The ability to effectively manage a distributed workforce is one of the many lessons taught by the recent pandemic lockdowns to the world’s top business executives. There are a few things you can do to manage and encourage your personnel, regardless of whether they are located offshore or onshore, or whether you are working remotely or in an office.
ADDMORE Outsourcing is an innovator in the field of remote team management and a notable outsourcing service provider in the Philippines. We provide real-time visibility, efficient communication, and complete management of your team with our cutting-edge outsourcing solutions, which help mitigate the difficulties of working with remote employees.
Understanding what does and does not work is crucial. Here are five abilities, resources, and strategies you should develop for productive remote work.
1. Acknowledging a team member’s presence at the start of each day
The importance of a “good morning” greeting from a coworker is frequently underappreciated until one arrives at work in a room full of smiling, joyful faces. Building strong, mutually supportive teams have far-reaching positive effects on the workplace as a whole. With remote teams, you must instill the same sense of camaraderie. Video and instant messaging are becoming increasingly popular among distributed teams. Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Rocket Chat are all excellent options for doing online meetings in real-time. Integrations using these technologies are common and improve the overall quality of the conversation. If you have remote employees, they can say “hello” to each other as they arrive at the office by having a message sent automatically on a chat channel.
2. Regular check-ins
When managing remote teams, it’s crucial to be aware of their present status at all times. It’s easy to tell who’s present in an in-office setting, but it can be more challenging when workers are spread out around the globe. Regular check-ins should reveal who is where and when, as well as who has taken time off for vacation or illness. Their schedules, whereabouts, and current conditions should all be easily tracked.
3. Daily huddles
While the Daily Huddle is an essential part of managing a distributed team, it is often disregarded. Setting up a quick catch-up session through video chat (Skype, Zoom, Google Meet, etc.) is a great way to stay abreast of progress on crucial initiatives. The daily repetition is more important than the duration.
One more thing! If you’re planning to schedule an 8:00 a.m. meeting, it’s best to choose a somewhat later time, such as 8:03 a.m., because 8:00 a.m. can signify 8:05 or 8:10. Choose a time that is slightly off from the actual time, such as 8:03, to reassure your personnel that the meeting will begin promptly at the stated hour.
4. Turn your cam on.
Keep your webcam on during group chats, as this is often a requirement. Make it so nobody can stay hidden during a call or meeting. If you want to get tasks done with a remote workforce, you need to be willing to embrace the camera. You can gauge their level of understanding of the tasks at hand and the information presented by observing their facial expressions and reactions. Each member of ADDMORE Outsourcing has access to a computer and a video conferencing camera with the touch of a button on their mobile device.
5. Breaking the ice
Keeping everyone on the same page can be difficult when leading a distributed team. Using icebreaker questions to break the ice at the beginning of your online meeting is a terrific way to set the tone for productive discussion throughout. Everyone will feel at ease, and they can make sure the video and audio are both functioning properly at the same time. That way, you won’t have to worry about people saying things like, “We can’t hear you” or “Your microphone is crackly,” which can be quite distracting, especially in the midst of an important conversation.
Some icebreaker questions can be:
– What was the best concert you’ve attended?
– What three things would you bring with you if you got trapped on a desert island?
– If you could take a celebrity out for dinner, who would it be and why
Want to know more tips and learn about other outsourcing hacks?
ADDMORE Outsourcing has a team of experts ready to assist and answer all your outsourcing queries at any time. We specialize in setting up offshore teams of outsourced staff in the Philippines for companies of all sizes. We are more than happy to lend our expertise in any area, from getting you started to fine-tuning high-performance teams. Get in touch with us now for your no-cost consultation. Learn more about outsourcing and resources at https://addmoreoutsourcing.com.