A guide to managing your remote team effectively online

Managers nowadays really need to step up their game in remote leadership, with so many people working from home these days. To master this skill, one must have training, education, and practice. Managers who become good at leading remote teams through human resource management online systems will have an edge in today’s job market. They’ll be able to:

• Achieve better business results
• Make employees happier
• Assist workers in striking a work-life balance
• Increase work efficiency
• Reach company objectives
• Keep their team members longer

Leading a remote team with human resource management online can be tough. We’re here to help you become an excellent remote team manager. First, we’ll discuss the difficulties. Then, we’ll share advice and effective methods.

What is a remote team online?

Professionals in remote teams collaborate on projects using human resource management online platforms, despite being spread out across various continents. These remote team members come from diverse cultural origins, reside in different cities, and possess varying skill sets. Remote teams use human resource management online software, documents, spreadsheets, and video and voice call applications to collaborate and communicate. These tools are essential for working remotely. For instance, a company that manages data primarily needs to maintain a database, so they don’t require their employees to come to a specific office every day. Having that database accessible through human resource management online means workers can use it anywhere and anytime. On the other hand, workers at furniture-making companies need to be physically present at the workplace every day; they cannot do their jobs from home. While remote work might appear to be the most sensible option for both the company and employees, setting up a remote work environment brings difficulties.

Why is managing a remote team online challenging?

Managing a remote team using human resource management online systems is tough. You need to get the best work from people you rarely see, and you might not even know them personally—which can be challenging. Whether you’re new to managing a remote team with human resource management online or have some experience, here are some common difficulties you’ll likely encounter:

Misunderstanding

Sometimes, messages sent via email or Slack aren’t as clear as you might believe. Remote employees can easily become confused about procedures and what’s expected of them, especially when communicating through human resource management online tools, and not everyone feels comfortable asking for clarification.

Different work styles

Your remote team probably includes people from various time zones and life stages. Some team members might be recent college graduates, while others might be busy caring for several children. You’ll have to get used to different ways people like to work and be ready to adjust your plans when necessary, using human resource management online strategies.

Talking with others

It’s important to recognize that every individual you collaborate with through human resource management online systems will have a unique style of communication. Don’t make everyone use just one way to talk. Give choices and adapt to each person’s preferences. Some might prefer Zoom, while others may use Slack more frequently.

Feeling alone

People who work from home often experience feelings of isolation and social disconnection. When they can’t meet in person, these workers contact one another through Slack messages and emails using human resource management online platforms. Even those with families may find spending more than eight hours a day alone in front of a computer to be challenging.

Fatigue

Fatigue is slightly more common among remote teams using human resource management online tools. With instructions on remote work and guidelines for availability, some may feel like they need to be working constantly, leading to burnout.

Effective strategies for managing your remote team online

Now that we’ve discussed the challenges, here are some strategies to manage your remote team with human resource management online effectively:

Define clear goals

Establish guidelines for your team through human resource management online. Set basic rules that everyone must adhere to, such as:

• Team meetings: Schedule team meetings at times that work for everyone’s time zones.
• Communication: Use the right human resource management online tools for different types of communication, such as Slack for informal chats and email for task updates.

Ensure responsibility

Allow your employees to manage their work independently, but ensure they are responsible for their tasks and projects. Use human resource management online systems to track their performance and link their progress to measurable outcomes.

Provide the right equipment

To support your remote team, make sure everyone has reliable computers and access to human resource management online tools like Asana, Slack, and Google Drive for smooth collaboration. First, make sure everyone has good computers that match their job—you don’t want your graphic designers waiting a long time for their files to upload and process. For online collaboration, you therefore need technologies that are effective for remote teams. Here are some examples:

Asana: A platform for managing projects

Slack: An app for team messaging

Zoom: A tool for video meetings

Invision: An app for designing and working together

Figma: An online design and sketching tool

LastPass: Passwords may be safely managed and shared with the help of LastPass.

GitHub: A platform for group software development

Google Drive: Online file sharing and storage are made easier with Google Drive

Communicate frequently

It’s essential to keep communication clear and frequent with your remote team. Use human resource management online platforms to provide regular updates during virtual meetings and ensure staff stays informed. It’s easier to talk too much than too little since it might be difficult to strike the correct balance in communication. Regularly inform your staff on the status of projects and any significant changes occurring within the organization. Ensure that your staff members don’t overlook crucial information because they don’t read every email. Make use of your weekly virtual meetings to inform and update all participants. You could have a routine where each remote team online member talks about what they’re doing or what they’ve recently completed.

Account for time zones

Since your team may be spread across different time zones, consider scheduling meetings and sending communications through human resource management online tools at times that accommodate everyone. Your employees might be in various parts of the country or even different countries. Be mindful of these time differences. Avoid scheduling meetings for 10 a.m. Eastern Time if doing so would require your Pacific Coast colleagues to arrive at 7 a.m. When it’s feasible, send communications to your staff during regular business hours using the facilities in email and messaging apps.

Emphasize results, not processes

Instead of focusing on how long your team works, concentrate on the outcomes they achieve. With human resource management online systems, track their tasks without micromanaging their processes. Being too involved in every detail can hurt remote teams. Reduce the complexity of things for both you and your staff by not obsessing over the details of task completion. It doesn’t matter how long your staff members work or whether they spend eight hours a day online; what matters is that they do their assignments. Don’t worry about how your staff works if they are accomplishing their goals and producing quality work.

Support flexibility

Give your team the freedom to work at their own pace using human resource management online. Support flexibility for your remote team online workers. You’ll need some guidelines and overlapping schedules for meetings, but don’t make unnecessary rules. If an employee enjoys running for an hour in the afternoon but starts work early to finish their tasks, that should be fine. And if a parent needs to leave during the day to take their kids to school and daycare, make it as stress-free as possible. Keep in mind that your remote team online workers also have personal lives. They are dedicated to your business, but giving them more freedom can make them more engaged and helpful to your company.

Regular meetings

Hold regular meetings via human resource management online systems to ensure team members stay connected. This not only boosts morale but helps build stronger team bonds. Try to gather your whole remote team frequently (ideally at least once a week). Even if your meeting topics are few, it’s important to see each other and have some face-to-face interaction. This can be a chance to chat and catch up on personal news. Some groups set aside time weekly or biweekly to play games that work well online, like Among Us or Jack in the Box. This is good for strengthening remote team bonds and promoting teamwork.

Document work procedures

Create clear documentation for your remote team on how to use human resource management online platforms and manage their tasks, ensuring smooth onboarding for new members. Make documents that explain how your remote team does its work. Whether it’s saving changes in GitHub or posting articles on WordPress, create detailed guides that anyone can use. These can be useful for welcoming new employees and reducing losses when employees eventually choose to move on to other job opportunities.

Automate small tasks

Leverage human resource management online tools to automate repetitive tasks, such as workflow automation or task notifications, to reduce manual effort and enhance productivity. Look for ways to automate routine tasks within (and outside) your project management tools. Here are a few ways to automate your work:

• Workflows: Use automation to smoothly move your work through a set process, assigning tasks and notifying people without manual effort.
• Transcripts: To develop transcripts for your video meetings, interviews, and content, use artificial intelligence (AI) or pay contractors. IFTTT stands for If This, Then That. You can use this to make personalized shortcuts for the tasks you perform daily. For instance, you can set up a shortcut to notify you via email when a task is finished or to message Slack during non-business hours.