You’re leading a remote team. How can you keep everyone on the same page?

For a remote team to succeed, there must be clear expectations. Determining the scope, objectives, responsibilities, and due dates guarantees that all parties are in agreement and promotes responsibility and efficiency. It's revolutionary to use task management apps like Trello or Asana since they make progress monitoring easy and communication more efficient.

Establish clear expectations and deadlines for the work. Unlike a team that meets in-person a few days each week, it's harder for remote teams to have such interaction. However, when clear expectations and deadlines are set, that encourages team members to stay on task, routinely reach out to provide updates on their work, ask for help, and regularly collaborate. When it comes to choosing a communication platform, aside from a group chat on Microsoft Teams or Slack, consider holding weekly meetings for team members to check-in on each other, provide guidance to those struggling, and make sure everyone's on the same page.

Establish Clear Communication Channels: Define and communicate the primary communication channels your team will use (e.g., email, messaging apps, video calls). Ensure everyone is familiar with and comfortable using these tools. Regular Team Meetings: Schedule regular team meetings to discuss ongoing projects, updates, and challenges. Use video conferencing to enhance personal connections and promote engagement. Set Clear Expectations: Clearly communicate expectations regarding work hours, availability, and response times. Establish guidelines for project timelines and deliverables. Use Project Management Tools: Implement project management tools such as Asana, Trello, or Jira to track tasks and projects.

To lead a remote team effectively, establish clear communication channels, conduct regular team meetings, set expectations, use project management tools, encourage open communication, provide regular updates, use video conferencing, create a virtual watercooler, document processes and protocols, provide flexibility, encourage collaboration, set clear goals, celebrate achievements, schedule one-on-one check-ins, invest in team building, encourage continuous learning, address communication challenges promptly, and regularly reevaluate processes. These strategies help maintain team connections, promote cohesion, and ensure the success of a remote work environment.

Leading a remote team necessitates a strategic approach to maintain cohesion and ensure that every team member is on the same page. Clear and accessible communication channels are foundational to this effort. Establishing platforms for video conferencing, messaging apps, and project management tools creates an environment conducive to effective communication. Regular team meetings become essential in this context, providing opportunities to discuss goals, share progress updates, and address any concerns. Through these virtual gatherings, leaders can foster a sense of unity and shared purpose, mitigating the challenges posed by physical separation.

Since in-person interactions are limited, I believe that having a group chat of some sort, where team members can exchange information is essential. Also, consider setting up weekly or biweekly check-ins where team members can inform each other on what they've accomplished, what they're working on, and if they are struggling or having troubles with something in particular, how they are going about those obstacles and what kind of help they are seeking. Also, when pinning others in a group chat or sending emails with important information, although there may not be a question, I find that sending a reply such as "thank you for the info" or "ok" is helpful, because that sends a signal that you acknowledge the other person's message.

In my experience, one of the most difficult aspects of remote work is effective collaboration. Remote environments do feel isolating, lending to an atmosphere of lowered morale and team spirit. However, teamwork can still make the dream work even online. You just have to adjust your ways of working to pave the path for that to happen. For me, what this looks like is the following: 1. Collaborative working sessions to problem solve or talk through new developments 2. Use of online tools such as MS Whiteboard, Miro and PowerPoint to brainstorm and work with the group in live time 3. Consistent communication through MS Teams and collaboration through shared documents that allow for live updates.