that can help you do this?
To communicate
You know, bad communication also lives in traditional offices where teams sharing the same room often fall victim to misunderstandings and communication problems.
How many times have you had to explain a message on Skype or send another one to better explain an email?
So don't be surprised if remote teams struggle to find commonalities that are normally found near coffee machines or during lunch breaks.
Teams that work remotely can consolidate more effectively when leaders provide clear and consistent guidelines for communication.
Here you can find 7 simple tips:
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Working from home can make it difficult to "leave the office"
Encourage the team to stick to standard office hours to emphasize the importance of setting boundaries between work and life.
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The importance of holidays
Make sure everyone communicates their non-work availability to avoid inappropriate invitations to meetings, messages, etc.
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Planning
Make sure everyone keeps the team updated on any calendar changes to avoid scheduling issues.
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Groups by time zones
Establish shared calendars based on different time zones.
As with team "office hours", the complexities and difficulties will increase with the number of time zones, so it may be useful to create groups with contiguous time zones on a calendar, for daily communication and after that, organize others that require everyone to be present on a separate calendar.
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Recurring meetings
Set up recurring meeting schedules with both your direct employees and your entire team.
This helps to promote clear communication.
For example, you could schedule weekly feedback with those who report directly to you, a separate weekly meeting for the team. You can do all this through the voxloud video conference which allows you to do everything in a few clicks.
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Don't be afraid to communicate excessively
Without the physical presence of employees or the water dispenser near which to meet, constant communication helps everyone feel involved, get to know each other a little better and build trust.
Leading your team as if you were a part of it, rather than a distant supervisor, is a hallmark of successful leadership.
Working together towards common goals and recognizing both the individual needs of each team member will be of great help in creating a true team.
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Provide the right tools
In addition to the classic tools such as Zoom and Teams for conference calls, cloud communication tools, for example, are a valid solution that allows you to manage teams and projects remotely.
The cloud communication tools are also accessible from mobile devices and available regardless of the platform.
That's why we created our cloud phone system. It makes managing the team very easy even remotely.
Check out the features of Voxloud phone system
Connect your team
Although smart working is a valid solution to replace face-to-face work, it has its weaknesses.
This is why it is important to make yourself feel close to your collaborators and to encourage them and always give your best.
Allow time during each conference call and meeting to socialize, it can go a long way in fighting isolation and it can also make your team connect with all members.
Consider the idea of creating informal communication channels, in order to provide an outlet for employees or simply to have a laugh and take a few moments away from the monotony of work.
In this way the team members are more connected and feel part of the company itself
Face-to-face meetings
Gathering together during a pandemic is impossible, but if conditions allow and you can organize it, bringing your team together for a face-to-face meeting every 3-4 months would help everyone connect with each other and learn to work together more. friendliness, trust, and efficiency.
We have therefore given you some tips to make your team feel better and better and help them get better and better results with simple leadership tips to keep in mind.
Now is the time to take the reins and start making a real difference by following these leadership tips remotely.
Start adopting the right tools, which allow you to make videoconferencing a breeze and lead your employees into the future!
