As our workforce spreads across the globe, businesses need to manage international teams from afar. In fact, our commissioned research found that over a third of business managers and directors around the world are planning to allow their teams to work remotely for one or two days per week next year.
As exciting as this is, it does present a problem or two for managers trying to control and motivate their remote teams. They need to find the right balance between being a present and supportive leader without removing any of the benefits employees gain from working outside the office. Here are our top tips to help you run your global team.
Be trusting: Our study found that 56% of telecommuters believe remote working helps them concentrate, while 53% think it provides a welcome change of scenery and a way of avoiding ‘cabin fever’. As long as you trust that your team to get the job done, you can take a step back and allow them to organise and arrange their own schedules. With a more independent, confident and happier team, you should see positive outcomes in the quality of work produced.
Stay in touch: Remote management is more about providing a support framework that allows your team to stay in the loop, wherever they are. Around 86% of workers think that managers and staff should use instant messaging and phone calls to remain in contact. This shows that regular check-ins are a good thing, even if it’s just to make sure your team members have everything they need.
Provide useful tools: Software providers are becoming much more geared towards solutions for employees on the move. Project management and communication tools like Asana, Slack and Harvest can help everyone stay up to speed with your business objectives, but there are plenty more cloud-based innovations that you can try too. Take a look at accounting tools like Wave or Zendesk’s customer service solutions.
Planera in regelbundna möten: Fysiska möten där alla inblandade medverkar har på inget sätt förlorat sin betydelse för ett gott ledarskap, snarare tvärtom. Genom att planera in möten i god tid ger du dels medarbetarna tydliga deadlines som de kan arbeta utifrån, dels ett konkret forum där pågående projekt kan diskuteras med jämna mellanrum.
Delad inspiration är dubbel inspiration: Kontor har fortfarande en viktig funktion att fylla för klargörande samtal och som en arena där medarbetarna kan utbyta erfarenheter och idéer samt inspirera varandra. Av de tillfrågade som inte hade något fast kontor förklarade 69% av dem att tillfälliga arbetsplatser fungerade som likartad inspirationskälla just eftersom de gav utrymme för möten och utbyten av tips, råd och erfarenheter. Oavsett om det rör sig om brainstorming på huvudkontoret eller mer informella chattkonversationer har det fria flödet av tankar, idéer och koncept som du som chef uppmuntrar samma syfte: att stimulera positivt och kreativt tänkande.
