You have decided to try remote work. You’ve hired the best people from all over the world. The projects have been assigned and the team members have been briefed. The work is not moving forward. As deadlines approach, panic sets in. What can a remote manager do to help their team in such situations? How can you make your projects successful?
Here’s a list of what you need to do to make remote projects successful. Continue reading to find out more.
Communication
Like traditional work, remote work requires clear communication between the organization’s employees and its customers. Remote teams need to communicate better. Remote meetings are not an option. It is the communication you have with your distributed team members that will set the tone.
An online whiteboard is a great communication tool. You can communicate with your team through screen sharing, audio or visual conferencing and chat. Multiple communication channels make it easy to communicate effectively and unify your team.
You can set smaller targets to achieve a greater goal.
It is impossible to gauge the success of a remote team based on how many hours they spend working on a task. Remote team managers should keep track of the speed at which tasks are completed. It is a good idea to delegate tasks according the available skills and to set expectations regarding delivery timeframes and quality.
A task management system like a Kanban Board is a great tool for remote teams. You can use your online whiteboard to break down large projects into smaller tasks. To increase team clarity, these tasks can be divided under headings such as ‘AoOngoing’ or ‘AoCompleted. This scheduling system will keep your team on track and help you never lose sight of the bigger goal.
One project at a time
It is not a good idea for your current project to be in progress while you take on another assignment. Even if your remote team has a lot of experience, they can only handle a small number of tasks. Multiple projects will not only lead to poor quality work but also make it difficult for them to meet the deadline.
Accountability
Remote working teams often make accountability secondary. Although cross-functional team members may be able to help in certain situations, this should not take away the task assignee’s accountability. Remote employees need to be clear about their role and how they will contribute towards achieving the goals.
Documentation can be used for delegating responsibilities and defining roles according to available skills.
Continuous Feedback
Everyone strives for perfection, no matter how hard they work. High quality work is only possible by giving feedback. Remote managers should always provide feedback immediately after completing a task. You should give feedback on both a regular and random basis. Remote employees should have the ability to be checked in by managers and given instant feedback.
This feedback loop will improve the quality of work and encourage employees to be more involved in project development.
Conclusion
Modern businesses have many advantages to remote work, but it can also be dangerous if things don’t go according to plan. Remote employees must feel free and feel that they can take responsibility for their tasks. These points will help you get started.
Five Things that Make Remote Projects a Success