Biz Tips: How to Develop and Run a Successful Remote Team
GROWTH:
How to Develop and Run a Successful Remote Team
Technology has changed the way we think about working environments. According to an IWG study, 70% of people work remotely at least once a week. Working from anywhere you like (from an exotic island or simply from home) is a dream for many employees.
But remote teamwork also has its challenges. As a business owner myself, I know how difficult it can be to build and run a successful remote team. Luckily there are a few proven tricks you can use to create an awesome work atmosphere and a strong company culture among your team members wherever they are.
1. Daily Stand-Ups
Daily stand-ups are an activity that can help you improve your team’s spirit on a daily basis. How does it work? Stephen Hart, the CEO of Cardswitcher explains.
At the beginning of a working day every person has to stand up and answer three questions — what did you do yesterday, what will you do today and what impediments or problems do you have?
These three questions will help people discover what other members of their team are doing and have more understanding of their particular role within the company. Also, the stand-up will help your team members stay on track with what they have to do day after day and ensure that they are at the same page with other members of the team and the management.
Daily stand-ups don’t have to take a lot of time. If your employees answer precisely to every question, you’ll probably spend about 10 to 15 minutes a day on your stand-up activities. Stand-ups for remote teams can be easily organised through Slack, Skype and Hangouts. Just send everybody an invitation and have them join in at the appropriate time.
If your team is working in different time zones and can’t get together for daily stand-ups, there’s another efficient way to do it. Just distribute questionnaires and have your employees fill them out at the beginning of their working day; then gather all the questionnaires, and share them with other team members.
2. Encourage Professional Growth
Professional growth opportunities are very important for every member of the team. In a recent survey, a whopping 87% of millennials said that professional growth is an important factor for their job. This should come as no surprise considering that for this particular generation job is more than just earning a pay check. It’s a way of life.
People want to have the opportunity to constantly develop and learn new things. Building a satisfied team composed of happy workers means that you’ll have to answer those demands. Why not set aside one day every month to let people work on new skills together. This will undoubtedly keep your employees happy and strengthen your team spirit.