3 Leadership Lessons For Effectively Remote Team Management

As the financial world navigates the complexities of returning to physical office spaces, remote work has cemented its position within the modern work culture. While economic influencers guide market dynamics, the transition to a new realm of work is evident for both employees and leaders.

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With a milestone of 21 years in business, our news site and PR agency has always embraced remote work. This approach was partly born out of necessity and fueled by my own experiences as an efficient remote worker in the early days of 2008. Considering the absence of today’s remote communication tools like Zoom, Skype, Slack, and Teams, this necessity spurred innovation. Over the years, my journey has led me to glean valuable insights into effectively managing remote teams.

Today, these systems and processes stand as one of our most significant strengths, allowing us to tap into a limitless talent pool while fostering contented relationships with both our team members and clients. However, it’s important to acknowledge that this journey was paved with experimentation and learning. Ultimately, the foundational elements for success in a remote-first environment lie in productivity and outcomes.

1. Prioritize Emotional Intelligence in Hiring

From my experience, emotional intelligence emerges as the foremost trait that determines an individual’s success in remote work settings. Studies reflect that remote workers tend to put in longer hours—a recent Microsoft study tracking 60,000 employees showed a daily savings of 72 minutes due to reduced commuting, which translated into an additional half-hour of work each day and two extra hours per week.

Yet, the challenge extends beyond mere hours. Preventing burnout among remote workers becomes a significant concern. Leaders need to make a conscious effort to connect with their team members since chance encounters in hallways are absent. Quick, agenda-less check-ins, lasting about 15 minutes, offer an effective means of fostering emotional engagement among emotionally intelligent individuals.

Identifying emotional intelligence isn’t overly complex. Emotionally intelligent employees exhibit empathy, self-direction, effective communication of needs, curiosity, and openness to feedback. Such individuals are attuned to their optimal working patterns and preferences. They value progress over perfection, setting the stage for the next critical success tip.

Within remote work culture, mutual respect is pivotal. Leaders themselves must possess emotional intelligence, opting for empathy and solutions rather than enforcing directives. By openly communicating schedules and availability, leaders serve as examples, allowing emotionally intelligent team members to pick up on the subtle cues.

2. Establish Clear Objectives and Goals

Instances of employees using screen trackers to feign productivity signal a lack of emotional intelligence and an absence of clear goals. Contemporary leaders must redefine their approach to evaluating team members.

According to Stanford University, remote workers boast a 13% increase in productivity. It becomes counterproductive to tether this enhanced efficiency to hourly tracking. Even within office setups, few individuals remain productive at their desks for a full 10 hours.

Shifting the focus from hours worked to contributions made proves more effective. Instead of pondering work in terms of time invested, concentrate on the value added. Clearly define the expected deliverables for each role, along with the key performance indicators (KPIs) to be tracked by employees. This shift offers leaders an accurate gauge of their most valuable team members, while team members themselves grasp their role’s expectations.

3. Leverage Technology Wisely

It takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes to enter a state of optimal productivity. Interruptions necessitate a similar span to regain that level of focus. While technology offers myriad productivity advantages, not all its facets contribute equally.

Notifications pose a challenge to sustained focus. A tiered communication structure can help. Emails serve well for non-urgent or external communications. Slack and Teams, intrinsic to remote culture, facilitate quick inquiries and urgent matters. However, it’s imperative to maintain professionalism within these channels, steering clear of excessive non-work-related discussions. Remote environments demand prioritized focus over casual chatter. Unlike traditional offices, remote team members can easily take short breaks for personal relief without needing an intra-office chat platform.

In our experience, project management software can sometimes become more cumbersome than beneficial. While exceptions exist, many teams can operate effectively without third-party platforms. Tools like Excel and Google Sheets can be configured to send notifications when documents are updated—simple and efficient.

Scheduling meetings has never been simpler, yet this ease complicates calendar management. Implementing company-wide “meeting-free” periods, such as on Fridays, maximizes productivity by granting everyone dedicated work time. Additionally, although various communication avenues exist, if a topic generates more than three emails or messages, it’s preferable to schedule a brief call to expedite resolution.

Remote work’s permanence necessitates modern companies’ adaptation to this evolving professional landscape. Safeguarding equilibrium, contributions, and focus stands as the foundation for success for both leaders and their teams.