How to Implement a Powerful Remote Team

I wrote this article to help those in transition to remote work as I know how difficult it can be. I’ve worked remotely or distributed for the past 5+ years and my entire team at Job Mobz is distributed or remote. These are some of things I’ve found to be helpful to maximize productivity and culture while working remotely.  

Remote work has shown a huge uptick in the workforce not just because of the global circumstances but as more companies adopt remote work policies. A study by Upwork projects that 73% of all teams will have remote workers by 2028. More managers are starting to look at how to begin transitioning their team to telecommunication, which can be an intimidating step. A common concern is whether or not this change will negatively impact the happiness and productivity of the team. There are a few key components that I think will help ensure that your group will succeed in a remote environment.

To me, one of the most critical elements of a successful remote team is quality communication. I recently caught up with Ben VanEvery the Director of Engineering at Simon Data. Over half of his engineering team works remotely (including him), and they have found great success with this structure. We agreed that the advancement of technology has made remote communication dramatically easier. Whether you are a remote worker or not, tools like Slack and Hipchat have made instant and constant connection easier. It is important when using these tools to keep your contact information updated, and also to keep your availability status accurate. As a remote worker, someone sending you a message via these channels should act similarly to as if they would have come up to your desk. From a managerial standpoint, all these expectations should be clearly set, and this should be a part of your training regiment. 

When hiring new employees to join your remote group, culture is a vital consideration. I have found that cultivating this culture is most easily achieved when you pay very close attention to the employees you hire. If you keep your culture goals in mind as you go through the hiring process, making sure that culture stays in place will be much easier. Clear expectations should be set, and all employees should know what they are accountable for. Lacking to inform your remote workers of their roles can lead them to feel lost and forgotten about in the team structure. Of course, making sure all of your team is comfortable with giving input and asking questions is crucial. While this isn’t unique to remote work, it can take extra effort to make sure your remote workers feel as valued as your physical workers.

A few other tips Ben and I agreed on, consistent meetings to touch base and keep everyone involved are very important. Daily standups can help disseminate information so that remote workers don’t end up left out of the loop. When doing these meetings, implement a cameras-on policy so that remote workers feel like a more integrated part of the team. Once a quarter off-site gatherings for all employees also are a great way to make sure all workers feel involved in the company culture. You can consider carrying out team-building events that involve both physical and remote workers, such as a remote game night. 

Takeaways:

1. Communication is vital. Use technology like Slack to make sure that quick and seamless communication is effortless. Training on this is essential.
2. Your work culture must involve your remote workers. This should be kept in mind from the moment you start hiring for a position. Expectations for them should be directly communicated, and openness should be encouraged. 
3. Meetings to keep everyone in the loop are necessary - especially with teams where remote work is prevalent. Remote workers often can feel that they aren’t as informed about project progression. This also applies to off-site events.