Remote work has been the norm since the pandemic. Even as companies are slowly asking employees to report to physical offices, most workers still prefer to work remotely. Working from the comfort of your home or in your personal space can be rewarding, but managing remote teams can be challenging for the employer.

According to statistics from Wrike, nearly 49% of teleworkers are unaware of their company’s expectations for worker productivity standards, availability, and hours. Some companies may have remote communication tools, but it’s not enough if you don’t know how to use your tools efficiently.

While most employers know that the best remote team software can improve their overall remote workflows, they still need to master the best techniques for effective remote team management. Wondering how to start? Follow these best practices.

1. Understand common remote work challenges

The key to successful remote team management lies in understanding the common challenges of teleworking. For example, does your team lack virtual meetings? Do your employees work in places where they are easily distracted or interrupted?

According to a Statista survey, 47% of remote workers said that managing distractions at home is the top challenge when working remotely. Additionally, 35% agreed that collaborating with colleagues and clients is also a barrier to remote work.

To better manage your team, list the daily challenges of remote work. Next, identify which ones are or could be present on your team. Then think about how you can address those challenges and problems. You can request direct information from your team as they are the ones who are better able to assess their remote work situation.

2. Establish the rules and responsibilities

Company rules and employee responsibilities coexist in any organization, especially in a remote work environment. While employees need to be clear about their personal boundaries, employers also need to help their employees set those boundaries.

To make sure everyone is on the same page, you need to educate your team about company rules and what you expect from them. For example, do you want your employees to attend a virtual team meeting every Monday morning? Need weekly or monthly reports from your team?

State all your rules and provide a digital manual if needed. Properly delegate tasks to each employee and ensure they understand their responsibilities. If it helps, offer your team a short training and orientation program on the importance of work culture in a remote work environment.

3. Emphasize communication

Communication is the basis of relationships, whether private or professional. What better way to keep up with your remote team than to communicate regularly? Beyond daily check-ins through video calls and chats, remote team managers should communicate more with their team members about duties, tasks, and responsibilities.

Sure, there’s the best remote work software for teams that lets you easily assign and monitor projects without having to constantly call or chat with your co-workers. But communicating with them and asking them how they feel about the current project can go a step further. You can also call quickly if you feel they are having a hard time completing a task.

Proper communication will not only help your employees professionally, but also mentally and emotionally. And a mentally and emotionally stable employee is more productive and positive about work.

Remote management tools are plentiful on the market, but not all will suit your business. Choosing the right software for your remote team brings us back to the everyday challenges of remote work.

Suppose you already have a list of existing and potential problems. This list serves as a guide to investing in the right remote team management software. For example, do you need a platform where you can track the working hours of your employees? Or maybe you need software that lets you assign and monitor tasks while chatting with your team?

Some managers also want to purchase payroll software systems to accurately and automatically process employee salaries. Whatever your needs, list them so you can choose the best tools for your remote work operations. If you can find a centralized remote work software, it would be better.

5. Try to be more organized and flexible

Flexibility should not only be practiced by employees, but also by employers. So you also need to make sure that you are organized with your administrative operations by being flexible.

The most important things to organize in a remote work environment are your employees’ working hours, task assignments, deadlines, team meeting dates, and holidays. Make sure schedules don’t overlap and everyone gets one day off each week. You can also schedule regular virtual meetings for team updates and monitoring.

Now organizing your remote team operations also requires flexibility. Make sure your established communication platforms and work schedules resonate with your employees. You also need to be prepared for emergencies, sick days, unplanned absences and know what to do if these circumstances arise.

6. Encourage remote social interactions

Socializing with colleagues isn’t difficult in a physical work environment, but it is challenging in a remote work environment. So, in addition to regular video calls and chats, you can set up a special virtual social interaction with your team.

Some great examples are afternoon coffee or tea breaks on Zoom, weekend lunch breaks on Skype, or virtual holiday games. You can also ask your team to take part in online team quizzes and reward the one with the highest score. Finally, you can set up an annual open forum with your team when you have more time. This is a good platform for them to share their work fears, problems and even the traits they find undesirable with their colleagues or you.

The goal of remote social interactions is to strengthen your team’s bond. So don’t make them feel like they’re working in a virtual space where good connections aren’t a priority.

7. Focus on results, not activities

Remote work is different from the 9-5 work culture. And even if your remote workers work on a fixed schedule, you can’t measure their productivity by the hours worked each day. To put it best, team managers should start focusing on outcomes instead of activities.

What one employee can do in four hours, another can do in just two hours. Also, you can’t immediately judge your employee for completing a task for five days if you ask them to work on it for only three days. What matters is that your expected results are delivered well, and you cannot expect all of your employees to have the same skills and abilities.

8. Provide resources

Investing in the best technology for remote work is one thing to empowering your employees, and providing the necessary resources can improve their performance. Unfortunately, according to Wrike’s research, 44% of remote workers said they lack the right infrastructure and platforms to be productive at work.

A remote worker’s toolkit may include:

• communication tools
• productivity software
• Time Management Applications
• platforms for collaboration
• Free online courses for a better work-life balance
• computers or laptops
• printer or scanner
• Appropriate apps for mobile devices
• Mobile data load or Wi-Fi load allowance
• Wireless routers or pocket Wi-Fis

9. Be a mentor to your team

Being a good team manager means being an emphatic and open-minded mentor to your team. You may have the best tools for onboarding remote workers, but they’re nothing if you’re not deeply connected to your team members.

Aside from the regular manager duties, you can also be a mom or dad to your team. This means that you are open to personal problems, feedback or opinions from your team. You don’t have to go overboard and look like you’re pushing boundaries; You only have to be there when your team needs you.

Improve your remote team management skills today

Managing a remote team can be overwhelming, but with the right tools and practices. A rewarding environment for remote work is when workers and employers can communicate openly and collaborate easily. You also need to make sure your remote workers are paid well and recognized for their efficiency and productivity.