A remote team is a reality for modern businesses as it is here to stay, even after the pandemic is long gone. Working remotely can help organizations save money on real estate, equipment, and operational expenses. Employees prefer the remote-hybrid model because of the convenience it offers.
According to Gallup, 27% of employees want to work remotely full-time, while 52% prefer a hybrid arrangement. Only 21% of employees like full-time in-person work. The verdict is clear: remorse work is a winner. However, the ground reality is a bit different.
Leading a remote team takes more than just setting up calls and tools. Without the benefit of face-to-face conversations, teams often run into misunderstandings and delays that impact decision-making and project timelines.
To overcome these obstacles, leaders need to rethink how they approach remote collaboration. In this guide, we’ll explore three strategies that will help you bridge these gaps and create a cohesive, high-performing remote team.
1. Determine a Viable Team Structure
A successful remote team cannot be built without proper planning, no matter how great you are as a manager. A viable structure is the key to operating successfully and achieving team goals.
Start with a few questions. Will the entire team work remotely or do you want a hybrid setup? What will be the geographical locations of the team members, whether local, cross-country, or international? What are the short-term targets and long-term plans for your remote team? How do you plan to train the team? What tools and communication solutions will be in place?
The answers vary for different businesses, but they can help you create the right structure from the outset. For example, a small local business will work best with a local team, even without setting up an office. Conversely, a large conglomerate will need people working from all parts of the world from different time zones.
Think strategically and structure wisely to start on the right foot. At the same time, stay flexible because requirements and expectations may change as goals, systems, and plans evolve.
2. Create a Centralized, AI-powered Content Hub
Fragmented content spread across multiple systems makes collaboration difficult, even for in-office teams. When teams work remotely, this challenge becomes even more pronounced because of the physical distance. Imagine how hard it can be for employees to be on the same page when working from miles (or even continents) apart.
Cloud adoption is a good start as it creates a common ground that centralizes content in one place. The widespread adoption of the technology makes it all-pervasive, from government cloud storage to across all major industries in the private sector.
Government agencies, particularly in geographically large countries like the US, struggle with remote work. Fortunately, cloud solutions enable their teams to collaborate on various projects, from operations to public health and safety, social services, and more.
AI tools also help bridge this gap by organizing content and enabling real-time collaboration. One way to keep everyone on the same page is to move your content to a centralized AI-powered solution, like an intelligent content management platform. These systems provide robust security controls and AI-powered capabilities, keeping your data safe while helping your team work more efficiently.
A top feature of these platforms is AI-assisted note-taking. Remote team members and external partners can edit, annotate, and share online notes simultaneously without version control issues. This way, you rest assured that everyone accesses the most up-to-date content.
Here are a few examples of how AI-enhanced notes boost collaboration across different departments:
- Marketing: Teams can securely collaborate with external agencies on project plans and launch announcements. Marketers can also track changes, comment on specific sections, and maintain a single source of truth for all campaign materials.
- Sales: Representatives can jointly develop call scripts and email templates that actually work. When a team member discovers a successful tactic, they can share it immediately so the whole team can instantly improve their outreach.
- Product: Managers can define requirements and plan roadmaps together with engineering, design, and other stakeholders. Faster alignment across departments helps every team understand product priorities without endless meetings.
3. Foster Genuine Connection
Connected teams always perform better, whether working from one location or remotely. In fact, remote teams need to go the extra mile to build connections that keep the members glued together.
Remote work can feel isolating as team members miss out on the feeling of being closely connected. The worst part is that isolation often leads to decreased engagement and higher turnover. Even the most self-sufficient employees need to stay in touch with their colleagues and the company’s mission.
According to a Gallup survey, 21% of global employees feel disengaged at work, with people in managerial positions hit the hardest. However, fully remote workers admittedly experience higher levels of loneliness (27%) than on-site employees (21%).
To counter this problem, consider these best practices:
- Start team meetings with quick personal check-ins or casual conversations to build stronger relationships. Surprisingly, even a quick, casual call at the start of the day can set the tone for better engagement throughout the day.
- Host virtual team-building sessions focused on activities where team members can teach each other something new, or work on collaborative challenges. Think beyond work meetings and plan fun sessions that bring team members closer.
- Make recognition a regular practice—when someone can’t see the impact of their work directly, hearing specific praise from managers and peers becomes even more important.
4. Scale Strategically
Growth is a natural progression for businesses of all sizes and types. Scaling for a remote team may not be easy. Managing a rapidly expanding one brings even more challenges to the table. Before increasing headcount, you need a structured approach to scale successfully without losing your culture or efficiency.
Here are the best practices to scale your remote team effectively.
- Map core competencies across departments and pinpoint roles that gain the most from location flexibility. Focus on these roles to make the scaling efforts more rewarding for the business.
- Build standardized onboarding processes that quickly integrate new team members regardless of where they’re based. This will save cost, time, and effort, and ensure that the new hires get down to work from day one.
- Implement role-specific tech stacks to minimize onboarding friction, ensuring the right tools and clear usage guides are ready before day one. Set up a system to support workers if they experience difficulties with the adoption of these tools and platforms.
- Create clear guidelines about who makes which decisions and how information flows afterward. A clear flow prevents mistakes and mismanagement when people do not work from the same office.
With proper planning, your remote team can grow without experiencing all those typical obstructions.
The Remote Revolution Is Here to Stay
Building high-performing remote teams is never easy. It requires intentional strategies and the right technologies from the outset. However, there are no shortcuts or standard roadmaps to build these teams. The route may be different for every business, but a few essentials can help.
Start with a proper structure, centralize your content, and create clear communication protocols. Then focus on scaling efficiently while fostering genuine connections between team members. These approaches work together to create a collaborative environment that overcomes physical distance.
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