7 Tips on How to Manage a Remote Team Effectively

Going all-in with a remote work setup can be a practical choice for firms. However, managing remote employees is not as simple as it sounds. To keep your staff engaged, here are 7 tips on how to manage a remote team. 

Related: How Do You Foster Teamwork with a Work-From-Home Setup? 

The sudden shift to a remote work setup during the onset of the 2020 pandemic has given rise to new workplace dynamics. And for some, there’s no turning back despite the intensifying calls for a return to the office. 

“When employees work from their desired location, they tend to be more engaged at work, less burned out, and less likely to quit,” states Gallup, a US-based workplace consulting and global research firm, in this article. 

However, going remote does not mean that everything will magically fall into place. Along the way, managers may face challenging situations, such as: 

1. different work preferences, 

1. confusion about processes and expectations, 

1. employees who feel isolated and left out, 

1. getting burned out, and 

1. difficulties in setting work-life boundaries.

So how should you address these concerns? 

How to manage a remote team 

Managing staff who work remotely may be challenging. It takes time — some trial and error before you can find the most suitable management style.  

These 7 remote work management tips can help you get the hang of this setup. 

1. Set standards for your virtual team

Losing an in-person oversight is one of the primary remote work management challenges.  

To make sure that everyone’s still on the same page, you must be clear on your standards for: 

• sharing information, 

• managing projects and deadlines, 

• making decisions, 

• distributing tasks, 

• adhering to cybersecurity policies, 

• measuring output quality, and 

• setting meetings.

You can start by creating an accessible document that details these standards. By doing so, your team can have something to refer to whenever they need to confirm specific information. It can also be useful when onboarding new remote team members. 

2. Regularly check in with your teammates

Carve out time to check in on your team members. You can schedule virtual one-on-ones to guide and help them address any challenges they may be grappling with. As their manager, it’s a good way to discover how you can help them succeed. 

Aside from scheduling regular check-ins, you must also make your team feel that they can approach you when needed. Keep in mind that not everyone is outspoken. Some of your staff may have to gather enough courage to raise a question — no matter how trivial it sounds.  

By accommodating their concerns, you can find immediate solutions and possibly prevent even bigger issues. 

3. Develop new ways to measure performance

When working onsite, we often measure the number of hours an employee stays at the office. And doing so can be easy because you can see them work face-to-face.  

But it’s no longer the case for a remote work setup.  

Relying on the working hours alone is no longer ideal to measure performance. In a work environment where you have limited oversight of your team’s actual day-to-day activities, what matters more is the quality of the output submitted within a given time frame.  

Updating your performance management system (PMS) is an essential step. At the minimum, it must set clear expectations for your team. This way, your team can identify their priorities and focus on achieving what’s expected from them. 

Read next: 6 Strategies for Building a Competitive Team for 2024 

4. Encourage social interactions

It might be your first time doing remote work in your career. The same goes for many of your team members. In this case, make sure to prepare for it psychologically. 

One of the things that will be lost when working remotely is the unplanned conversations with your colleagues. These moments have an impact on our mental well-being and overall performance. If possible, try to recreate these in your online setup.  

To do this, encourage your team to have frequent employee engagement activities. It can be as simple as icebreakers or online team-building activities. Maintain regular contact among your staff through their preferred communication channels. Another option is to schedule regular face time with your team through video calling. 

And if distance is not an issue, try to catch up over a cup of coffee or do any activity that everyone prefers. 

5. Adapt a remote-fit management style

The farther people work from the office, the more they value having a supportive manager. This is the case for remote workers, as the survey below shows. 

Source: Owllabs 

But what does being a supportive manager look like in practice?  

Raghu Krishnamoorthy, a Senior Fellow and Director of the University of Pennsylvania’s acclaimed Chief Learning Officer doctoral program gives some useful insights through this Harvard Business Review article, stating that employees “wanted their managers to be present, hands-on, and operationally vigilant without being intrusive.” As opposed to micromanaging, “they want their managers to micro-understand their work.” 

Krishnamoorthy coined this term to refer to how managers can better integrate themselves into their team’s workflow and problem-solving remotely. This means that from managing time, activity, or physical presence, your role must shift to managing results and outcomes.  

You should also remember that because remote work limits face time, it’s crucial to be present and available for them. Make them feel that they exist and what they do matters. 

6. Maintain ongoing process documentation

For most companies, working remotely is a fairly new concept — at least when it’s compared to the traditional office with established norms and expectations.  

It might still be in the trial-and-error stage where you’re still figuring out what works and what does not. 

Process documentation is a useful tool to help you keep tabs on your progress and improve your processes. It’s also good practice for managing remote teams, especially when onboarding new hires since it ensures that certain tasks are completed consistently and efficiently. At the same token, ongoing process documentation is essential for reducing confusion among your team members. 

7. Provide avenues for career progression

Sure, remote working is great, but not until you get stuck doing the same job for years without any signs of career growth. 

As a manager, you must acknowledge your team’s desire for professional growth and development. Some may be vocal about it, but others might be silently waiting for new and more challenging opportunities. 

To keep them engaged, you must initiate career-oriented conversations with your team. Ask them if they’re interested in taking certain courses or assuming new responsibilities.  

It’s also better if you have annual performance evaluations to help you measure their strengths, which in turn can help you decide if they’re ready to handle higher positions. 

By giving them clear avenues for career progression, you’ll have more chances of keeping their interest in working with your firm. 

Read also: The Importance of Nurturing Your Internal Talent 

Remote work is here to stay, and it will continue to challenge your capacity for managing employees working remotely. By considering these remote working tips for managers, you can contribute to creating a healthy and productive remote environment. 

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This article was first published on 27 March 2020 and updated on 8 July 2024 for relevancy and comprehensiveness.

Edited by: Mary Milorrie Campos