Efficient remote team management can be a tricky task for startup founders. Various companies are shifting towards a remote work setup in these modern times. This significant change in work arrangement is the effect of the seemingly unending pandemic, the CoVID-19.
Building a remote team provides numerous advantages for startup owners. Because of this, they can create a diverse remote group with members from all over the world. However, hiring remote workers can be one of the most challenging tasks for startup founders.
This article will show you how you can effectively lead your remote team. Furthermore, we will also go over how you can find the best talent for your growing online company.
Hiring remote employees
Finding the best remote employee can be a daunting task for startup founders. This is because remote workers are typically much harder to judge based on their work ethic and skill levels. We are used to seeing our employees eye to eye, making it harder for employers to gauge an applicant’s skills and ethics online.
When hiring remote employees, you must set the right expectations. Consider the candidate’s remote working experience. An applicant with previous experience working online is an edge. Moreover, if they have worked with a client from a similar culture as you are, then you may find it easier to work with them.
There are specific methods you can use to make hiring remote talents easier. For example, video interviewing software makes it possible to hold remote job interviews with candidates from a distance. Video interviews are also a great way to scale your potential talent’s communication skills. Currently, there are a lot of free video conferencing apps available.
Why should you hire remote employees?
Hiring remote applicants can be advantageous for many reasons. First, you can easily employ remote employees from any part of the world without having to spend a hefty amount on an office.
In addition, remote workers are also well versed with internet technologies compared to traditional employees. Most remote workers are knowledgeable in many team management apps since they get most of their tasks this way.
There are many advantages to recruiting online workers. An international employee can be your best option if you are on a tight budget. Many remote employees offer their expert service at a much lesser cost than traditional employees. However, you must assess if they are the best fit for you.
Where can you find remote workers?
Finding remote workers for your startup can be a bit tricky. Currently, there are a lot of freelance marketplaces online to find the best talents for your remote team. You can use many online platforms to find remote employees suited for your team.
Building your remote team can be overwhelming at first. But once you see your team growing and your business expanding, you can say that you made the best choice.
Negotiating remote worker contracts
A critical aspect of remote team management is a remote worker’s contract. This is because labor laws do not protect remote workers the same way as on-site employees. As a result, it’s vital that you clearly understand what both parties expect from the working relationship before working together.
You can accomplish this by drafting a contract for remote workers which outlines their job duties, hours worked, and pay rates. The contract should also include any specific expectations you may have about their work performance. You can find many templates for freelance agreements online.
Creating a remote work agreement.
Once you make a contract with a remote employee, it’s time to set up their work settings. Setting remote work agreements with your team is essential for every remote team. In addition, this is also a great practice to assess an employee’s expectations with your team.
At first, it’s recommended that you start small when setting up these agreements. Start by establishing clear rules about communication on projects or tasks assigned to your remote staff. You can begin by developing guidelines on contacting each other during emergencies while at work.
There are a lot of project management tools online you can use to integrate with your team. You can also utilize online messaging apps to ensure efficient and quick communication within your remote team.
Advantage of a remote team
Building a remote team has many advantages. As a startup founder, here are some things you can enjoy from employing remote workers:
- Worldwide reach: Remote employees are not bound by location. This gives you the freedom to hire talents from anywhere in the world without any restrictions. Building a remote team is ideal if you aim to develop a diverse group from every culture.
- Tech Savvy: Online employees have a profound understanding of modern software and applications. As a result, they can be easily trained on your company’s online processes.
- More productive: A remote team is proven to be more effective than a traditional team. This is because remote workers are given the freedom to work independently without a micromanager breathing down their necks.
- Cost-effective: Establishing a remote staff can be cost-effective. Compared to a traditional work arrangement, employers need to pay for office space to accommodate their team. An online team removes that burden so you can focus your finances on things that matter.
Challenges of a remote team
Although remote team management has many advantages, it also comes with its own set of challenges. You must understand these challenges to take actions to prevent this from happening.
- Internal team communication: The most common challenge for remote teams is communication. This is because remote employees are not in the same physical space as their colleagues. As a result, they may feel disconnected from the team and their work. You can overcome this by constantly communicating with your online employees and setting up regular meetings to connect.
- Trust Issues: Another challenge that remote workers often face is trust issues. This happens when remote employees feel like they do not belong in the team. It would be best to establish trust with your remote employees to prevent future disputes.
- Overlapping Time Zones: Time zones also pose a challenge when working with remote teams. It can be hard to match working hours if your team is scattered all around the globe. You can resolve this by establishing a work schedule with your online employees.
- Team progress: Remote companies require more individualized work arrangements than traditional offices. It might take a while before remote workers sense that they are fulfilling their role in the company. To combat this, managers should be explicit about a team member’s role and touch base with their work performance.
Remote team management for startups can pose some challenges. But don’t fret because there are several options your team can overcome these obstacles. Keep in mind that you are working with a person from a different culture. It might take some time before your remote team creates a synergy.
Remote team management best practices
As mentioned above, starting a remote team can pose some challenges for startup owners. However, this is not something good team management can avoid. If you want to establish a great remote team, here are some ways to help you achieve it.
Remote team management best practices #1: Break down borders
Since you are starting a remote team, you must expect your employees to have diverse backgrounds. They probably have a work culture that is entirely different than yours. It would help if you took the time to understand your remote employee’s work culture so you can both find common ground. By doing this, you can establish your employee’s loyalty, further improving their productivity.
Remote team management best practices #2: Communicate effectively
One of the primary remote team management best practices is to communicate effectively. You must be clear about your remote team member’s roles and responsibilities so they can understand what you expect from them in their position. Let them know how they are doing and offer help if they face challenges.
Remote team management best practices #3: Keep your eye on the goal
As a remote team manager, you must keep an eye on the company’s goals. At the same time, you should also ensure that your remote team is motivated to reach the same goal you have. Share your vision with them and entertain their questions. You might be surprised at how motivating your employees can significantly improve their performance.
Remote team management best practices #4: Encourage social interactions
Encouraging social interactions among your remote team can help in increasing work productivity. Make sure that your remote team members feel like they belong in the company. Try asking them how their day went or even holding online events for your remote team.
Remote team management best practices #5: Show empathy
Empathy is an effective tool in remote team management. If challenges inside the team arise, try using empathetic communication to understand the root of the problem. This will help you identify the best way to move forward and increase your employee’s trust in you.
Remote team management best practices #6: Be a leader
One remote team management best practice is to be an effective leader. You must set the tone for your remote team and lead by example. Show them how great it can be working with you as their manager so they will want to follow in your footsteps. Furthermore, people are more likely to follow an inspiring leader than a controlling boss.
Remote team management best practices #7: Establish ground rules
Last but not least, establishing ground rules is an effective way to manage a remote team. You must explain how each task is delegated and how each team will work together. Give your remote team a bird’s eye view of the entire work process. Moreover, establishing ground rules will help your team stay on track and achieve more goals.
Using online platforms to grow your remote team
As your business expands, you will also need to grow your remote team. You can take advantage of online platforms such as social media to share the word about your fantastic team. In addition, you can also promote your services online by making a social media post. Use modern technology to your advantage.
Final thought
Remote team management is complex, especially if you are a first-time business owner. Even if you apply the best practices for remote team management, you can still face some obstacles. However, this should not dishearten you from starting your virtual team.
Starting a remote team is a novel experience. You’ll have to be patient and learn as you go. But with the proper tools and best practices, your remote team can be just as successful–if not more so–than a traditional office team.
