Remote Team Management in IT

There has been a significant change in how companies work in the last couple of years.

Many businesses have had to adapt quickly to a digital working environment.

Enabling remote environment work models has been the perfect way for companies to stay up-to-date. 

Such transformation for people of all ages and backgrounds has introduced a wide range of benefits.

We highlight increased flexibility, improved work-life balance, less commuting time, and more room for multicultural work environments.

Nonetheless, it also has its own unique set of challenges. What are the maneuvers for managing remote teams successfully?

What is a Remote Job?

Let’s start by defining what a remote job entails.

Remote employment enables a person to work from outside the traditional office environment.

These collaborators can work from home, in coworkings, or in remote environments.

In remote work, either synchronous or asynchronous communication are vital.

Therefore, coworkers and supervisors use online platforms to do so.

They use email, video conf., and PM tools to keep open communication lines.

What Industries Have Adopted Remote Team Management?

Every day, more companies converge in remote work environments.

Their popularity rapidly increased in software development, digital marketing, and social media management.

Yet, it's also extending to customer service, sales and business development, and education

However, all that glitters is not gold! Team cohesion and tool and software availability are significant challenges.

Despite these obstacles, many companies have embraced remote work.

They recognize it as a long-term solution for accessing more expansive talent pools.

As a result, remote work has become a common aspect of today's work culture.

So, let's get hands-on and explore a series of best practices for managing remote teams.

We've implemented and used strategies to ensure the most effective remote work experience.

How to Manage a Successful Remote Team?

1. ‍Provide Needed Supplies. Despite team members not being in a physical office, you should still care about their tools and equipment! Support remote collaborators by equipping them according to their needs and ensuring productivity.
2. Strong Company Culture. Creating a strong sense of community among remote team members is still possible! You can organize virtual happy hours, online games, and other team-building activities. Also, promote a team environment where people feel like sharing personal achievements. Members who feel like this are more likely to develop stronger connections, which leads to a more cohesive and effective team. Also, trust your team! If leaders trust their teams, they shoot to safe environments. As a result, team members feel empowered to take risks and be creative. It produces higher engagement, productivity, and job satisfaction among team members.‍
3. Share Your Thoughts!, We cannot emphasize enough the importance of communication! Clear and effective communication is vital to ensure everyone is on the same page. Further, establishing clear goals helps minimize confusion and guarantees on-time work completion. You should schedule daily and regular one-on-one sessions.

Things to Avoid When Managing Remote Teams

1. Isolation. Different studies suggest that isolation can decrease employee performance and lead to less intercompany solidarity due to poor communication. Make sure you're putting into practice the Do's mentioned above! Encourage interactions to increase engagement and keep your team motivated. Non-work activities and promoting a healthy work environment are good ways.‍
2. Micromanagement. Avoid this management style if you want to demonstrate to your team that you believe in them. Aim to increase their well-being and productivity. If you trust them, they can believe in themselves too.‍
3. Limits & Boundaries. Since we work remotely, it can be easy to lose track of when work starts and ends. Therefore, the physical boundaries between work and personal life can become blurry. Respect people's boundaries to avoid burnout and decreased productivity! It can generate a negative impact on office hours and personal life. Therefore, it's crucial to maintain a healthy work-life balance even when working remotely. Also, remember that we often have multicultural teams! So we must pay attention to time differences to know when the workday ends and begins for each team member. Let's respect time to achieve an excellent personal and work balance.

What is Capicua Doing on Remote Team Management?

As more companies adopt remote work, managing teams may raise several challenges.

Managing a team within different locations can cause some difficulties, especially when team members' working hours overlap partially.

For this, we’ve gathered some techniques and strategies Capicua’s remote managers use daily.

1. Effective communication is vital to making remote teamwork. With good communication, day-to-day operations run smoothly. Turning on cameras during team meetings can be a more personal way to create employee engagement and ensure good communication. 
2. At Capicua, we use Agile Methodologies to foster a collaborative team culture. We have daily team video meetings to share updates and sprint planning to focus on tasks and obstacles. It's also essential to use the right tools! There are many available to help remote teams stay connected. We like to use Google Suite, Slack, Notion, and more. These tools make it easy to keep in touch and share information in real-time.
3. Building trust between team members is a crucial factor in the success of a remote team. Each coworker has responsibilities and obligations. If someone fails to meet their commitments, it can impact the entire team! That's why trust is essential. When team members trust one another, they can work more effectively together. To cultivate trust, we hold one-on-one sessions where people can propose new ideas. We prioritize responsible freedom and avoid micromanagement. Recognizing and celebrating employee achievements helps foster a positive and motivated team culture. A thoughtful way to show appreciation is by awarding glass plaque awards, giving employees a tangible reminder of their contributions.
4. Relaxing before and after virtual meetings is an excellent way to build stronger relationships. Team members can increase their trust by getting to know each other personally. In Capicua, we promote a more cohesive environment by organizing non-work-related activities. They allow team members to play, have a good time, and bond with each other. It can involve games, casual chatting opportunities, and bonding activities.
5. Capicua has undertaken online activities such as town halls and group meetings. These meetings enhance communication and build a cohesive organizational identity. By bringing together coworkers, we aim to strengthen our sense of community.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, managing remote teams requires effective communication, trust-building, and the right tools!

A remote team with these elements can be as successful as an in-person team.

However, it's essential to be aware of the unique challenges of remote work.

But if there's one thing we're sure about, this modality is here to stay.

Contact us if you want to join our team or know more about our work culture!