It is certainly a fact that companies are becoming more and more digitized. This applies both to the kinds of software they use in their operations, as well as the locations of their teams. It is not uncommon for many companies these days to have employees working all over the world on common projects. While this can be great, it also carries a lot of risk. What if some team members start to drop off? Could people misunderstand the fundamental nature of a project? Can people coordinate difficult time differences adequately?
All of these are legitimate questions, and ones that companies running remote operations should consider. In the sections below, we will provide some guidelines by which companies can create clear and effective policies for remote teams.
What are the potential issues with remote teams?
Before we get started on the solution, it stands to look at just how many things could possibly go wrong with having employees all over the world. Many problems arise because people – both employers and employees – don’t bother to think through all the issues they might face while working remotely. Problems can include:
- Lack of common understanding about project goals, methods, or roles
- Varying levels of productivity among team members that can’t be moderated or adjusted easily
- Challenges for managers in building team morale
- Time zone differences that could cause issues with online meetings or deadlines
- The potential for technical difficulties that could throw one or more project participants off
The list could go on, but the point is clear: there are any number of issues that managers and employees could face when teams work remotely.
Many issues are manageable
Despite the challenges, there is enough draw in the potential for remote work that companies are actively working on preventing problems before they arise and maintaining company morale as well as possible. Experts recommend several things:
Technical maintenance and oversight
On a fundamental level, it is essential that companies have the right technical infrastructure to maintain proper team functioning. This starts with the actual IT staff. If you are a business leader and not fully confident with your IT department’s ability to support a global staff, you should look into IT staff augmentation services. The right services can fill the gaps for you and make sure all your systems are in order.
When you choose IT services, you should keep in mind the types of technical problems that people might encounter in different parts of the world. Many of the things people experience are ones they never thought possible due to incompatibility issues, unpredictable coverage, or other things they wouldn’t experience in their home countries.
Setting clear expectations and parameters
This might sound like a very general statement at first, but the solution doesn’t have to be. Unclear expectations can arise from confusion about project goals in general, communication errors with fellow team members, individual task requirements, or many other aspects of company functioning.
Fortunately, these days there is excellent project management software out there that company leaders can take advantage of. The right software will clarify every detail of a given project, and notify team members when, how, and with whom they need to complete tasks or modules. Better programs take into consideration time differences and allow companies to customize their project parameters as much as necessary for their individual purposes.
Planning physical meetings
For people who really love to travel, the idea of going to a particular place once a year for a team retreat shouldn’t seem overly difficult. As of the end of last year, more than 12% of Americans were fully remote, and similar numbers were forming in other parts of the world. And the trend is only increasing. In fact, if the location is appealing enough then employees should relish the opportunity. Doing this depends on the availability of company resources, of course, but leaders should try to prioritize annual meetings as much as possible.
Getting people together and having them spend time together can be a major game changer for companies. Once people have interacted in person, sending messages or sharing tasks remotely takes on a whole different meaning. Company morale as a whole improves, and people become more motivated to get projects done.
It is a challenge, but not impossible
Some company leaders simply give up on remote work because they find the issues too overwhelming to deal with. This is the wrong approach, because the world is indisputably moving more and more in this direction. If company leaders go about the process of planning their work systematically and carefully, they should end up succeeding with their teams. Even if it takes time and some degree of trial and error, it will be worth it.
Also Read: How to Leverage Online Programs for Leadership Roles
