Remote and hybrid work isn’t going anywhere. In fact, companies and leaders around the world are ramping up their remote operations so that their employees stay happy and productive. They are investing time and money into a culture that supports different working styles, and with that comes remote team management. 

Managing remote employees may sound like a headache. Especially when you’re used to face-to-face style management. But the reality of the situation might surprise you. Remote team management, although a learning curve, isn’t all that difficult. Here’s a list of things you can use to make the process easier for both you and your employees.

1. Outline everyone’s responsibilities

As a manager, you have to know your responsibilities and make them known to the employees. You have to also make sure that everyone else knows their responsibilities, too. 

Everyone on the team needs to fully understand what’s expected of them and everyone else. Without this sort of role transparency, projects, tasks, and responsibilities can get twisted, confusing everyone and creating unneeded obstacles. 

2. Streamline onboarding

Onboarding can be a tough task when you’re on location. Imagine the complications that can arise when you throw remote work into the mix. The reality is that if you want to really nail remote team management, you’ll have to optimize your onboarding process.

In every situation, it should be your goal to look for ways to improve your onboarding process. When new hires come on board and go through onboarding, get some feedback. What would they improve? What did they like/dislike? Anything and everything can be helpful here, and it’s the only way to be the best you can be when managing remote employees. 

3. Document your procedures

Part of being a team, whether it’s remote or not, means knowing the procedures that need to be taken in certain situations. When you’re managing remote employees, people can’t just walk up to your desk (or anyone else’s, for that matter) and ask questions. If you’re in a meeting or out on vacation, important questions might just go unanswered.

Step-by-step guides, detailed procedures, and process analysis are all important for documentation. Even if you have a team full of veterans that have been with the company for years, having documentation to reference in a time of need is a lifesaver.

4. Keep all communication lines wide open

One of the lines that often gets crossed in remote work is that people don’t respect timezones and vacation days. But that doesn’t mean you should close down communication channels, even if it’s just a few, on a normal working day.

In fact, you should focus on communication. In addition to outlining your responsibilities, outline what channels the team will be used for certain things. For example, if it’s an emergency, Google Chat might be your go-to. If it’s a meme or a nonemergency, the team’s Slack might be the place to go. 

No matter what the situation is, you need to be ready to answer quickly and promptly on a working day, especially while working remotely. 

5. Check-in frequently

Again, everyone needs some space sometimes. When everyone is under the same roof and working in the same space, it’s easy for a manager to simply look up and assess the situation. Walking over and asking how someone is doing is as simple as doing just that, but in a remote scenario, it’s a little bit more of a task.

One of the best pieces of advice anyone can give you for remote team management is scheduling check-ins, and engaging with employees outside of the typical messaging scheme. Ask them randomly how they’re doing, what they’re up to, and if you can be of any help. 

You should also encourage others within your team to do the same. Check in with people that you often collaborate with, shoot messages to project coordinators after a project has been handed off, and ask people how their day is going. You might be surprised at the answers you get back. 

6. Include everyone in everything

There is such a thing as a “need-to-know” situation, but in most cases, everyone that’s a stakeholder in the company needs to know. Part of the disconnect that a lot of people feel in a remote company stems from the managers’ inability to communicate and keep everyone involved.

This is all in an effort to say that you should go out of your way to make sure everyone is included. If you notice someone being quiet, it’s your job to speak up. This isn’t high school, and there’s no such thing as a “cool table” anymore. 

Everyone and I really mean everyone should be on the same page and feel equally as important when it comes to internal communication, events, and participation. Otherwise, your turn-over rate will be through the roof.

7. Gives remote workers the space they need to be productive

Don’t get me wrong, working remotely is such a benefit. That being said, not every day is going to be as productive as the last. There will be times when you just need to get out of the house and find a nice, peaceful place where you can get your tasks done.

Remote team management is all about ensuring a safe and productive place for your employees to work. If that means providing them with the tools they need within their own home, so be it. If that means renting a proximity office for them to escape to when the home isn’t the ideal environment, then make sure it happens. 

With a Nookaspace, you can get all of that in one place. All the amenities that anyone could need, a quiet, professional place, and an easy way to come and go as they please. Renting a Nooka gives employees the space they need to truly get into the productive mindset while still being fully remote. It is the perfect solution for managing remote employees.

Conclusion

There’s no other way around it, remote team management is not the same as in-office management. Timelines are different, schedules will not line up, and everyone will have different preferences for how they work in the comfort of their remote working space. 

All of that being said, the benefits of a remote team greatly outweigh the cons. If you can manage remote employees with patience, trust, and a little touch of extra effort, then you’re sure to see some impressive results.