Team Management When Working Remotely – Part 4

By Sheila Roberts

This is the fourth and last blog in our series on effective remote team working. Although co-location of teams is known to improve collaboration and reduce misunderstanding of communications, it is not always possible, so we need to think through how to manage our teams to be effective.

Our first blogs focussed on over communication, availability and stress. Now we are looking at helping our communities to help our team.

5. Share strategies to help your local community

One of the struggles your team may be facing right now is a feeling of lack of control. Encourage them to help their local community by creating a shared document or local project aggregating all ways they can help. The community can be at different levels. It could be the immediate project or work package team. It could be the wider department or organisation team. It could be the local community in which the team member lives.

There are a number of ways in which the team can take control and also help the local community. Have a team brainstorm session where everyone can share ideas.

This could be wide ranging such as local restaurants that are offering take away, non-profit organizations helping the community, and remote volunteering opportunities “in the area” (so to speak!). It could also be developing an online PM forum or developing online working procedures to be more effective, less stressed etc. It could be to develop a buddy system to support each other.

When managing remotely, some strategies will help you empower your team and make them feel more connected to each other and their work.

In whatever way is possible, empowering the team will help. When you empower your team to feel motivated and connected—not just to your company but to the larger community—you’re allowing them to bring their whole selves to work and be recognised as people.

Managing & motivating your remote team

The best way to keep your team motivated is to keep them connected, encourage them to be authentic and show your support no matter where you all might be working from. For more ways to keep your team motivated while you’re working remotely, learn how different tools can help your team collaborate and connect from anywhere.