Dos and don'ts of managing a start up team

With around 55% of companies worldwide offering remote work in some way, this has become the new norm in most businesses. It has become so common that many start-ups are adopting remote working from the very beginning.

This has completely changed the way teams are run. Managers face unique challenges in managing remote teams, from understanding technology to building team trust.

Dos and don'ts to managing a remote team in a start-up

Startups face a unique challenge in adapting to a remote operational setup compared to established and larger established, bigger companies. Large companies already have a clear structure that they simply have to transfer to an online format. New start-up companies need to create order and at the same time go the distance.

This makes things more complicated. For example, an established company may hold a weekly meeting between department managers. This meeting is simply moved online for managers to join remotely in a remote environment.

A start-up could still understand what different team members will be responsible for without bothering to organize business meetings online.

Below are some simple dos and don'ts that will help you manage your team remotely and overcome the challenges of working online.

1. DO performance reviews

One of the first things you can do to bring order to your remote installation is a timely performance review. Also called appraisal or evaluation, it is an assessment of an employee's work and behavior over a period of time.

They serve as a routine check between you and your team where you can talk freely about all job performance. There are many examples of performance reviews that will help you ensure that the feedback is positive and constructive.

See these regular conversations as opportunities to convey valuable feedback in a personal setting. It also invites and encourages employees to provide feedback. Ask what resources you can provide to help them perform better.

2. DO NOT micro-manage your team

While it's important to set up a structure in your lineup, don't micromanage your team. For starters, it's not easy to micromanage people when you're not around. Most importantly, this only annoys employees.

Remote installations thrive on mutual trust and understanding between teams. Employees need to understand that they are alone and that they are alone and they need to be motivated. And you as their manager should guide and support them in doing so.

Encourage and encourage them to make their own decisions. Focus on the quality of the output and not the core of the process needed to get there. Give your team flexibility and let them know that you trust them for the work assigned to them.

3. Establish clear lines of communication

Communication is probably the most important aspect when it comes to working remotely. One of your company's first tasks in your start-up should be to establish clear lines of communication from top to bottom.

Use the office collaboration tools to create a definitive communication structure. Make sure all team members use the apps or tools and are added to relevant groups or teams. Make sure every team member is trained to use the tools correctly.

When everyone is clear about their role and whom they report, communication becomes clear and fluid. Since most remote communications are ad hoc, make sure your messages are clear and that they also go to the point.

4. DON'T FORGET ANYTHING

Establishing the rules of engagement in advance is critical to a successful remote installation. This is because everyone will have a different setup at home. It is necessary to clearly define tasks, achievements, deadlines, and other requirements that employees must meet.

While it is important to keep employees at work, giving them too much leeway can lead to employees taking advantage of it and slowing down their work. Creating a work structure can help keep everyone informed.

It also helps to structure the day around tasks and deadlines. They can work when they want during the day, as long as they stick to the things that are required of them, such as meetings and deadlines.

5. Hire auto-starters

A great way around the challenge of having self-employed employees in an online setup is to hire self-starters who don't need much guidance to perform. Recruiting is the stepping stone to building a strong corporate culture and growing your team.

Take your time in the hiring process and only hire talent that can truly advance your team or benefit from it in the long run. When working online indefinitely, it is important to have people who are able to work independently.

Self-employed employees are motivated, independent, and take the initiative on their own. You don't have to watch their every move or support them every step of the way. This is not because they know everything. Simply because they are willing to learn and grow.

6. Identify or create self-starters

Every candidate you interview will claim to be a self-starter. You should be able to identify which ones are real. Look for traits that suggest a person's ability to work alone. The most significant characteristics of a self-starting individual are the desire and willingness to learn and apply what they learn to practice. You can assign assignments to candidates to see how they are doing.

It is also essential to encourage people to start on their own so they can survive in a remote setup. Encourage your team and provide them with the resources to help them learn to do their job with initiative.

7. DON'T force unnecessary tasks on your team

Creating a healthy, working remote installation requires you to walk a very delicate line. You need to create an order, but you also need to keep it flexible. This can be a challenge to navigate.

Avoid unnecessary rules and activities that don't contribute to the business. For example, you may decide that a weekly meeting with the entire team is needed. But you may need it if there's nothing specific to discuss. Continuing with the meeting would simply be a waste of time. The best approach is to be flexible and focus on the quality of the results, not the process.

Eliminate unnecessary rules and regulations if they don't support your installation. Remember that your workplace is constantly changing and you need to keep up with it instead of getting bogged down with unnecessary tasks.

8. Take care of their well-being

The remote workplace effectively brings the office into employee homes. As a manager, it can be easy to forget their comforts when they're not right in front of you. Therefore, you should regularly monitor their well-being and mental health.

Identify skill gaps in your workforce and provide resources to help them improve their jobs. Provide mental health care if possible. If not, it simply helps to periodically check with employees to be open with you.

Organize activities that help employees work together as a team. These can help fight stress and break the ice among co-workers. Providing them with support in the form of paid time off is another way to take care of your employees.

9. Don't be complacent

Once you get into the rhythm with the remote, it's easy to step back and let the well-oiled machine run on its own. However, this complacency can quickly backfire. The key is to find a balance.

While the ability to work alone is the key to the success of any remote installation, don't let management isolate themselves from the team. Instead of asking that any changes to a project be shared with you before moving forward, set a rating on, say, 25% of the current project.

This gives employees the creative freedom to act independently while maintaining the reins. They know that their decisions must be motivated at the periodic check-in. It makes them aware of how they use resources.

Conclusion

They perform a remote work setup, especially if a startup requires you to walk a fine line. You should allow employees to work alone and avoid micromanagement. But it shouldn't mean giving them too much leeway to abuse it.

The most appropriate approach is to be flexible. Have a clear work structure, regular communication, and a check-in schedule with your team. Encourage them to work independently and give them the support they need.

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