{"id":2715,"date":"2023-04-04T13:01:17","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T13:01:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/?p=2715"},"modified":"2023-04-11T07:17:24","modified_gmt":"2023-04-11T07:17:24","slug":"from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team\/","title":{"rendered":"From communication to collaboration: best practices for managing a remote team"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team\/#Common_challenges_with_remote_working\" >Common challenges with remote working<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team\/#Create_an_onboarding_strategy_dedicated_to_remote_employees\" >Create an onboarding strategy dedicated to remote employees<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team\/#Choose_the_right_project_management_software\" >Choose the right project management software<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team\/#Create_communication_channels\" >Create communication channels<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team\/#Establish_ground_rules\" >Establish ground rules<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team\/#Take_care_of_the_team_spirit\" >Take care of the team spirit<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team\/#Provide_the_benefit_package\" >Provide the benefit package\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\r\n<p>In the world of the increasingly remote workforce, managing project teams with remote employees is a must-have skill for any team leader. As with any skill, perfecting it takes just the right tools and a smart process. Whether you&#8217;re a beginner in managing remote teams or you already have some experience. Here is a guide for managing your team effectivity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_challenges_with_remote_working\"><\/span>Common challenges with remote working<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/zapier.com\/blog\/remote-work-challenges\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zapier<\/a>, some of the biggest remote work challenges are:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>\r\n<p><strong>Time management issues:<\/strong> overworking, time zone discrepancies, too many meetings, and not enough focus time.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p><strong>Workspace issues<\/strong>: many teleworkers struggle to set a dedicated workspace and routine that allows them to work without interruptions.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p><strong>Communication issues<\/strong>: miscommunications about tasks, deadlines, expectations, and feeling out of the information loop.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p><strong>Technological issues<\/strong>: lack of stable internet connection, no access to work-necessary software or hardware.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Create_an_onboarding_strategy_dedicated_to_remote_employees\"><\/span>Create an onboarding strategy dedicated to remote employees<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/the-detailed-checklist-for-hr-to-onboard-freelancers-in-short-period-of-time,257\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Good onboarding<\/a> can fully define the <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2018\/12\/to-retain-new-hires-spend-more-time-onboarding-them\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">future experience and success<\/a> of new employees. What can&#8217;t you forget when creating this process for remote team members? If this is your company&#8217;s first time managing remote employees, your usual onboarding process might need some updates. Make sure the handbook takes the following points into consideration:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Your company&#8217;s policies regarding working hours (note that many remote teams consist of people with different time zones or employees keen on a flexible schedule).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Protocols regarding hardware such as computers, headphones, or any other necessary work equipment.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Methods of internal team communication such as video conferencing tools.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Work-required software and tools, together with guidelines.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Company policies regarding the place of work.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Remember to set up an orientation video call with your new employee as soon as the offer is accepted. Your <strong>first call<\/strong> with a new team member is the perfect moment to explain your management style, company values and set up the training plan. But also gain insight into your new employee&#8217;s general tech-savviness and experience in remote working. If they have never worked fully remotely before, they might need some help and extra nurturing during the transition.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>You might have to take on a different approach if your team mainly consists of <a href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/whats-the-difference-between-a-freelancer-employee-and-independent-contractor,114\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">contractors<\/a> or freelancers. Independent entrepreneurs provide their skills and expertise to the project, contractors usually won\u2019t require any training or work equipment. On the other hand, they might not be familiar with your <strong>brand\u2019s style<\/strong> and internal <strong>know-how.<\/strong> When preparing an onboarding plan for freelance contractors, try to communicate clearly what the job consists of. Is it just completing the part within the deadline? Or does the work require attendance in team meetings? Setting up these expectations will also help you plan your tasks as a manager. Additionally, to avoid miscommunications within the team, provide a <strong>transparent policy<\/strong> regarding the work scope.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Choose_the_right_project_management_software\"><\/span>Choose the right project management software<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>One of the main challenges of managing a remote team is establishing<strong> a smart process of <\/strong>communication and task delegation. Luckily, plenty of great tools make managing teams (both remote and in-office) a breeze. Project management tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/asana.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Asana<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.monday.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Monday<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.trello.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trello<\/a> will help you assign tasks, schedule deadlines and keep tabs on your team&#8217;s activities. Not only helpful but even crucial for effective team management. A well-organized project management tool will become your team&#8217;s easily accessible mission control center.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Create_communication_channels\"><\/span>Create communication channels\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>To ensure effective communication between your team members,\u00a0invest in a tool that allows video conferencing, chat, and file sharing. The most popular communication tool solutions on the market are currently such as <a href=\"https:\/\/slack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Slack<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-teams\/group-chat-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Microsoft Teams<\/a> or the <a href=\"https:\/\/workspace.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Workspace<\/a> apps. Remember to save space for a virtual <strong>water cooler<\/strong> channel where your team will be able to discuss non-work related things and personal life. Team chats will become a unifying value and a chance to stimulate interactions that would normally happen in a physical workspace.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2722\" style=\"color: #666666; font-size: 14px;\" src=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team-2.jpg\" alt=\"manage a remote team\" width=\"1050\" height=\"590\" srcset=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team-2.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team-2-980x551.jpg 980w, https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/from-communication-to-collaboration-best-practices-for-managing-a-remote-team-2-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1050px, 100vw\" \/><\/h2>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Establish_ground_rules\"><\/span>Establish ground rules<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In order to effectively manage remote employees, you need to establish a set of clear rules of work conduct. This will help to keep a healthy work-life balance and also clarify your expectations. Make sure to discuss aspects like:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Work hours \u2013 do you offer your remote workers full flexibility? Or are there specific hours they are expected to be online<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Calendar of group meetings &#8211; to ensure everyone is on the same page, schedule regular video calls for the entire team;<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Calendar of 1:1 meetings &#8211; regular conference calls for more direct reports and discussion;<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Expected standard operating procedures such as deadlines for projects and tasks &#8211; GitLab&#8217;s comprehensive guide on how to successfully manage remote teams suggests going a step beyond and creating a <a href=\"https:\/\/about.gitlab.com\/company\/culture\/all-remote\/being-a-great-remote-manager\/#document-solutions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">useful set of documents<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Take_care_of_the_team_spirit\"><\/span>Take care of the team spirit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Ensuring your team&#8217;s happiness is crucial in both a remote and an office. As a remote manager, it&#8217;s essential to prioritize this responsibility and keep the team together. Make sure to set clear expectations and create a space in which every employee is encouraged to discuss their concerns and ideas freely. What can you do to boost team spirit and ensure employee satisfaction?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>\r\n<p>When managing employees, don&#8217;t forget to practice empathy and provide emotional support when needed.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Encourage team members to share their opinions and discuss ideas during your video meetings.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Make sure that remote work doesn&#8217;t equal isolation, and your employees get to meet other team members. Not just during the weekly team meetings, but also through a less formal Slack channel. Or a team-building event.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Ensure that all employees working remotely have the same access to benefits as other people in the company.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Since your team is most likely located in different places, running an in-person team-building event might be impossible. That\u2019s not a problem! There are plenty of all-remote activities that you can consider, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hatquest.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">HatQuest\u2019s<\/a> online quizzes, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airbnb.com\/s\/experiences\/online?refinement_paths%5B%5D=%2Fexperiences%2FKG%2FTag%3A8059&amp;c=.pi0.pk14419447577_125996426346&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiA3KefBhByEiwAi2LDHJgmdnZ9DL5oIh5yfnrZTHT3iUnFGUcs2LqcbKoPOHBhcfrdbCtggRoCnp0QAvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Airbnb\u2019s<\/a> virtual cooking classes. Or a <a href=\"https:\/\/tinycampfire.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">remote team campfire<\/a> with a special home delivery kit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Provide_the_benefit_package\"><\/span>Provide the benefit package\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Since a fully remote or hybrid team is no longer a novelty in the business culture, many companies have adjusted their benefits packages to meet the needs of their remote talents. We recommend researching popular remote employee benefits to estimate which solutions work out the best for your business. While the offer should be standard throughout the entire company, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.business.com\/articles\/perks-benefits-for-remote-workers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Business.com<\/a> points out that employees that work remotely pay special attention to:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Health-related benefits (private medical insurance, covering the costs of a gym membership, mental health insurance)<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Technology equipment and home office allowances<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>time off<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Team building events and in-person meetings<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>\r\n<p>Company branded items \u2013 to guarantee they feel part of the team<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>We hope this guide will be a good start for your experience in managing remotely. Or will give you some new ideas on how to create a successful remote team. If you would like to learn more about managing the remote team, feel free to click <a href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/25-best-resources-for-managing-a-remote-team,286\/\">here.<\/a>\u00a0 The most important thing is to talk with your team members. Listen to their opinions during the meeting. Communicate with them. You can do it!<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It is common to manage a remote team. However, it can present unique challenges, from maintaining effective communication to building team culture. In this blog post, we&#8217;ll share essential tips and best practices for successfully managing a remote team, including strategies for collaboration, communication, and leadership.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2723,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[82,83],"class_list":["post-2715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-employers","tag-remote-team","tag-manage-a-remote-team"],"modified_by":"Ching Li","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2715"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2715\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2789,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2715\/revisions\/2789"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}